“Why make art with food?”

It’s a question I’m asked every once in a while when people find out what I do, and it’s a good one. After all, food does seem like a strange medium for sculpture as compared to, say, clay.

I think my attraction to food art began when I was a child. I was always being yelled at for playing with my food. Now I play with my food and get paid for it.

In addition, I have a number of food allergies, which include an intolerance to gluten. I’m the cake artist who can’t eat cake! Food art lets me experiment with things I can’t eat, and my husband happily serves as my taste tester. Win-win!

I have always seen the world as a canvas for potential artwork. I draw inspiration from Mother Nature, my favorite artist. Food art gives me the chance to use her raw materials.

Of course, there is the fact that I love competition. Being successful as a food and cake artist has forced me to break out of my shell. People who haven’t seen me since I was the quiet girl in school who hid out in the art room (thank you, Lee Parks and Linda Berkowicz) are often surprised that I would even consider competing on TV.

Finally, there is the “wow” factor. I love it when people are shown something that couldn’t possibly be a cake—a wood duck, an ear of corn, a wine barrel—but actually is. The delight my work inspires in friends and clients is its own reward.

That’s why this month’s tutorial is the Autumn Flower Cake Topper. It’s a fairly easy project, but it will definitely add the “wow” factor to your cake, cookies, or cupcakes. And when people learn they can actually eat this flower, you’ll see what I mean about inspiring delight.

And that’s ultimately why we make food art.

Autumn flower cake topper steps

1. Take some aluminum foil and build a base to shape the petals.
   

   Take some aluminum foil and build a base to shape the petals..
2. Take two differently colored sheets of wafer paper (your choice) and spray one of them with Paper Potion. Stick the sheets together.
   

   Take two differently colored sheets of wafer paper (your choice).....
   

   ...and spray one of them with Paper Potion. Stick the sheets together.
3. Trim edges with scissors.
   

   Trim edges with scissors...
4. Paint one side with clear piping gel.
   

   Paint one side with clear piping gel.
5. Roll in the edges and fold your petal into shape. Place it on foil to dry.
   

   Roll in the edges and fold your petal into shape. Place it on foil to dry. Repeat process to make more petals...
6. Repeat process to make more petals.
7. Scrunch the paper in the center, then cut four petals with scissors. Shape petals and set on foil to dry.
   

   Scrunch the paper in the center, then cut four petals with scissors. Shape petals and set on foil to dry...
8. Lay out petal pieces, then glue together with clear isomalt, working from back to front.
   

   Lay out petal pieces, then glue together with clear isomalt, working from back to front. Repeat process until flower is built.....
9. Repeat process until flower is built.
10. Take gold Jewel Color and add sparkle!
    

    Take gold jewel color and add sparkle!..
11. Add flower to your cake.
    

    Add flower to your cake...

Kim M. Simons is an award-winning artist, cake artist, and food artist. She and her team—The Bah Hum Bakers—were the champions of Food Network’s “Holiday Wars” in 2019. Kim can currently be seen competing on Food Network’s “Cakealikes,” which can be streamed on Discovery +. Visit Kim at www.cakesbykimsimons.com.