Stargazer Lily Tutorial

In this tutorial I'm going to show you my method for making a Gumpaste Stargazer Lily.  Stargazers are a beautiful flower and a great focal piece for any floral arrangement.  Stargazers are however one of a number flowers who are poisonous to people and therefore not safe to put on a cake.  Being able to recreate this flower in sugar is a beautiful and rewarding alternative.



Materials needed to make a Stargazer Lily

PME Veined Lily Cutter LY1001

Large Stamens or make your own stamens using a Heart Plunger Cutter

28 guage wire (if making your own stamens)

24 guage wire

22 guage wire

Gumpaste / Flowerpaste

Gumpaste Modeling Tools

Small Rolling Pin

Edible Glue

A Cake Dummy or Piece of Foam to hold petals as you work

Foam Pad

A plastic sandwhich bag

Green Floral Tape

Burgundy Paste Food Colour

Blossom Tints / Dusting Powder

Decorating Brushes

Recommened items:

Non stick rolling out board

Flower storage board


Ok to get started you need to make your stamens.  You can buy them already made up.  I have a pack at the PME shop in Enfield for £5.71.  But I found that you can also make them very easily if you have a small heart cutter handy.  I've used the medium size heart cutter from my plunger cutter set and some 28 guage wire.  Just cut out and fold your heart in half over the wire.

You need 6 stamens for your lily.

Set stamens aside.  Next you are going to make the pistol.  Cut a length of 22 guage wire length can vary depending on how long you want your lily but bear in mind this is going to be the stem you add the petals to.  

Roll a small piece of green paste into a ball and thread onto your wire.  Pinch the paste between your finger and thumb and using a rolling motion roll the paste up your wire (you may want to watch the video below to see how I do this).

The pistol needs to be about 3/4 the length of your flowers petals.

Slightly flatten the tip of your pistol and using a veining tool make 3 marks into the top of the pistol starting from the top and pulling down.

Dip the tip of your pistol into some edible glue and then into some dusting powder to make the pollen on the end of the pistol.  Here I've used Aubergine Dusting powder but Lily colours can vary.

To make my petals I've added a very slight amount of Daffodil Yellow to my Paste to give my petals a very slight yellow tinge.

Using a smaller ball of paste but the same method as we did to make the pistol, thread onto a 24 gauage wire, then using a rolling motion roll the paste up the wire.  They need to be about 3/4 the length of the petal.  They should be about the thickness of a firework sparkler.  I make mine all in one go and store in a flower storage board to save time, but if you don't have one of these boards you probably want to do the petals one at a time to prevent them drying out.  

Cut out 3 of each petal shapes. Again I've done this all in one go and stored in my flower storage board to prevent drying out.

Soften the edges of the petal with your ball tool

Place your petal upside down on a plastic bag and place a wire lined up with the veining.

 Fold over your sandwhich bag.

 And using your fingers press the paste on the wire into the petal smoothing over until the paste is blended in and flat.

Carefully remove your petal.  The sharp part of the wire sometimes pokes out the top.  If this happens just carefully pinch the petal to hide it again.

 Bend your petal into a Lily shape and set aside.

Repealt to make all 6 petals.

Now for the colouring.  For the stamens I've used Terracotta and Green, but colours can vary.  Have a look on the internet or a real flower for colouring inspirations.  

Tape your stamens to the pistol you created earlier.

Then start taping your petals to your pistol. Make sure to assemble your flower while the petals are still soft as it is easy to bend them into the lily shape.   Start with the wider petals in the front then the narrow petals at the back.

My flower all taped together.

To colour my flower I've usde primrose and spring green for the centre of the flower and on the back of the petals.  Also a very little primrose on the tips of the petals.  You might find it easier to dust your petals before you assemble the flower.  Either way is OK.

For the spots on the Lily use paste food colour and a very fine brush.  I've used Wilton Burgundy Paste.    I recommend that you add the spots after the flower is assembled as it is too easy to smudge the paste while assembling the flower.

 My finished Lily

A video demonstration of me making a Stargazer Lily.




And some photos of my work:

Getting creative and changing up a Stargazer Lily into a Rapunzel Magic Golden Flower from Disney's Tangled.

Sugar Flower Birthday Cake featuring a Stargazer Lily