Black Rose Gumpaste

Black.....gorgeous BLACK roses! They make a bold statement and we don't see them utilized that often. Under used and underestimated. So I was thrilled when I had a lovely bride contact me wanting a Victorian Gothic wedding cake for Halloween. I was excited to bring this cake to life and knew right away I was going to make black roses. Making sugar roses is something I really enjoy. But I had never made black roses before. A little bit of searching online left me empty handed and dashed hopes for making that perfect black gumpaste. My friend and colleague, Nicholas Lodge, came to the rescue with brilliant solutions. He has also graciously allowed me to share his wonderful tips and recipe for making his perfect black gumpaste. If you have not tried his recipe for gumpaste I highly recommend it and you can find it HERE. It is the best gumpaste I have ever come across and I love using it. I will be sharing with you how to achieve the darker colors for gumpaste through the methods he has shared with me as I ventured to make these beautiful black roses.

Before you get started be sure to print out Nicholas Lodge's Tylose Gumpaste Recipe. Below is a list of the basic ingredients that you will be using. There are two ways to achieve this gorgeous black gumpaste....let's begin with the standard method first.

Standard Method:

For this method we are following Nicholas' recipe except that we are going to add 1-2 Tablespoons (depending on how dark you want your color) of Super Black Americolor Gel Color to the egg white and powdered sugar while it is mixing. When you have reached the point that you are going to put in your Tylose reduce the measurement to 23-25 grams. This helps the gumpaste not to dry out as quickly which tends to happen with the darker colors.

This is what your mixing bowl should look like once everything is incorporated. Don't panic if you see a green tint. I promise once you knead in your final powdered sugar and allow your gumpaste to mature 24 hours you will not notice it at all. Your final result will be a lovely jet black gumpaste that turns out stunning sugar flowers.

Quick Method:

If you have some Renshaw Black Fondant on hand Nicholas recommends using 115 grams of fondant with 1/2 teaspoon of Tylose & shortening. Mix thoroughly and then leave for 20 minutes and use. Pretty fast and a great fix if you are in a pinch and have to make some paste to use quickly.

Both methods are fantastic and I hope this is helpful to those of you who maybe have not attempted those darker colors yet.....or maybe you have never made your own gumpaste at all. Give it a try....you will love it! If you have any questions be sure to post them in the comments section. I'll leave you with the Victorian Gothic cake that these beauties adorned for this special occasion.