I love the look that fresh flowers add to my cakes. I’m always amazed and in awe of how an undecorated cake can just POP when the fresh flowers are added. My favorite flowers on a cake are red roses. These regal, bright, red flowers against a white cake background are just so grand looking! Add a touch of baby’s breath? Wow!! Like this one we made for our 7-7-07 bride.
That said, there are some things that need to be considered when planning fresh flowers on a cake.
Tell your florist these are going on a cake. The flowers should be organically grown, free of pesticides. The florist should take extra care to prevent the flowers from passing across a work space that has had pesticide treated flowers on it, to avoid cross-contamination. The objective is to try to keep the flowers as food-safe as possible.
Even still, I’ve met florists who didn’t know the toxicity of a flower. Most know that poinsettias and calla lilies are toxic flowers and should not come in contact with a cake, but I once mentioned hydrangeas as a very toxic flower and the florist was very surprised to hear that.
(Cater It Simple does not permit these 3 flowers on their cake under any circumstances. Silk or sugar versions only.)
The flower stems should not be pushed down into your cake. The flower stem will leak water and unless you’re willing to drink the water out of a flower vase, I doubt that you’ll be willing to eat cake with flower-water-waste in it.
Stems can be wrapped in saran wrap or florist tape if they “must” be plunged into a cake, or there are tubes that can be inserted into the cake to hold the stems, but we try to avoid plunging flowers into the cake at all costs.
Some decorators cut the stems off as close to the head as possible, then use buttercream icing to “glue” the flower to the side or top of the cake. At cutting time, the flower and the blop of icing glue is removed from the cake.
Like most cake designers I prefer to add the flowers to the cake myself. Why? Because the final look of a cake will have my name on it, and if someone places the flowers inappropriately or unattractively, then it’s my reputation on the line. Most of my florist friends are relieved not to have to put the flowers on a cake and are happy to leave that to the cake designer (so the designer can finish designing the cake!).
I look at it this way …. I don’t pretend to be a florist who knows how to make a centerpiece, so I appreciate a florist who doesn’t pretend to be a cake decorator. Plunging flowers into a green florist foam is WAY different than decorating a cake.
And please, brides, don’t tell me how mom or your best friend will place the flowers on the cake. It’s not going to happen with one of my cakes. At least a florist has an artist’s eye on placement, color and balance. I’ve seen too many photos of cakes in which the family did the final decorating …. and let’s just say that I’m glad it wasn’t MY name on those cakes!
Here is a link to toxic, VERY toxic and safe flowers: http://www.blueirissanctuary.fatcow.com/id181.htm
That said, there are some things that need to be considered when planning fresh flowers on a cake.
Tell your florist these are going on a cake. The flowers should be organically grown, free of pesticides. The florist should take extra care to prevent the flowers from passing across a work space that has had pesticide treated flowers on it, to avoid cross-contamination. The objective is to try to keep the flowers as food-safe as possible.
Even still, I’ve met florists who didn’t know the toxicity of a flower. Most know that poinsettias and calla lilies are toxic flowers and should not come in contact with a cake, but I once mentioned hydrangeas as a very toxic flower and the florist was very surprised to hear that.
(Cater It Simple does not permit these 3 flowers on their cake under any circumstances. Silk or sugar versions only.)
The flower stems should not be pushed down into your cake. The flower stem will leak water and unless you’re willing to drink the water out of a flower vase, I doubt that you’ll be willing to eat cake with flower-water-waste in it.
Stems can be wrapped in saran wrap or florist tape if they “must” be plunged into a cake, or there are tubes that can be inserted into the cake to hold the stems, but we try to avoid plunging flowers into the cake at all costs.
Some decorators cut the stems off as close to the head as possible, then use buttercream icing to “glue” the flower to the side or top of the cake. At cutting time, the flower and the blop of icing glue is removed from the cake.
Like most cake designers I prefer to add the flowers to the cake myself. Why? Because the final look of a cake will have my name on it, and if someone places the flowers inappropriately or unattractively, then it’s my reputation on the line. Most of my florist friends are relieved not to have to put the flowers on a cake and are happy to leave that to the cake designer (so the designer can finish designing the cake!).
I look at it this way …. I don’t pretend to be a florist who knows how to make a centerpiece, so I appreciate a florist who doesn’t pretend to be a cake decorator. Plunging flowers into a green florist foam is WAY different than decorating a cake.
And please, brides, don’t tell me how mom or your best friend will place the flowers on the cake. It’s not going to happen with one of my cakes. At least a florist has an artist’s eye on placement, color and balance. I’ve seen too many photos of cakes in which the family did the final decorating …. and let’s just say that I’m glad it wasn’t MY name on those cakes!
Here is a link to toxic, VERY toxic and safe flowers: http://www.blueirissanctuary.fatcow.com/id181.htm
I welcome input and additional information from florists on this subject.
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