Lavender and blue Gumdrop Violets along with fresh mint leaves make a magical border for a layer cake. Tip: Gumdrop colors can vary with packaging, so use the same brand of purple gumdrops for all your flowers.

While rose petals are shaped completely by hand, violets and honeysuckle blooms get a quick start with gumpaste cutters. Sold in small sets and flower-making kits, gumpaste cutters can be found in the cake-decorating section of crafts stores.

The same cutter and shaping technique can be used to create other flowers. For example, the blossom cutter used for violets also makes beautiful yellow forsythia and pink phlox.