Wondering Which Flowers You Can Put On a Cake? Use This List Of Gorgeous Edible Flowers And See How To Properly Prepare Flowers To Decorate A Cake
Cake decoration is an art, and it can be a lot of fun. When you are deciding on what to do with your cake, why not consider adding edible flowers for a beautiful and creative splash of colour? There are many different types of edible flowers that can be used in cake decoration; the following list will give you some ideas for which ones to try!
IS IT SAFE TO PUT FLOWERS ON A CAKE?
Using edible flowers in cake decorating is much easier than it looks, and adds a beautiful touch to any cake, from a simple, sponge cake, to a multi-tiered wedding cake. There are some important guidelines to follow though, to make sure that nobody gets ill and your cake isn’t stained by the flowers. Follow these simple tips for how to use edible flowers to decorate your cake.
Firstly, flowers used in cake decoration are principally for DECORATION, and not to be chowed down on!
Secondly, only buy flowers that are labelled as ‘organic’, i.e. not doused in pesticides, and that are EDIBLE, ie, not poisonous.
Lastly, only add fresh flowers as close to serving time as possible; this means on the day, or the night before!
CHOOSE YOUR FLOWERS FOR A CAKE
What type of cake are you making? Is there a special occasion or colour theme? Do you want to add just a couple of floral details, or large blooms? Considering these questions will help determine the best floral options for your masterpiece.
The time of year will also determine the kinds of flowers that are available. Spring flowers tend to be smaller than summer blooms.
There is lots of choice in the summer, but of course as we move into fall, the quantity and variety is going to diminish.
In winter, there are fewer flowers available, but you can still find lovely options for beautiful decorations!
WHAT FLOWERS ARE EDIBLE FOR CAKES?
Although some flowers may not have a lot of flavour or nutritional value, they will make your cake look like a work of art! If someone does choose to eat the flowers too, you can be relaxed knowing that you’ve only used edible flowers.
HERBS, FRUIT AND VEG
Herbs, fruit and veg give us lots of options for cake decorating. If you have a vegetable garden you have a great potential source of edible flowers.
Broad bean flowers are pretty to look at and have a good flavour. They come in different colours so you might find something suitable for your cake theme colours. They are available from spring through to late autumn.
Coriander flowers are delightfully dainty, and delicate. The tiny white flowers form a lovely ‘spray’. They have a similar flavour to coriander leaves. They are available from late spring through to autumn
Chicory flowers are bitter, but they do come in various colours, blue, pink and white. They aren’t in bloom until the autumn.
Chives. How could anyone not like the look of a chive flower? They are so perfectly formed and happy-looking! They have a nice mild onion flavour which works well in a salad but you probably wouldn’t want this flavour in a wedding cake, so it could be used just for decoration! Available early summer through to late autumn. Chive flowers are blue, but if you want a similar structure and shape, you could use garlic chive flowers which are smaller and white, with a garlicky flavour.
Courgette flowers make for very dramatic features on a cake. The yellow - green colour is very striking and they have a slightly nutty flavour. They are large and have incredible structure, but they wilt fairly quickly so don’t add them til the last minute. Available early summer through to late autumn.
Cucumber flowers are like a smaller version of courgette flowers, with a similar sweet-nutty flavour. They bloom in summer / autumn.
Elderflower. Have you ever had elderflower cordial? The flowers are dainty and white, grouped into lovely sprays. They bloom in late spring / early summer.
Fennel. Do you like aniseed flavour? If so, these dainty yellow flowers are for you! They bloom in summer through to autumn
Lavender works well on vanilla-based desserts like buttercream or whipped cream cakes. This sweet-smelling herb is perfect for making your cakes smell as wonderful as they look!
You can use lavender in different ways; you could sprinkle it on top of cakes like confetti, or creating beautiful designs by twisting fresh lavender into your cake’s piped borders.
It comes in purple, lilac and pink and is in flower in summer through to autumn.
GARDEN FLOWERS
Roses. The first thing we’re going to talk about are roses, which are a classic flower choice for cakes. Rose petals have a sweet taste that pairs nicely with rich chocolate cakes or red velvet cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting. You could also use them on top of lemon flavoured pound cakes.
Most people only think of using rose petals as a garnish or to decorate their cakes on top. However, roses are one of the most versatile flowers to use in cake decoration. You can use the entire rose for a plump, rustic look.
Roses also look beautiful when dusted with edible glitter for a sparkly effect!
Dried rose petals can be used as a confetti decoration for cakes. They are available in many different colours and it’s a really lovely way of adding pretty details to your cakes without using any fresh flowers or petals that need refrigeration. They bloom from spring through autumn.
Calendula: these flowers are bright and have a lovely, tangy flavour. I often add them to my salads. Only the petals are edible. They are available from spring through to late autumn.
Carnations (Dianthus/Pinks) are some of the most popular flowers used for cake decoration; they have such a lovely shape that looks great on cakes. Their sweet-flavoured petals make fantastic confetti as they often come in a variety of colours. They are available from spring through to late autumn.
Cornflowers are a super easy plant to grow in the garden and come in many colours. They taste a little sweet. They are suitable for making crystalised flowers too.
Forget-me-nots are another easy option to grow in your garden. The simple little flowers are usually blue, but can also come in pink or white. They bloom from spring through summer.
Nasturtium: these flowers are perfect for when you want an edible flower for a vibrant design, ranging in colour from bright red, orange and yellow through to an almost white. They are a little spicy in flavour and in bloom in summer and autumn. The leaves can also be used.
Pansies: If you begin to use flowers at all in your baking, pansies will quickly become your new best friend. They are available almost throughout the year, and come in almost every colour imaginable. They are great for adding a soft and romantic touch to your cake. They also crystalise very well. What more could you ask?
