Flourishing Together Cake

instructions

Several days in advance: Make gum paste flowers and leaves. You will need: 34 small roses (dust edges of half with yellow Pearl Dust, half with orchid Pearl Dust); 16 plain and 16 ruffled calla lilies (dust all with white Pearl Dust); and 55 large rose leaves. Make extras to allow for breakage. Let dry for several days.

Bake and cool 2-layer 6 in., 2-layer 8 in. (bake 2 layers, 2 1/2 in. each, for a 5 in. high cake) and 1-layer 12 in. cake. Ice smooth and prepare for Stacked Construction. Use Cake Dividing Set to divide 6 in. cake into 8ths, 10 in. cake into 10ths and 12 in. cake into 16ths (mark 8ths then divide each section in half). Using tip 3, pipe triple drop strings on 6 in. and 8 in. cakes (1, 1 1/4, 1 1/2 in. deep); pipe double drop strings on 12 in. cake (1, 1 1/4 in. deep). Pipe tip 5 bead border around base of 12 and 6 in. cakes; pipe tip 3 bead border on top of 8 in. cake. Position flowers and leaves, securing with icing. Cut drinking straws to 5 in. long; slide onto bottom of cake pick for extra length.

At reception: Position cake on stand. Insert pick in cake top.