Step 1

2 DAYS IN ADVANCE

Make flowers. Prepare royal icing following recipe directions. Tint portions violet/rose combination (for violet) and sky blue. Reserve remaining white.

On parchment paper-covered board, use tip 190 and white icing to make 260 swirl drop flowers. Attach a white Sugar Pearl for each center. Also on parchment paper-covered board, use tip 2D and violet icing to pipe 30 swirl drop flowers with tip 4 dot centers.

Use tip 104 and blue icing to make 20 ribbon roses with tip 12 bases. Use tip 150 and blue icing to make 45 carnations with tip 12 bases. Let all flowers dry 24 hours.

Step 2

1 DAY IN ADVANCE

Bake and cool 6 in. round cake. Cake is two layers, 5 in. high (two layers, 2 1/2 in. high). Place cake on 8 in. dia. cake plate. Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Use spatula to ice cake smooth.

Step 3

Position drop flowers. Use tip 4 and buttercream icing to pipe dots on back of each white drop flower and attach to cake sides, covering sides completely. Stagger rows of flowers to achieve a tight fit.

Use cake dividing chart to divide top edge of cake into sixths. Use tip 4 and buttercream icing to pipe a drop string, 1 1/2 in. deep, between each mark. Use tip 4 and buttercream icing to attach violet drop flowers on strings.

Step 4

Position carnations and ribbon roses. Use tip 12 and buttercream icing to attach carnations to cake top. Use tip 21 and buttercream icing to pipe shell bottom border. Immediately position ribbon roses on shells.