I want to make a tropical drink cake and am not sure the best way to make that little paper umbrella. Thin gumpaste? Suggestions would be welcome! TIA

For this umbrella I made a wire frame and shaped it over the bottom of a shallow bowl. I covered that frame with plastic wrap, cut a circle of gumpaste with a small hole in the center (the size of a bamboo skewer). I placed the gumpaste circle over the plastic frame and let it dry for three days. Once the top surface was dry I turned it over on marine wool padding and gave it another day or two. The hardest part was getting the metal frame to stay in place. I'd use the press and seal wrap if I was doing it again. While the umbrella is drying you can prepare your skewer. I made a small ball of gumpaste, flattened it a bit, and slid it down the skewer to where the umbrella was going to sit. I glued it in place with gumpaste glue, and let it dry hard. Once the umbrella was dry I slid it onto the skewer and fixed it to the ball of gumpaste with a little gumpaste glue. To finish I made a cap of gumpaste to cover the exposed end of the skewer. HTH

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1955745