Ingredients
Cake decorations
Method
1.To make magnolia: make a small hook in one end of the 18-gauge wire using pliers. Using 18-gauge long nose floral pliers, cut each 26-gauge wire into 3 even lengths.
2.Knead modelling paste with a pinch of tylose on cornfloured surface until paste loses its stickiness.
3.To make flower centre, roll a piece of paste into a ball the size of a large marble. Dip wire hook into flower glue; push into ball of paste. Use small scissors to snip the paste into small points; dry upright overnight. Dust centre with yellow petal dust.
4.Roll paste 3mm thick on cornfloured surface. Using magnolia cutter set, cut 3 small and 5 large petals. Cover petals with vinyl mat. Dust pan with cornflour.
5.Dip one end of a piece of wire into glue; gently push wire into pointed end of small petal. Working with one small petal at a time, place petal on flower mat, use ball tool to frill the edge. Dry petals overnight in pan. Combine a pinch each of cornflour and pink petal dust; use to brush insides of petals.
6.To make large petals, insert wire one-third of the way through pointed end. Using small rolling pin, roll top two-thirds of petals to make larger. Frill edge of petals on flower mat using ball tool. Dry overnight in patty pan.
7.To assemble magnolia: use florist’s tape to secure wired small petals, one at a time, to wired flower centre. Attach large petals in the same way.
8.Trim cakes. Secure deep cake to wooden board; top with remaining cake, joining cakes with a little jam or ganache. Prepare cake for covering with ready-made icing.
9.Knead ready-made icing on cornfloured surface until icing loses its stickiness. Roll icing on cornfloured surface with non-stick rolling pin until large enough to cover cake.
10.Using rolling pin to lift icing onto cake; smooth with hands then smoothing tools. Trim icing neatly around base of cake.
11.Tint royal icing ivory. Half-fill piping bag with icing; pipe around base of cake. Use fingertip to blend icing into any gap where cake joins the board. Dry overnight.
12.Fill a piping bag with icing and line around base of cake. Use tweezers to position large pearls on icing. Pipe small dots of icing, a few at a time, between first row of pearls; position small pearls. Repeat to make 5 rows of large pearls and 4 rows of small pearls.
13.Position magnolia in cake.