Remember making Valentine's cards from doilies?  That was my inspiration for this cake.  The Valentine Card on top was created with a gumpaste heart base.  The "doily" edge on the Valentine and the bottom ruffles were made with Marcela Sanchez Silk Paste and a Martha Stewart Lace Hearts paper punch that I purchased at our local crafts store.  The heart side design was created with Patchwork Cutters Hearts & Swirls cutters.  The Heart Shaped Isomalt Gems are a new GSA exclusive product. 

Begin by making the Valentine for the top of the cake so it will have time to dry.  I cut a 7 inch heart out of heavy poster board and folded in half down the center.  Roll out pink gumpaste and cut a 7 inch heart to match the posterboard. Emboss a diamond shape grid on the heart using a Sweet Expressions Mat # 21049. Lay the gumpaste on the posterboard and place something under one side so that it dries with one side lifted.  Next roll out some Marcela Sanchez Pink Silk Paste into a long, very thin strip using the instructions below.  Using a Martha Stewart Lace Heart Paper Punch, punch the heart design along one edge of your silk paste.  Trim so that you have about a 5/8th inch border and attach to the gumpaste heart with a little water. Make strands of 4mm pearls with a First Impression Mold #21445, brush with Super Pearl Dust and attach were the lace border joins the heart.  Instructions for pearls are located here.  Lastly, lightly wet the intersection of each diamond and attach a GSA Small Heart Gem #24999.  Allow the entire top to dry thoroughly before placing on cake.  I used my posterboard form when arranging my flower spray so that I would not damage the Valentine.  Once all your flowers are in place, you can replace the posterboard with the dried Valentine you created.

Using Fat Daddio's Cake Pans, bake an 8 inch Heart Cake and a 13 inch round cake and cover with pale pink Satin Ice Rolled Fondant. Cover a 17 or 18 inch drum with Red Satin Ice for your cake base.

Bottom Border- All of the lace pieces were created with Marcela Sanchez Sugar Silk Paste and a Martha Stewart Lace Hearts Paper Punch.  Begin by kneading a small piece of Silk Paste until very soft and smooth.  Lightly grease your work surface with a white vegetable shortening like Criso and roll out the paste very thin.  I used an Atlas Pasta Machine and rolled it down to a #7 setting.  Using a straight edge ruler, cut one edge straight.  Punch out the design with the paper punch then trim your border to about 1-1/2 inches wide.  If your room humidity is low, the paste will dry quickly, so only roll out as much as you can use at one time.

Click on any photos to enlarge.

Apply a 1/4 inch thick rope of fondant with water to the bottom edge of the lower tier.  Lay the lace strip along the bottom and using a Small CelStick #16857, lift the paste from underneath and form a pleat or gather.  Gently push the gathered edge into the rope of fondant with your finger so that it holds.  After I was done gathering a whole strip, I used an FMM Bone Tool to gently push all the gather edge down flat against the board.  Repeat until the whole base of the cake is done.

Roll an additional piece of Silk Paste and cut it 1-1/2 inches wide BEFORE punching both sides with the Lace Heart Punch.  This will leave you with about a 1 inch double sided lace that you will attach along the bottom border with a little water.  Prepare several strands of 8mm pearls using a First Impression Pearl Mold # 21438 and gumpaste. Instruction for making pearls are here.  Dust the pearls with Super Pearl Dust and apply along the bottom border over the double sided lace with a little water as glue.

The side heart design was created with Patchwork Cutters Swirls and Hearts Cutter set #23359.  Roll out a mixture of 50/50 gumpaste and fondant and emboss with a Makin's Impression Mat form Set C, #24779.  Cut out hearts using the large heart cutter. Use the small heart cutter/embosser to cut out the centers keeping both pieces. Brush both pieces with Super Pearl Dust.

Attach the larger heart to the top edge of the bottom tier using a little water.  Next, fold the small heart in half to lightly crease it.  Place a small dot of water in the center of the large heart and using the round end of your small CelStick, gently push the center of the small heart into the cake.  This will both adhere it to the cake and create a small indentation to attach the Heart Gems.  Attach Small Heart Gems with a very small drop of water.  Be sure there is no Pearl Dust on your fingers so that the gems stay clear and brilliant looking.  Gently pull the outside edge of the small heart away from the cake to form a 3-dimensional look.  Finsh the border with three small dots piped with Royal Icing and a PME # 1 tip.

Finish the top tier with a border of Pearl Dusted 6mm Pearls made with your First Impression Mold.  I made a small spray of lily of the valley and pink roses to put under the Valentine.  You can also use a pre-made Small Gumpaste Tearose Spray, item 22379.

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