Make gum paste peony three days in advance. Follow instructions in cut-outs set to make a peony on wired base with first row of eight ‘C’ petals, second row of six ‘B’ petals and third row of 11 ‘B’ petals. Let dry and assemble following instructions.

Highlight petals two days in advance. Use a combination of white and pink Color Dust to brush petals. Assemble peony petals following instructions.

Make cakes one day in advance. Bake and cool three 6-inch cake layers and three 10-inch cake layers. Trim 1 10-inch layer to 1-inch high. Level, fill and stack cakes on same-size cake circles for a 3 layer 6-inch cake, 6 inches high and a 3 layer 10-inch cake, 5 inches high.

Assemble cake. Ice cakes smooth. Prepare cakes for stacked construction with bamboo dowel rods. Stack cakes on cake plate.

Decorate cake. Prepare a disposable decorating bag with coupler and tip 125; fill with icing. On 10-inch cake, pipe tip 125 ruffles from top of cake to bottom, covering side of cake. On 6-inch cake, pipe tip 3 bead bottom border.

Position flower. Insert cake spike in top of 10 inch cake. Trim wire on flower to 5 inches. Insert flower in spike.

*Tip: The top tier is often saved for the first anniversary. The number of servings given does not include the top tier.