Looking for a sweet alternative to
roses this Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or any flower giving occasion?
These gumdrop roses are so much fun, and a whole lot cheaper!
These roses are actually so simple to make at home using pretty much any pliable material, from store bought fondant, to tootsie rolls or candy!! There are a few different techniques for making roses. This is mine. I think it is pretty simple and hope you do too.
Gumdrop Roses
For each rose you will need
- 1 lollipop stick
- Green food coloring
- Cotton balls
- 2 gummy spearmint leaves (you can also shape a green gumdrop into a leaf shape if you can't find these)
- 4 red (or color of your choice) jumbo gumdrops (I used red gummy hearts I had left over from making my Cupid Arrow's)
- Granulated white sugar
Directions
Unless you can find green lollipop sticks, you can easily dye your paper lollipop sticks by rubbing a cotton ball with green food coloring all over the lollipop stick. Let the sticks dry fully before assembling rose. You can also wrap green florists tape or construction paper around the stick... or leave them white.
Flatten red gumdrop in sugar to about 1/8 inch thick and form a petal shape. This can be done with your palm and fingers or with rolling pin. (The thinner you make them the more realistic they will look. I like to squeeze around the edges with my thumb and forefinger to make the edges almost transparent, giving the petal an even more delicate and realistic look.) Use the sugar to prevent sticking as you work. Repeat process to make 3 petals for each rose (feel free to use more or less petals for your roses depending on weather you want a rosebud or a fully bloomed rose).
Use the fourth red gumdrop to make a long stretched out oval shape to be used for the "bud" of the rose (shown below in the sugar).
Cut 2 green gumdrops into leaf shapes, or take the short cut like I did and use gummy spearmint leaves. (A whole bag only cost me $99 cents.)
Here is what will become 1 gumdrop rose:
Push your two leaves down the top of the lollipop stick, leaving about an inch of stick for the rose to be coiled around.
Take the long oval shaped petal you made (4th gumdrop in process) and coil it tightly around itself around the top of the stick, just above the leaves. This will form the bud of the rose.
You can even leave it as is without adding any petals, and make a bouquet of rose buds about to bloom. This is what the rosebud will look like without any of the petals attached:
Next add your first of the 3 petals, by wrapping it around the side of the rose bud, pressing at the base of the rose to secure. Here is what the rosebud + 1 petal will look like:
Add your second petal by overlapping the first petal and wrapping it around, pressing at the base of the rose to secure. Here is what the rosebud +2 petals will look like:
Lastly, add your third petal by overlapping the first and second petal, pressing at the base of the rose to secure. Here is what your rosebud + 3 petals will look like:
Repeat the entire process to make as many roses as you want... even make a bouquet!
Another idea is to package them individually and give them out as Valentine's, anniversary gift, party favor or just because! Tie some ribbon to seal, and voila! Even cut out a printed or written message and attach it as a custom tag for a personal touch.
I used this same technique to create classic red roses to top my red velvet rose water cupcakes during my appearance on the season 2 Cupcake Wars Champions episode!
Or how about as beautiful fondant cake toppers?!
Ribbon Rose
This is a super simple alternative to the classic rose. Simply, flatten out a long thin "snake" of fondant/tootsie roll/candy and roll it up to create a little rose bud.
Here is one made of flavored tootsie roll on top of a mini tootsie roll cake:
Here is a cluster of the ribbon roses made out of fondant:
These little fondant ribbon roses were used on my rice cereal doll cake!
For these mini white chocolate wedding cakes, I use green heart sprinkles as the leaves!
Here is an example of both the classic roses and ribbon roses used together on cupcakes!
Here is another example of the classic roses and ribbon roses used together on a mini cake and chocolate covered Oreos!
Here is some info on rose color meanings I found browsing the web:
 | Love & affection, Romantic & Abiding Love, True Love, I Love You, Desire |
 | Deep passion, Readiness for a commitment, Unconscious beauty, Dying love |
 | Gentleness, Joy & Grace, Admiration, Sympathy & Gentleness, Harmony & Warmth |
 | Appreciation & Recognition, "Thank You", Gratitude, Admiration |
 | Enchantment & Magnetism, Opulence & Majesty |
 | Purity & Innocence, Reverence & Humility, Heavenly & Honor, Everlasting love, Marriages and New Beginnings, I am worthy of you, Beauty & Youthfulness, Remembrance |
 | Friendship and "I care", Unbridled joy, Promise of a new beginning, Gladness, Delight, Warmth, Good Luck, Welcome Back, Remember Me |
 | Modesty, Closing of a new deal, Great cheer, Sincerity & Genuineness, Sympathy, Gratitude and Thankfulness |
 | Fascination, Passion & Desire, Enthusiasm & Energe, Pride, "I am so proud of you" |
1 Rose
|
Love
at the first sight. The single rose, whatever its color, depicts utmost
devotion to a single person. "All my deepest affections are
concentrated in you".
|
6 Roses
|
I love you, I miss you. Speak of tthe need to be loved and cherished.
|
11 Roses
|
You're my treasured one. To assure someone that he or she is truly and deeply loved.
|
12 Roses
|
Be my steady
|
13 Roses
|
Forever friends. Also indicate that there is a secret admirer waiting to be discovered.
|
15 Roses
|
I'm really sorry
|
24 Roses
|
You're
always on my mind. Stand for the twenty-four hours of the day, and say
that the loved one is thought of during every hour of the day.
|
100 Roses
|
I'm totally devoted to you. Signify a happy union of two loving souls till death or till a hundred years
|
108 Roses
|
Will you marry me?
|
