Looking For A Good Kit For Fondant Flowers...

Decorating By MariaK38 Updated 25 Oct 2010 , 11:00am by MariaK38

MariaK38 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MariaK38 Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 1:03am
post #1 of 11

... for a beginner. I'd like to make some different types fondant flowers for the tops of my cupcakes and I really need lots of instruction. the only thing I've seen so far is the Wilton kit, and I'm not too crazy about alot of their products.
Can you pros recommend a good kit for me?

Thanks!

10 replies
Elcee Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Elcee Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 1:33am
post #2 of 11

Actually, I think the Wilton kit is a great starter. I don't follow the directions to the T but apply some of their techniques with what I've learned elsewhere. And I use the cutters that came with it all the time. I feel like I've got way more than my money's worth from it.

silverdragon997 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
silverdragon997 Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 5:23am
post #3 of 11

I like the Wilton flower kit too. I've only made a few flowers with it, but the instructions are easy to follow. I only wish they'd update the photos in it. The inside cover of the book says it's copyright is 1984, and I don't think they've updated the book since! The first time I looked through the book I had a good time laughing at the gaudy '80's style cakes in it. Yeesh!

Evoir Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Evoir Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 8:11am
post #4 of 11

I hardly use the Wilton cutters - they just sit in a drawer unused icon_sad.gif

I buy my cutters online and in specialty stores, and all of them are metal not plastic.

playingwithsugar Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
playingwithsugar Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 8:38am
post #5 of 11

I think Wilton is the only "kit" around. Everything else I've seen is sold a la carte.

Theresa icon_smile.gif

Evoir Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Evoir Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 8:55am
post #6 of 11

I have several round tin kits with various generic blossom shapes, that I use for simple fondant flowers.

But to clarify, I use specialist metal cutters which come in flower components (eg petal cutter, orchid throat cutter, sepal, calyx), which I then cut, ball, cut, mould etc, then assemble into gumpaste flowers (not fondant).

I wasn't clear in my earlier post - sorry!

MariaK38 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MariaK38 Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 2:31pm
post #7 of 11

thanks!

artscallion Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
artscallion Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 3:02pm
post #8 of 11

The Wilton kit is a great starter kit for beginners. It gave me an easy way into what seemed an intimidating and complicated process. Once I made a few flowers and saw how easy it really was to make something so beautiful, I was hooked.

That's when I started feeling the limitations of the kit and started buying specific cutters like evoir mentions. I also discovered that some of the tools in the kit really weren't that good and have replaced them with better quality tools along the way. The ball tool, for instance is plastic with a seam in it! I now have one with a seamless metal ball that glides over the gumpaste like silk.

But my point is that this metal ball tool cost me more than the whole Wilton kit did. So, buy the kit to get your feet wet. Then grow from there. I still use many of the cutters for fantasy flowers and different things. And many of the tools are great for working fondant figures and other things. So it was far from money wasted.

While I can now make a branch of bleeding hearts that you couldn't tell from a real one with my fancy new cutters, I also had great results with cutters from the Wilton kit on all of these cakes...

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1756829

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1684029

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1363829

http://cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1345300

infinitsky Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
infinitsky Posted 17 Oct 2010 , 3:55pm
post #9 of 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by artscallion

So, buy the kit to get your feet wet. Then grow from there. I still use many of the cutters for fantasy flowers and different things. And many of the tools are great for working fondant figures and other things. So it was far from money wasted.




Ditto...

@ artscallion: Nice cakes!

Evoir Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
Evoir Posted 25 Oct 2010 , 6:34am
post #10 of 11

Just as a quick note: you can sand down those silly seams on plastic balling tools using a fine emery (nail) board.

MariaK38 Cake Central Cake Decorator Profile
MariaK38 Posted 25 Oct 2010 , 11:00am
post #11 of 11

good tip, thank you!

Quote by @%username% on %date%

%body%