Sugar flowers are one of the most useful skills you can master as a cake decorator. They allow you to add a beautiful delicacy to any cake and are frequently featured in wedding cake designs. In this how to we take you through step by step so you can perfect your sugar peony skills.

Thankfully PME have created the fabulous Peony Plunger Veiner Cutter Set to have you making your very own peony spray in no time!

You will need:
PME Peony Plunger Veiner Cutter Set (PY504)
PME Ball Tool (PME3)
Jem Petal Pad (109SE014)
150grams Gum Paste
PME Paste Colour Hot Pink (PC1063)
PME Powder Colours Strawberry Sundae (PC312)
& Canary Yellow (PC303)
PME Fine Scissors (SCS600)
JEM Blossom/Petal Former (109SE054)
PME 24 gauge white wires (FW124)
PME Green Sparkle Tape (FTG208)
PME Petal Glue (104FP006)
PME Paint Brushes (CB1007)

Instructions:
Tip: this is an off wire flower so we will be starting from the centre and working our way outwards.

1 - Using the gum paste mould a medium sized ball and take a pair of fine pointed scissors to snip into the paste to create the detail for the centre of your peony.
2 - Take the pale pink gum paste and roll out finely. Take the smallest sized petal cutter, place onto the paste and press the plunger down firmly to create the veined embossing.
3 - Now press firmly on the cutter to cut out the petal.
4 - Lift the cutter and release the paste by pressing down on the plunger. You will need approximately four small petals for the first layer so take this into consideration if making more than one peony.
5 - Place your petals on the foam pad and using the ball tool soften the edges by gently rubbing around the edge of the petals, making sure to keep the modelling tool half on and half off of the paste.
6 - To bring your peonies to life you want to add some soft gentle shading as this will add depth and also highlight the veining. Gently brush a little yellow powder colour to the base of the petal and then pink to the outer edges.
7 - With the centres you prepared at the start, use the powder yellow to dust the tops of each.
8 - Your flower can have as many petals as you like, the more petals the bigger the peony.  For this peony we have used four small petals, five medium size petals and seven large petals.
9 - To add the petals we want to start with the small size first, overlapping petals where necessary and hiding as much or as little of the centre as you would like on show.
10  - Using a brush and a very small amount of gum glue secure your petals in place. Apply the gum glue sparingly as you don't want to create a sticky mess!
11 - Continue adding the petals one by one, allowing the peony to gradually open up into a full bloom arrangement. Set to one side and allow to dry fully.
12 - If making a peony spray you can add taped wire twisted and curved for that finishing touch. An easy way to do this is by using a rolling pin and paintbrush to create different widths.  Tip: Remember that if you are inserting wires into a cake you must use a flower pick!