How to make fondant Alstroemerias for a wedding cake (Peruvian Lilies)

Here’s a tutorial /DIY for making Alstromerias (also known as Peruvian Lilies) from fondant or gum paste. Alstroemerias look fabulous on wedding cakes and I used these flowers for my sisters wedding cake.

I use the word ‘Fondant’ for this tutorial but you can use gum paste instead (for example Wilton Ready To Use Gum Paste Floral Figures which is great for making flowers, but it dries quickly!)

You will need:

(Make sure to find all the tools before you get started)

Fondant or Gum Paste
Tylo powder (only if you use fondant)
Corn flour duster
Icing colors for coloring the fondant, for example yellow
Dust colors, for example orange
Edible color marker / food writer fine tip (Bordeaux/dark red color)
Floral Wire, gauge size 24
Green floral tape
Stamens
A thick roll of freezer bags, preferably 2 rolls or a Wave flower former set
Edible glue
Cutter and veiners for Alstroemerias (In this tutorial I use a a cutter and veiner from Petal Crafts)
Nonstick board or cutting board
Rolling pin
White foam mat
Ball tool
Paint brushes – (1 for applying glue and 1-2 brushes for applying the dust colors)

DAY 1:

1) Start by coloring the fondant or gum paste in a color of your choice. (Alstroemerias are typically pink, yellow or dark red). If you want to make an Alstromeria with different colors, for example a yellow Alstroemeria with an orange stribe, you should start by coloring the fondant with a yellow icing color. Afterwards, when you have made the flower and it is dry, you dust the flower with orange color dust using a dry brush.

2) Knead the fondant or gum paste and add a pinch of tylo powder so that the fondant becomes easier to work with (if you use gum paste you don’t need the tylo powder). Please notice: If the fondant or gum paste is left on the table for a while it will dry out and become unusable. I always protect the fondant by wrapping it in a plastic bag when not in use.

3) Take 2 pieces of floral wire and cut them into 6 pieces.

4) Take a tiny bit of fondant and place it at the top of a piece of wire. Using your thumb and index finger,  carefully cover 1/3 of the wire with the fondant.

5) Repeat with the rest of the wires and place the 6 wires in a plastic bag so you prevent them from drying out.

6) Dust the board with your corn flour duster. You should also dust the rolling pin. Roll out some gum paste / fondant. It has to be rolled out really thin.

7) I use a cutter set with 2 cutters – a big and a small cutter (from Petal Crafts). For one flower you need to cut out 3 petals with the big cutter and also 3 petals with the small cutter. Press down the cutter firmly and twist it a bit. This way you get a cleaner cut.

8) If you want to make more flowers at a time, it is a good idea to roll out a big piece of fondant or gum paste and cut out all the petals at once.
Place the petals you don’t need right away under a plastic bag and keep it airtight (I use a gum paste storage board from Wilton).

9) Place the petal on a white foam mat and thin the edges of the petal with the ball tool by gently sliding the tool on the petal.
Tip for using the ball tool: Place one half of the ball tool on the petal and the other half on the mat while you glide the tool on the petal for a better result.

10) Make an indent in the middle of the petal. This is in order to place the floral wire correctly. Dot the middle of the petal with some edible glue.

11) Place the floral wire in the middle of the petal. Turn the petal upside down so that the floral wire is now on the back of the petal. Place the veiner on top of the petal and press with your fingers so that the petal gets an imprint

12) Leave the flower to dry. If possible, let it dry for the next day, but at least for 5-6 hours. Place the petals on a thick roll of freezer bags or a Wave flower former set while they dry.

13) You have to make 3 big petals and 3 small petals for one flower.

14) When the flower is dry you can cover the wire with floral tape. In order to get the floral tape to stick to the wire you have to stretch the tape to make it sticky. Wrap the tape around the wire using your finger tips. You need to press hard while your wrap the tape (it can feel a bit uncomfortable in your finger tips). Ensure that the tape is as close to the flower as possible, leaving no wire visible.

DAY 2:

How to color the alstroemeria

When the flower is dry you can color it with color dust. Please remember that it is easier to apply a little bit at a time than try to remove the color again if you have added too much!

You add the color to the flower by pouring a bit of color dust out on a piece of kitchen towel. Dip a dry paintbrush into the color. Tap off any excess color before applying to the flower.

Add tiny dots to the petals with an edible ink marker. (I only dot the small petals)..

Assemble the Alstroemeria:

1) Now, you need to assemble the flower: Start by making a small hook in a piece of floral wire:

2) Take 3-4 stamens. Bend them and attach them to the hook.

3) Cover the wire with floral tape.

4) Attach one of the small petals to the wire, using floral tape. You have to bend the wire attached to the small petal, but be very careful not to destroy the petal.

5) Next, attach the other 2 small petals so that they form a triangle.

6) Next, place the 3 big petals in between the small ones.

I hope this tutorial can help you. Good luck with your cake projects and please feel free to write to me if you have questions for this tutorial. Have fun 🙂