i have a request for a cake that is chocolate icing and butterflies. any ideas? dont have time to do the wafer paper butterflies. anyone ever do a gumpaste butterfly

There are many examples of fondant or gumpaste butterflies in the galleries. I haven't made them myself, but have seen lovely cakes with them.

Here's one:

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=14792

Hi there! Gumpaste butterflies are very easy to make. First pleat some fairly stiff and long cardboard like a concertina shape and dust with some cornstarch and set aside (it should be standing up by itself at this point). Then roll your paste out quite thin but not too thin and cut out the butterfly shape. Place the butterfly carefully in the middle of the concertina and leave to dry for at least two days. You can then leave it plain or dust the edges with sparkle or even paint it. Hope this helps.

. . . ssooo many options . . . do you have a cookie cutter butterfly . . . these would be lovely . . . http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1255772 (cookie cutter and royal icing) . . . http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1226887 (color flow) . . . http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1250667 (royal icing) . . . these are kinda cool http://anna898.vox.com/library/post/sugar-butterflies.html . . . you could do something amazing with a chocolate transfer http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=517483 (tutorial available on line) . . . and of course gumpaste is always an option . . .

and if you're looking for the easy way out, go to: http://www.discountsugarflowers.com/

I bought plain white gumpaste butterflies from them last summer. I don't know if they still carry them but it can't hurt to look. I love that they're unfinished because I can paint them however I want. i used three on one of my last cakes, it was the bug one. there's a big pink one right in the front. The wings have a slight pattern on them and they have little antennas too.

added:
I found them actually. on the website click on Gumpaste Flowers on the left, then Leaves & More, then butterflies.

I don't have a really good butterfly cookie cutter so I improvised. I found a pic I liked and traced the butterfly outline onto some parchment paper (can use wax paper, too). I rolled out my gumpaste fairly thin and then layed the trace outline over the gumpaste. I took one of my veining tools and traced the outline so that it made an impression into the gumpaste. Then I cut out the outline with my Xacto knive. Any rough edges I gently smoothed with my veining tool.

I also inserted two stamens into the head for the antenna.

Then I positioned my butterfly how I wanted it to dry and VOILA! I "painted" mine with chalk dust.

It took a lot less time to do than I thought...you can see it in my pics if you like. HTH