I've make tons of bows in chocolate and a couple in gum paste but...I have a wedding cake with a photo I'm following and I can't quite figure out how they are shaping their bow.

First problem is they are placing the bows into the side of the stacked/tiered cakes instead of on the top of each layer for support. So how are they attaching it to hold, (wire or a dowel would pull out or sag)? It's going into a rolled fondant covering...I think that is questionable, too much pulling on the side of a cake. All I can think of is they must have been using a styrofoam dummy cake, what do you think?


The bows that stand up on top of each cakes' ledge can't be a full bow, only the top cake has room for that. I can form the bows for the sides of the cake laying flat on the table and flair them outward. But the top bow will be seen from the back so how would you form it to dry so the bow flairs slightly outward on the bottom and remains round in the back also?

By Panini (Panini) on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 12:00 pm: Edit

W.DeBord,
I'm having trouble folowing you, can you e-mail a picture. Do the bow on the side have ribbons? We use these sometimes to support the bows.
panini@altinet.net

By tj on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 03:07 pm: Edit

attaching the bows to the side of a cake is the same for a top of a cake.you make the bows with a metal wire that is quite long ,and you insert it to the cake through the fondunt deep enough ,so it stays in place.after inserting a few bows to the side of the cake you secure them with piped royal icing to cover up and seal the holes in the fondunt.this will dry out and will add to the stability of the bows on the side of the tiers.

By momoreg on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 09:57 pm: Edit

I don't know if I followed you right, but it may be helpful to stand a styrofoam dummy on it's side, and form your bows on the dummy to dry. Tj's idea sounds right for attatching the bows. Or maybe wooden skewers.

By Raine on Wednesday, May 31, 2000 - 10:02 pm: Edit

These are like man's bow tie right? If so take tj's advice.
also prop bows with toothpicks or skewers until last minute.
To make fully rounded bows use a styro/plastic cup cut in half and butterfly it. center of bow sits between the two halves

By W.DeBord on Thursday, June 01, 2000 - 08:35 am: Edit

It's a simple bow, like how you tie your shoe but with 2" wide ribbon of paste and then the extra "ribbon" hangs down the side of the cake almost touching the next bow under it. 8" 10" 12" and 14" tiered, each layer has a bow all in a vertical line. So each bow only has the 2" ledge to "sit on" except the top cake where the bow has plenty of room. They should all look uniform which is easy for the bottom three (I can shape the bow on my table laying it flat). I won't pre-shape and dry the ribbons because I will need to trim them to length on the cake.


Forming the top ribbon over a paper cup (they flair even with-out cutting) might do it (if I can find the right size). Thanks (I couldn't think of that)!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried using rolled cheese cloth and that didn't hold round enough and a dowel won't let you flair the ends.


I was going to use royal to give alittle extra hold. I wasen't going to wire the bows just "rest them on the cake" but I suppose wire would be smarter.

By tj on Thursday, June 01, 2000 - 03:12 pm: Edit

if you make a bow like shoe lace look , you make 4 parts seperate, 2 bows and 2 strait ends and make each of them attached at the end to a wire. to dry the loop bows i use food film that i make a ball out of in the size i need and put it in the center of the loop and let it dry in a log mold .to make the ends wavy i use an egg cartboard inverted,and covered with food film.and finish by sticking all 4 parts at the same point and placing a small plat rectangle piece of fondunt on the center point in a curve, so it looks like a knot.