This is my version of a Luau cupcake.

I had to find a way to make some sort of tropical flower (hibiscus-like).  I know you can buy pre-made gum-paste flowers (like I bought for this luau cake I made years ago) but they are about $2.50 each and the center really isn’t edible!  Not too many people eat the garnish, but when you’re serving kids, there is a possibility.  So I set out to make an edible, fairly simple tropical flower.

And this is what I ended up with…

My method was called, “trial and error” or “I am determined to make this work so I don’t have to spend $2.50 per flower.”  I simply rolled out wilton gum-paste, and cut a smallish, 5 petal flower.  Then I used a tool called “the wrong end of a paintbrush” and thinned out the edges of the petals, making them frill, and curl.  Then I pressed each petal onto this wilton flower forming thing to give it the veins.  Then I set them in an empty egg carton to dry.   I did have to spend about $32.00 for these few things, but I would’ve spent $350.00 buying them premade at $2.50 each.  So, I felt pretty good about it.

After they dried, I used royal icing and the “brush embroidery” method to color the center of the flower.  Then I used a different color royal icing to make the pistil and a made a few yellow dots of pollen.  These aren’t quite scientifically correct, but I think they get the point across.

On a huge tray, they looked like a tropical flower oasis, so I’m considering my goals met!