The Easiest Circle Ruffles Ever!

Our editor, Rebekah Wilbur, brings a sweet and simple tutorial for sophisticated “fan ruffles”. These circular ruffles are super simple to make and very quick, which makes covering large tiers a cinch!

Components:

  • White Satin Ice gum paste
  • White Satin Ice fondant
  • Red Satin Ice gum paste
  • Purple Satin Ice fondant
  • Small Rolling Pin
  • Small 1 inch circle cutter (or a piping tip)
  • Sharp knife
  • Small paintbrush
  • Edible glue
  • Renshaw Royal Icing (Optional)
  • Crisco or vegetable shortening
  • Silicone mat (optional)

To prepare the mauve fondant, mix a pea size amount of the red gum paste and a slightly larger amount of purple fondant into a 50/50 mix of white gum paste/fondant as shown in the above photo.

Step 1: Roll out the mauve fondant to 1/8th inch in thickness using the small rolling pin. Then using a small circle cutter, or a large piping nozzle (The Russian tips are a perfect size). Cut out several circles.

Step 2: Dab a touch of edible glue onto one edge of each circle, and taking one circle in your hand, gradually layer the circles on top of each other, leaving a small space before adding each one. Press firmly between the thumb and finger and you add each new circle, to ensure the “flower” is secured and to manipulate the circles into creating a cupped shape.

Step 3: Gently pinch the ends together as shown in the picture below to finish the form of the “flower” shape.

Step 4: Dab a little royal icing or edible glue onto the reverse of the flower and firmly attach to your cake tier, pressing into the hollow of the flower to secure.

Rebekah notes: I use royal icing because it offers more stability for these heavy decorations.

Step 5: Add a small jewel to the center to cover the indentation, alternatively you can make a small brooch with fondant or gum paste and paint with an edible silver or gold luster. This tier was faux and so there was no risk of the decorations being served.

Rebekah notes: If you are adding jewels to a real tier, please make sure to remove the decorations before serving.

Step 6: Continue to create and add more flowers, making sure you position the flowers in different directions on the tier. You do not want all the flowers to be lined up in a row. This will create the most visually appealing arrangement.

Rebekah notes: It’s OK if your flowers overlap slightly.

You can add as many or as few circles to create your flowers, spacing them closely together or far apart will add visual interest.

 

Rebekah Wilbur is managing editor of American Cake Decorating magazine and owner of Rebekah Naomi Cake Design.

 

 

 

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