Gumpaste hyacinths aren’t a “normal” sugar flower for cake decorating, but since they’re unusual they also give a lot of visual interest.
![how to make gumpaste hyacinths for cakes, with a photo of the hyacinth flower being taped together](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/How-To-Make-Gumpaste-Hyacinths-For-Cake-Decorating-A-Cake-To-Remember-2768538-683x1024.jpeg)
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![flowerpot cakes with gumpaste hyacinth](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/flowerpot-cakes-with-gumpaste-hyacinth.jpg)
This set of cakes had gumpaste hyacinths and green bows with airbrushed buttercream to create the flowerpots.
Making gumpaste hyacinths isn’t hard but it’s a little time-consuming because there are so many little florets in each stem.
![gumpaste flower supplies](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image.png)
Materials needed to make gumpaste hyacinths.
- Floral wire in thicker and thinner widths
- Dowel with rounded and pointed ends
- Small scissors
- Floral tape
- Styrofoam to dry florets
- Optional: food coloring to paint stripes on florets
Make the blossoms.
![Ball of gumpaste](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-34.png)
Start with a large ball of gumpaste, about the size of a small grape.
![putting gumpaste ball on a wire](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-35.png)
Insert a hooked, cloth-covered floral wire into the ball. This wire should be a thinner gauge, around 26.
![pinch the gumpaste to secure the wire](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-36.png)
Pinch the gumpaste around the wire to secure it.
![Make a hole in the center of the gumapste](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-37.png)
Using the pointed end of the dowel, insert it into the ball to make the center.
![Cut 6 pieces in the gumpaste ball](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-38.png)
Make six cuts in the ball around the center.
![pinch the gumpaste](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-39.png)
Start pinching the cut sections to make the ends pointed. Don’t thin them out too much, just make them pointy.
![form pointy petals](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-40.png)
When the petals are pointy, start thinning them out slightly.
![flatten the petals](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-41.png)
Pinch the petals, making them longer. Try to keep the ends pointed as you thin them out.
![flattened petals](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-42.png)
When the petals are about ¾” to 1” long, they’re the right length.
![deepen the center](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-43.png)
Keep maintaining the shape of the flower by inserting the pointed end of the dowel into the center as you work the petals.
![pinch the base to elongate it around the wire](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-44.png)
Also make sure the flower is staying attached to the wire in the back as you work.
![pinch the tips of the petals to curve them](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-45.png)
Pinch the ends of the petals to create a ditch in the center of each petal.
![make a ditch in the center of each petal](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-46.png)
Using the dowel, press the pointed end into each petal to further cup them if necessary.
![Pinch the flower center to narrow it](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-47.png)
Keep the center of the flower distinct as you’re working on it.
![Shape the flower petals](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-48.png)
Keep working the petals until they’re a good length, around 3/4″ is good.
![Adjust the petals if needed](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-49.png)
Check to see the each petal is separate at this point. If some have become connected toward the center, cut them apart carefully.
![Continue shaping the floret](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-50.png)
Insert the dowel into the flower again, pressing up this time to create a deep center.
![Narrow the flower petals](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-51.png)
Pinch the petals again to maintain the ditch.
![Add color to the floret petals if needed.](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-52.png)
If you want to add a deeper color at the center of each floret, do that now by painting food coloring in the center of the petals. Some hyacinths have variations in color.
You can also wait and paint them after they dry.
![Drying the flower upside down](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-53.png)
Dry the florets upside down for a little bit. Don’t let them dry out completely.
![Dry the flowers with the wires inserted in styrofoam](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-54.png)
Turn them over and insert into a piece of styrofoam to finish drying.
Make sure the tips of the petals make a distinct curve downward.
Wire the florets to the stem.
![Florets on wires](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-55.png)
When the florets are dried enough to handle, take the thicker wire, 18 gauge is good, cut to about 5-6”, and start wrapping the florets around it.
![wrap the wire with floral tape](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-56.png)
Wrap the first floret at the very top of the wire.
![form the stem with florets](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-57.png)
Add more florets slightly down the stem. Hyacinth blossoms grow in pairs directly across from each other. Wrap the florets two at a time as you go down the stem.
![form the stem with florets](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-58.png)
![form the stem with florets](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-59.png)
Continue down the stem, adding two florets at a time about 1/2”-3/4” away from the pair above it.
![form the stem with florets](https://acaketorememberblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/image-60.png)
When the stem has about 4” of florets on it, you’re done.
If the stem seems too empty in places you can either redo it or add an extra floret in the empty spots.
Hyacinths bloom all at once, there aren’t buds and blossoms on the stems at the same time, so you don’t need to make buds to put on the same stem as flowering florets.
Store the flowers in a container with a loose-fitting lid until you need them.