Delicate wafer paper roses add a feminine touch to cakes. These flowers look like they were difficult to create, but they’re surprisingly simple to make if you follow this step-by-step tutorial. All you need is patience and practice!

Supplies:

• Wafer paper
• Scissors
• Water
• Silpat or waxed paper
• Circle punch
• Brush
• Scissors 

1. Punch or cut circles from wafer paper.

2. Gather your other materials.

3. Use a very small amount of water on the brush to dampen four circles. These will form the bottom four layers or petals. I made five flowers at once so twenty are shown.

See how they start to curl almost immediately? They will be very sticky so don’t try to move them until they dry. This usually only takes a few minutes unless you used too much water. Be thrifty.

When they turn white again, they are dry. Look how curly they get! Don’t touch yet.

4. Cut slits to the center for the next two layers.

5. Make cones from each of these two petals.

6. Form the cone before you dampen it.

7. Dampen around the cut and press together.

8. Moisten the cones slightly and set aside to dry.

9. The next two layers will also be cones but half the size. Cut two circles in half.

10. Hold the curved part up and bend about ⅓ of the petal over.

11. Fold the opposite side over to form a cone. Glue the overlapping area.

12. Pinch for a few seconds. Moisten cone slightly after placing on mat to dry fully.

13. Moisten the center of one of the dry four bottom petals. Add another layer on top. Press with your finger to make sure they stick together. This one is still way too wet to use.

14. Criss-cross the layers. Continue until you have stacked four layers.

15. Add the two layers of larger cones in the same manner. While pressing the centers together, you can also slightly flex the outer edges to curve the flower even more.

16. This is what they should look like before you add the two smaller cones and the center. Still not really impressive, but they’ll come together. I promise.

17. Form the center bud by folding one petal in not quite half. Gather slightly by pinching together. You can very slightly moisten the petal inside the fold for more flexibility.

18. Starting at the side, gently roll the taco shape into a tube. Dampen the edges as you go, but be extra careful with the water here. Too much will the flatten the tube as it dries.

19. Be sure to add a dab of water at the very end to secure the tube so that it won’t unravel.

20. Gently pinch the bottom of the tube together and set aside to dry slightly.

21. Trim bottom of center bud about halfway down. The bottom can still be damp for this, but the top or flared portion should be dry so that the tube won’t crush while you’re working with it.

22. You’re almost finished! You should have the four bottom layers and two larger cones ready, and two smaller cones along with the center bud. Again, I did five flowers here.

23. Dampen the end of the center bud and tuck in one small cone. Place this inside the other small cone using a small dab of water. Press into flower center and bend outer petals up slightly to form a more natural shape.

24. You did it! Attach to fondant by moistening both fondant and flower back with water. Press gently into place and hold for a few seconds until set.