1 WEEK IN ADVANCE

(Extra time has been allotted due to the number of gems needed.)

Make gems. Tint 10 oz. fondant cornflower blue. Use 7 oz. white fondant and jewelry fondant & gum paste mold to make 450 round gems, 550 in blue. Use brush and white Pearl Dust/lemon extract mixture to paint all gems. Let dry overnight on cornstarch- dusted board.

Make and assemble medallion bow.

Cut strips. Tint 8 oz. gum paste cornflower blue. Roll out 1/16 in. thick. Use fondant trimmer to cut two strips, 4 in. x 8 in.

Form bow loops. Fold over to form loops, using damp brush to attach ends. Trim sides to taper ends. Pinch ends to create gathered center. Support loops with crumpled paper napkins.

For knot accent, press white fondant into jewelry mold to make one square gem. Paint gem with white Pearl Dust/lemon extract mixture. Let bow and gem dry overnight on cornstarch-dusted board.

Assemble bow. For knot, roll out blue gum paste 1/8 in. thick. Cut a strip, 1 in. x 3 in. Wrap strip around the ends of bow loops positioned end to end, creating a knot look. Attach knot with damp brush.

Use piping gel to attach knot accent to knot.

1 DAY IN ADVANCE

Bake and cool 6 in. and 8 in. round cakes. Each cake is 5 in. high (two layers, 2 1/2 in. high). Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Prepare and cover cakes with white fondant. Prepare cakes for stacked construction. Stack cakes.

Tint 36 oz. fondant cornflower blue to cover 8 in. cake, use 24 oz. white to cover 6 in. cake. Attach blue gems to 8 in. cake and white gems to 6 in. cake.

Attach gems. Use piping gel in a cut parchment bag to pipe a dot on back of gems; attach to cake. Begin with a row at bottom of each cake, then place successive rows in the spaces between gems of preceding row. Continue over top of 8 in. cake and cover top of 6 in. cake.

DAY OF CELEBRATION

Attach bow to side of cake with piping gel. Position topper.*

*Always place a separator plate, or cake board cut to fit. on the cake where you position any figurine or topper. This protects both the cake and your keepsake. For extra stability, secure your figurine to the plate with double-stick craft tape.