Wilton has a step saving rose maker set that you cut the rose parts out of fondant or gum paste. I was thinking of getting one.

I have made royal icing flowers that kept forever! How long could flowers made of gum past or MMF last? How would they be stored?

What is so step saving? I mean, royal roses are quick and easy and you need to mold and roll with the rose cutters. Unless you work with fondant alot I wouldn't bother.

I have the Wilton step-saving rose kit where the cutters are the individuals petals. I recently purchased another one (not Wilton brand) that has all the petals together and you simply cut thread and then fold, etc. I like this better than doing the petals individually. I have an anniversary cake in my profile where I used this new cutter.
I don't care for spending much time on this so it worked great!

I have done roses both ways and personally I love the kit...I can't stand doing the roses petal by petal...I find it so much easier to use this. I also found some cutters called Jem Easy Rose cutters, and they come in larger sizes and they make it so that you don't have to cut down each petal of the flower to seperate it, like you do with the wilton cutters.

If you plan to do fondant or gumpaste roses I definately recommend these cutters or the Jem cutters!

Mixee

Mamafrog can you tell me the name of the cutters you use that the petals are together and where I can get them. Thanks

In response to "what's so step saving?", that's what I want to know! I looked at an instruction sheet on sugarcraft (where I think I saw that cutter that cuts all the petals at once), it was talking about putting wires on them! What I want is to make completely edible roses, so is that how the kit works?

Also, debsuewoo, I don't think royal roses are exactly "quick and easy". You need all those little pieces of wax paper, you need to pipe out little cones, you need to change the tip to the petal tip and pipe out all the petals, and you need a flower nail. But, if it's still faster than the kit, that's what I want to know.

Well I think there are MAJOR differences between gumpaste and royal! I can understand your question. The look is so different, not even comparable (in my opinion). I really can't remember the name of the cutter that I have with the petals attached. I found several on Sugarcraft... http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/gumpaste/gp-roses.htm#allInOne. Sometimes what seems simple to other people aren't for most of us! I personally have a hard time with any kind of icing flower--royal, BC or gumpaste! I made a few gumpaste recently and they needed work, but looked good on the cake. Good luck!

In answer to your original question gumpaste roses keep for ever as long as they are kept somewhere warm and dry. I still have the sprays I made for my wedding cake 6 years ago and they still look exactly as they did when I made them

Do gumpaste flowers have to be made on wires?

You can use tooth picks too. That's what I've done on all my roses.

In response to the part about you have to change tips when making royal roses...you can have 2 bags made up ahead of time.

candy lady helen,

Actually, what I do is pipe out all my little cones on individual waxed papers, then I change the tip and do all my petals individually with the nail.