I just got back from a fabulous gum paste flower class given by the extremely talented Jacqueline Butler of Petalsweet Cakes in San Francisco. I’ve been admiring her work for a couple of years since I first saw it online. She makes the most fabulous sugar peonies, hydrangeas and a variety of other flowers – her work is truly sugar art. The two-day class focused on one of my favorite flowers, the peony, as well as the French tulip, with its frilly petals. Not surprisingly, these beauties are labor intensive, but I think they are worth it. I’m thrilled with the flowers we made and can’t wait to use them on a cake, now that I know how to make them. Jacqueline’s style is to use a very soft color palate, and I think it is beautiful, but I’m not limited to that. Wouldn’t a bright pink peony be just amazing on a white cake?