Hi everyone. I'm new here, and will probably be sticking around because so far I have read lots of informative threads! I'll have to look around for an Introductions thread. For now, I'll come in with a question!

I'm doing a Luau cake for my daughter's 17th birthday, and so of course, I need hibiscus flowers!

I'm wondering if I can make them with already colored fondant (or gum paste?), and then use gel food coloring to paint the accent colors on?

I don't have any of the dusting powder in my kit yet, and can't really get any right now.

Has anyone done them like that, and had them turn out okay?

TIA!

Yes, you can use already colored fondant/gumpaste. Some kind person on here pointed me towards this tutorial once, it's wonderful: http://www.duskyroseveiners.co.uk/page_1511102.html

You can also buy them. www. avalondeco. com

they're lovely!

You can also buy them. www. avalondeco. com

they're lovely!

If you use fondant, you will need to let them dry for several days. Gumpaste is less edible but hardens much faster. A lot of people mix the two, or add tylose or Gum-Tex to fondant which amounts to the same thing, and is a good compromise.

I made some for my mothers retirement cake. I saw a do it your self video online. I purchased a set of fake hibiscus flowers and Michaels crafts. I used a large oval cookie cutter and bent the end to create a tear drop shape. After cutting the gumpaste I put the petal on a leaf veiner and smoothed then lay your petal on the inside of the fake flower. Keep layering until all your petals are complete. For the center stamen I rolled out a thin piece of yellow gumpaste and let dry. I brushed the stamen with edible glue and rolled in golden yellow sugar crystals. Added stamen to the center of the flowers with royal icing. My mother kept some of the flowers in her curio. Look up the video on youtube it's extremely helpful.

I did a short video on YouTube of how I make mine (it's not complete - doesn't show the stamens). You can find it here: