Technique - Orchid

I absolutely adore icing flowers. I think they are a wonderful way to dress up a cake. From a decorating enjoyment perspective, I cannot go past royal icing flowers, especially when I can make them in advance. However, from an eat-ability perspective buttercream icing is king.

Today, I have two videos to share. Both of these videos are tutorials on how to create a buttercream orchid using the technique outlined by Roland Winbeckler in his book Buttercream Flowers and Arrangements..

The first video is by the expert decorator Roland Winbeckler himself showing step-by-step how to create a beautiful looking orchid. From this video, you can tell that he is a master decorator. I could not imagine piping an orchid that looks so good, so quickly.

The second video is by a lovely decorator who goes by the name of SeriousCakes. I think she does a lovely job of showing how to incorporate Winbeckler orchids with other flowers to create a gorgeous cake. One thing I really love about her is her willingness to share. Unlike some videos, she has added plenty of captions and gives you all the important information, such as the tips used.

If you have time stop past her website and take a look at her other videos.







Notes from the videos:

• Use tip # 104 for the flower and #352 for the leaves/stems.
• The petals sit upon a 'puff' or base, to raise the petals from the base of the cake. 
• The three bottom petals are pointed at both ends.
• The three top petals are rounded, with irregular ruffles 
• The throat, the third of the top petals, should be a bit deeper/bigger. 
• Indent the throat using a skewer.
•  Plan your cake first, taking into account the size and placement of your flowers.