These little gumpaste butterflies make a lovely addition to a floral cake topper.
They are made on wire to easily insert into your topper.
They are made on wire to easily insert into your topper.
Supplies
Fondant Roller And Board
Cornstarch
Patchwork Cutters
#20 Covered Wire
Wire Cutters
Gum Glue
Edible Markers
Non Toxic Pastels
Instructions
Using wirecutters, cut wire into 6-8 inch lengths.
Roll out a small ball of firm gumpaste on a board, heavily dusted with cornstarch.
Roll thin, but not paper thin. Dust the Butterfly cutter with cornstarch. Press the patchwork cutter into the gumpaste, placing pressure on the edges of the cutter.
Pressing firmly on the cutter, move on board in a circular motion. Holding cutter in place, pull remaining gumpaste away.
Using a pin, loosen gumpaste from cutter. If butterfly should break in half at thorax, don’t worry, it will work just fine.
Roll a small amount of gumpaste into a 3/8” size ball. Moisten one end of wire with
gumglue, and insert into the ball. Press the gumpaste into wire, creating a ½” sausage on the end of the wire and brush with gum glue.
Place the gumpaste covered end of wire vertically over the center of the back side of gumpaste butterfly.
.
Fold the butterfly over the wire, gently folding the ends of wings to
create movement.
If thorax breaks off during process, make another by forming a thorax from a small sausage of gumpaste. Attach to the butterflies with gumglue
Place on a Styrofoam base to dry.
Once your butterfly has dried, use a colored marker
and paint a few sections of your butterfly.
With a black edible marker, outline the detail of the butterfly,
Repeat on back sides of wings.
Then finish by softening the shades, by coloring
the remainder butterfly using pastels. Gently rub
the pastel color in with a soft paper towel.
Insert wire into your cake topper.
Photography and tutorial by Jacque Benson
All rights reserved 2009
Contents of this tutorial cannot be reproduced for
Commercial purposes without permission from author.