Snapdragons make for fun additions to a cake. You can even use them to ‘clamp’ to different elements of a cake. They come in lots of colours and are in bloom from late spring though autumn. They have a slightly bitter taste.
Sunflowers make for bold, dramatic cake decorations. The petals have a bitter-sweet nutty taste. They don’t bloom until late summer - autumn.
Violas are similar to pansies, but smaller. They are also available throughout most of the year. Like pansies, they are also great for crystalising.
This is not a comprehensive list of all the edible flowers you can use to decorate a cake, but I think it covers a selection of accessible flowers that can be easily worked with.
HOW TO PREPARE FLOWERS FOR PUTTING THEM ON A CAKE
Food Safety is paramount
I always recommend removing the pistil and stamen from flowers before you place the flowers on the cake. This is because some people are allergic to pollen. It’s also possible for bugs to lay eggs on cut flowers which is a hazard to people with allergies or who have compromised immune systems.
So, before putting the gorgeous edible flowers onto your cake, please ensure you wash and trim them first. There are a couple of ways you can wash flowers.
For small flowers, I place them gently in a bowl of cold water and then let them dry on paper towels.
For large flowers, I hold them by their stems and dip them into the water and then pull them put and give them a very gentle shake. Again, let them dry on paper towels.
Then you need to prepare the flowers before decorating the cake by wrapping the stems. You should always wrap the stems of flowers. This is because the sap from the stem could be poisonous. This depends on the flower of course – but it’s always best to follow this step to be safe.
You can use clingfilm to wrap the stem or you can use floral tape and then use ‘posy pics’ to insert into the cake.
If you plan to use a large group of flowers together then I have two suggestions for this. Both techniques avoid the flowers sitting directly on the cake.
· Use a piece of parchment paper and place it onto the cake where your flowers are going to be, or
· Use modelling paste/ fondant, roll out and cut a circle or a pattern of your choice, let it dry and use edible glue to stick it to the top of the cake. Then you can place the flowers on top of your disc of modelling paste/ fondant.
The rose and pansy in this semi-naked cake were prepared with clingfilm around their stems.
Follow the step-by-step photo tutorial to make this semi-naked cake in this article.
WHERE CAN I BUY EDIBLE FLOWERS FOR CAKES?
Whilst you might be able to buy ‘edible’ flowers – i.e. not poisonous - at your local grocery store, florist or flower market, this does not mean you should eat them!
Almost all flowers on sale in such places come from plants that have been sprayed with pesticides.
If you are looking for edible flowers for an important, celebration cake such as a wedding cake, try to source them from a specialist, organic flower grower - an online search should find one in your region.
You could even grow your own plants. Annuals are generally easy to cultivate and perennials such as roses will provide you with beautiful blooms year after year.
HOW TO STOP FLOWERS WILTING WHEN USING THEM AS DECORATIONS ON CAKES
To get the most out of your flowers and keep them lasting as long as possible, try these tips:
*Airtight containers: Store your flowers in an airtight container to help prolong their life
*You can dip the stem into boiling hot water for five seconds before placing on top of cake; this will seal the stem and make it longer lasting
*If you are not using your edible flower immediately after picking them up, put them into cold water until ready to use.
*To prevent wilting and prolong their life span, put a few ice cubes in the water.
CAN I PUT FRESH FLOWERS ON A CAKE THE DAY BEFORE?
If at all possible, flowers should not be added to cakes ahead of time. Put the flowers on the cake as late as possible to avoid wilting.
If you have a cake order that is coming up in less than 24 hours, or if your fresh flower petals arrive on the morning of the event, place them into cold water until ready for use.
CAN YOU PUT A CAKE WITH FRESH FLOWERS IN THE FRIDGE?
Some flowers cope well with being chilled, but others don’t. Smaller, dainty flowers tend not to keep as well as larger flowers.
Some flower petals can dry out and wilt if left at refrigerator temperature for too long, or if they are cold when added to a cake.
You could do some experiments prior to making up your cake - try putting some of your intended flowers in the fridge and see how they hold up.
WHAT GREENERY IS SAFE FOR CAKES?
Not only can you use flowers in your cake decorating, you can also use edible greenery. Consider using nasturtium leaves for a simple yet elegant finish to the top of your cake.
Other edible greenery includes:
- sweet cicely (fern): sweet, mild aniseed flavour
- mint
- basil
- rosemary
- thyme
- lavender
IS IVY SAFE FOR CAKES?
Ivy swags look very elegant as decoration but should not be considered an edible decoration on a cake.
WARNINGS ABOUT USING FLOWERS IN CAKE DECORATION
Some people are allergic to flowers, or to particular families of flowers, such as onions, celery or mustard. For those who have pollen allergies or hay fever, fresh flowers on a cake may not be the best idea.
Even when using organically grown, edible flowers, it’s important to remember that not all parts of the flower are edible. Whilst the petals could be eaten, the stems and stamen should not be eaten.
ALTERNATIVES TO FRESH FLOWERS
If, after reading all of this, you decide that using real, fresh flowers isn’t for you, don’t worry! There are still plenty of options for decorating a cake. You could use sugar flower paste to create the same look as fresh flowers - the benefit of sugar paste flowers is that they never wilt!
You could also opt for dried petal confetti, dried whole petals and flowers, crystalised edible flowers, or, as a last resort, fake flowers!
Some artificial flowers are so believable these days you’d think they were real. Check out Afloral’s beautiful fake blooms. Get 10% off your order with code FLOWERS!
CONCLUSION
With the help of edible flowers, your cake decorating can be as wonderful and unique as you want it to be. Try experimenting with different colours and shapes of flowers until you find a combination that’s perfect for your cake. And don’t forget - if all else fails or if time is running short, you can still create gorgeous cake flower decorations out of fondant alone! Happy baking!