I’ve always been a big fan of using natural flowers to decorate celebration cakes, not only because they look spectacular, but also because you can then clean the stems and re-use them as cut flowers afterward. Fresh flowers are low maintenance and will immediately turn your cake into a glamorous thing of beauty.
Get the recipe: Dairy-Free Tahini, Lemon and Berry Pound Cake
The things to bear in mind when choosing your fresh flowers are the following:
-Only use flowers that are edible, such as roses, calendula, borage, lavender, fennel, violas, nasturtiums, pansies, cornflowers and dahlias – as well as herbs we already commonly use in cooking.
-If you’re picking them yourself, rather than ordering them through a producer, make sure to wash the stems before use. Avoid flowers from the side of the road or in areas where pesticides are widely used.
Related: These One-Bowl Flowerpot Cupcakes Are the Cutest Thing We’ve Ever Seen
-Decorate with flowers at the last minute and keep in the fridge until needed.
-Just to be on the safe side, I prefer using decoration flowers only on cakes that are iced with a barrier between the flowers and the cake itself, such as fondant or royal icing – avoiding naked cakes. Even edible flowers may cause allergic reactions in some people so remember to remove them before handing the cake out to be eaten.
-Always tape the flower stems with floral tape to ensure that none of the liquid from the flower stems transfers to the cake itself
Can’t get your hand on edible flowers? Why not try Harry’s recipe for creating beautiful stained glass fruit to decorate cakes?
Watch the how-to video below: