Hi Fellow CC'ers
I am planning on making Peggy Porschen Tower of Roses cake for my parents SURPRISE wedding anniversary party. This is a big undertaking for me as I have NEVER made a fondant or gumpaste rose!!!! Does anyonw out there have any hints, tips, ideas, etc... that would help me get on my way?
I think I got the whole cone shape figured out it is the roses that I am nercous about. I typically make and use only MMF, but I am not sure that will be strong enough. Should I use store bought fondant? Do I add gumpaste? etc...
From what I have read there are over 100 roses so I am going to start now (4 weeks ahead). I have also read that a 5 petal cutter works well instead of individual petals and might make it go faster!?!?
Thanks in advanced for any help! I am truly indebted to CakeCentral and all the folks on here!
Jen
www.nomoreboringcakes.com

PS> The photo is a replica of the cake that someone here on CC did wonderfully!!!

Here's a great tutorial by aine (she's a member here).

I was going to recommend that you try Duff's roses, but I checked your website and see you already make those... I assume you're looking for more realistic roses. (I'm so glad I checked first!) LOL

What are Duff's Roses?

Those five petal roses are really great and fast when you get the hang of it -- and you'll definitely get the hang of it with that many roses. I'm going to do that cake with frangipani's and butterflies on it for my granddaughter's sweet 16 party. Don't want to do white but they come in all kinds of other colors. Good luck with your cake. I'm anxious to see a picture when it's done.

I made the rose tower cake (in my pics) but I made all the roses freehand. I made them a bit at a time over a period of a few weeks and stuck them on with royal icing.

Duff's roses, how-to - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweetlanda/1062291676/in/photostream/

Thanks!

Hey Gang
Thanks for your replies. Just today I was thinking, I wonder what it would look like to make the Duff style roses... Think it would look ok? Maybe a bit more modern? And what is "frangipani's"?
Thanks
Jen

Fragipani, also known as Plumeria.

http://www.botanicaldesigns.com.au/images/colourgallery/gallery40.jpg

i bought the frangpani cutter but i cant get it to stick together. can anyone help

I have successfully used just water, just vodka, or vodka mixed w/ a little tylose (the strongest) for my flowers & had success w/ all of them. I've made roses freehand & I would buy a 5 petal cutter in a heart beat if I were to do that many. I don't know that duff roses would look as good w/ that many roses b/c they are a thicker rose. I've tried to thin them when I do them that way & they just don't seem to hold up as well. I just love the look of the PP rose tower! I'm waiting for an occasion to make that one!

Between Aines' tutorial on youtube, Wilton's directions for fondant roses (for general directions on each layer), and good a five petal cutter (not Wilton's) you can make speedy MMF and gumpaste roses. I do @ 1/3 gum paste to 2/3 MMF and it works great, it's just enough gum paste to be able to make them thinner and more realistic (attached pic. of latest roses made that way)

I have a horrible time making roses! I hate the 5 petal cutter way, but have seen such beautiful roses on here! I would love to know some other methods!

I just made 300 roses for my Fair cake. It took me two weeks solid of doing nothing but making roses. I used the 5 petal rose and did the way Aine2 does hers. They were gorges. I wish I could up-load a picture, but I haven't been able to for over six months. I will e-mail you one though.

Now is the time to utilize Wilton fondant. It's perfect for stuff like this. Mix with gumpaste...make a ton of Gumpaste/Fondant roses...you can even do them 50-50 if you want...especially if you don't like the taste of their fondant.