I recently purchased glitter dust and I am not sure how to apply it or if it is going to give me the look I want. I saw a tutorial quite a while ago that showed someone steaming their gumpaste flowers and then dusting the flowers with something that gave it a more realistic look. I can't find that video anymore. Can someone help please

I was also wondering how to attach the ribbon around my square cakes. Does it just stick to the cake if I put it on while my buttercream is still wet or do I need to use something else to make it stick?

Oh and one more thing. Do I have to use heating cores for my cakes and if so how do they work exactly. I am makeing a 16in and a 12in.

Thanks again!!

Hope this helps. You dust your flowers first - to highlight the colors - example, darker cranberry around the rims of each lighter pink rose petal. Then you steam them after they're dry and let them dry again. The steam seals in the colors, takes away any powdered sugar and sort of melts the colors into each other. If you steam, dry then dust the dust won't stick because steaming puts a sealing coat on the flowers. You can attach ribbon to still moist buttercream but the oils in the icing will darken your ribbon so 1.) either choose a ribbon slightly lighter than you want or 2.) select the correct color and back it with clear shipping tape to prevent the butter from splotching it. Some iron waxed paper onto the back of the ribbon. Just that small amount of wax getting into the ribbon prevents blotching. Others, just wet the ribbon and run it through your index finger and thumb to remove excess moisture then wrap around the cake. Heating cores. Depends. If it's a large cake and you're pan is deep, yes, go ahead and use a heating core. Two types. A V shaped cone you place in the center of the pan, fill in around it with batter then fill the cone with batter (grease and flour the inside first). Then when you remove the cake the cone will come out too. Remove the cone, take the cake out of the center of the cone and put back into the hole in the cake and ice. But the most popular method is to take a large icing nail - big head down - in the center of your cake pan then cover it with batter. The nail drives more heat to the center of the cake, making it bake more evenly along the edges and in the center.

Thank you so much DeniseNH!! That was very helpful.

I have two more questions if you have a minute.

Should I steam my roses right before I put them on the cake or can I do it a few days in advance? I read somewhere that the flower can lose the shine from the steam after awhile.

Can I freeze a cakes with fillings? I am doing a carrot with cream cheese, white with lemon and a chocolate with raspberry.

Thank you fo all your help