Gumpaste Dahlias Made Easy | Plunger Cutter Shortcut
Chef Alan TetreaultIn this tutorial: What You'll Need · Making the Center · Cutting and Shaping the Petals · Dusting the Petals · Assembling the Dahlia · Drying and Finishing
Dahlias are one of the most stunning flowers in nature – and one of the most rewarding to recreate in gumpaste. In this step-by-step tutorial, Chef Alan Tetreault demonstrates a systematic approach to building a realistic dahlia using Martellato's plunger cutters and flower drying tray. The process is more involved than a simple rose or carnation, but the layered results are well worth the patience.
What You'll Need
- Martellato Dahlia Plunger Cutters (small and large) –
- Martellato Flower Drying/Forming Tray –
- Gumpaste – tinted in two shades (darker for inner petals, lighter for outer petals) –
- Floral wire – heavy gauge, cut to 6–7 inches –
- Cel sticks – small and medium –
- Petal dust and/or luster dust – Chef Alan uses Global Sugar Art Cranberry petal dust and Alan Tetreault Select Amethyst Pink hybrid luster dust –
- Needle-nose pliers – for bending the wire
- Sharp knife – for cutting between petals
- Water brush – for adhering layers
- Sponge pad – soft side, for shaping petals
- Drying rack – for hanging the flower while it sets
- Cornstarch – for dusting the mold and preventing sticking
Making the Center
The dahlia begins with a small gumpaste center formed on a wire. This piece needs drying time – ideally overnight, though a couple of hours will work in a pinch.
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Prepare the wire. Cut a piece of heavy floral wire to about 6–7 inches. Using needle-nose pliers, bend the tip over once, then bend it again to create a flat "dog leg" shape. This L-shaped hook helps anchor the gumpaste securely.
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Attach the gumpaste. Apply a small amount of gum glue to the wire tip. Rather than screwing the wire into the paste from the side (which spreads glue and makes it slippery), insert the wire straight down through the top of a small ball of gumpaste, then twist it in like a corkscrew. Flip it over and seal the paste to the wire where it stayed dry.
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Mold the center. Shape the paste into a small cone – like a Hershey Kiss. Dust the smallest cavity on the Martellato flower drying tray with cornstarch, press the gumpaste in, then remove it. Brush off any excess cornstarch.
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Dry the center. Bend the wire into a hook and hang it on a drying rack. Let it dry for at least a couple of hours – overnight is best.
💡 Tip: Make several centers ahead of time so they're ready when you want to assemble flowers the next day.
Cutting and Shaping the Petals
Each dahlia requires six small petal sets and four large petal sets – ten total. Chef Alan uses darker-tinted gumpaste for the inner (top) layers and lighter-tinted paste for the outer (bottom) layers, mimicking the natural color gradation found in real dahlias.
↪ Cutting the Petals
- Roll gumpaste thin on a lightly cornstarched board.
- Press the plunger cutter firmly, rotating it to ensure a clean cut.
- Press down firmly in the center to emboss the ridge lines onto each petal set.
- Use a sharp knife to cut along the lines between each individual petal.
↪ Shaping the Petals
- Place each cut petal set on the soft side of a sponge pad.
- For small petals, use the small cel stick. For large petals, use the medium cel stick.
- Press the cel stick into the center of each petal and drag it toward the middle to create an indentation.
- Pinch both sides of each petal together at the tip to form a point.
💡 Tip: The gumpaste should be slightly dry when pinching so the petal sides don't stick together. In humid conditions, dust with a bit of cornstarch first.
💡 Tip: Unlike many other gumpaste flowers, you do not thin the edges with a ball tool for this dahlia. Just drag the cel stick toward the center and pinch.
↪ Drying the Petals in the Forming Tray
The Martellato forming tray has numbered cavities (1–9) that give each petal layer its specific curve:
- Cavities 2–5 – for the four large petal sets
- Remaining cavities (6, 7, and the smaller ones) – for the small petal sets
- Cavity 9 – used for the center (already made)
Some cavities curve petals downward while others curve them upward. This is intentional – in a real dahlia, the older outer petals pull back and droop while the newer inner petals stand upright or fan outward.
💡 Tip: Search online for reference photos of real dahlias before you begin. Dahlias come in an incredible range of colors – solids, gradients, whites with dark tips – and seeing real examples helps guide your color choices. You can also leave out a couple of bottom layers to create a smaller bud.
Dusting the Petals
Chef Alan colors the petals before assembly because the tightly layered finished flower makes it very difficult to get dust into all the cracks and crevices afterward.
- Start with a deeper-toned petal dust (such as Global Sugar Art Cranberry), applying it down the center groove of each petal.
- Follow with a luster dust top coat (such as Alan Tetreault Select Amethyst Pink) over the entire petal for a subtle sheen.
💡 Tip: Luster dust gives a slight shine; petal dust gives a flatter, more matte finish. Choose based on the look you prefer – or combine both as Chef Alan does here.
Assembling the Dahlia
The petals must be partially dried before assembly – firm enough to hold their shape but still slightly pliable. About 30 minutes to one hour of drying time in the forming tray is ideal.
⚠️ Don't assemble too early. If the petals are still loose and bend when touched, they need more time. They should hold their shape when picked up but still have a bit of flex.
↪ Building the Center Layers
- Take the dried center (with the first small petal set already attached and dried).
- Place two more small petal sets together with a dab of water between them, offsetting the petals so they overlap rather than stack directly on top of each other.
- Thread the center wire through the hole in the bottom of the forming tray, press the center into the stacked petals, and push down gently to adhere.
↪ Stacking the Remaining Layers
- Start with petal layer 1 (the bottom/largest layer) in the forming tray.
- Brush a small amount of water in the center.
- Place layer 2 on top, crisscrossing the petals so they don't sit directly over the ones below.
- Continue stacking layers 3 through 7, adding a dab of water between each and pressing gently in the center only – not on the outer petals.
↪ Adding the Center
- Straighten the wire on your dried center piece.
- Brush the back of the center with water.
- Push the wire down through the stacked layers in the forming tray.
- Press gently in the center with a cel stick or ball tool to secure everything together.
Drying and Finishing
Once assembled, the dahlia needs to dry thoroughly before handling:
- Set the forming tray on the edge of a table so the wire hangs straight down, or flip the flower upside down, hook the wire, and hang it on a drying rack.
- Allow at least a couple of hours of drying time, depending on humidity and temperature.
- Once firm, remove the flower from the tray and rest it on a foam pad to finish drying overnight.
After fully dried, the dahlia is ready for arrangements or cake placement. While the petals are still slightly flexible, use a small tool to adjust individual petals until the flower looks exactly the way you want it.
This tutorial is part of Global Sugar Art's library of free cake decorating videos by Chef Alan Tetreault. Browse all tutorials →
