Floral Wedding Cakes: Arranging Blooms For A Dreamy Effect

Flowers are a classic and elegant way to decorate a wedding cake. Whether you're planning a rustic celebration or a sleek city event, there are endless ways to incorporate blooms into your confection. From fresh flowers to candied petals, and hand-painted designs to sugar paste creations, the options are limitless.

When it comes to fresh flowers, it's important to ensure they are safe for consumption and free from harmful chemicals or pesticides. You can also get creative with sugar paste flowers, which can be crafted into intricate designs and arranged in unique ways. Gumpaste, a type of sugar dough, is ideal for creating detailed flowers that dry hard and can be used to decorate cakes.

Whether you're aiming for a minimalist look or a bold, colourful statement, flowers can add a special touch to your wedding cake and reinforce your theme and colour palette.

Using fresh flowers and foliage

Choose the Right Flowers:

Firstly, it is important to select flowers that are safe for use on cakes. Some popular options include roses, spray roses, carnations, mums, pansies, lavender, violets, sunflowers, and gerbera daisies. Avoid toxic flowers such as lilies of the valley, daffodils, hydrangeas, and calla lilies. If in doubt, consult a florist or refer to online resources for a comprehensive list of safe and toxic flowers.

Prepare the Flowers:

Before adding the flowers to the cake, they should be properly hydrated and cleaned. Cut the stems to the desired length, approximately 2-3 inches long, and remove any dead or wilted petals. It is also recommended to let the flowers hydrate overnight in clean water before use.

Create a Barrier:

To prevent the flower stems from directly touching the cake, create a barrier using floral tape. Wrap the tape around the stems, especially the bottom portion, to prevent any leakage of flower secretion into the cake. This will also help keep the flowers fresh for longer. Alternatively, you can use plastic straws or bubble tea straws, cut to a few inches in length, and insert the flower stems into them before placing them into the cake.

Arrange the Flowers:

When it comes to arranging the flowers on the cake, you can get creative! You can place them on top of the cake, around the sides, or even cascading down the tiers. For a minimalist look, use a single variety of delicate flowers. If you want a fuller look, combine different types of flowers and foliage to create a lush, garden-like effect. You can also use herbs like thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves as greenery to add texture and colour.

Timing:

It is best to add fresh flowers to the cake as close to the event as possible, preferably on the same day, to ensure they look their best. Fresh flowers can last around 6-8 hours with refrigeration and a few hours at room temperature.

Using sugar or gumpaste flowers

Sugar and gumpaste flowers are a beautiful way to decorate a wedding cake, and with the right techniques, you can create a stunning floral arrangement that will be the centrepiece of your reception.

Firstly, it's important to understand the difference between fondant and gumpaste. Gumpaste dries completely hard, making it perfect for intricate decorations like sugar flowers. It is also more resilient than fondant and can be rolled out into thin layers without tearing. Fondant, on the other hand, is an icing that remains supple and malleable, making it suitable for covering cakes.

When creating sugar flowers, you can use a variety of tutorials and recipes to make your own gumpaste from scratch, or you can buy pre-made gumpaste if you prefer convenience. Gumpaste flowers can be made well in advance and stored for future use. However, it's important to handle them with care as they are delicate and can break easily.

When it comes to arranging sugar flowers on your cake, it's a good idea to look for inspiration. Pinterest is a great resource for finding unique and interesting flower arrangements. Consider the number and type of flowers you'll need, as well as the sizes and colours that complement each other. You can also add interest to your arrangement by including unusual flowers or elements.

When attaching sugar flowers to your cake, there are a few methods you can use. For tiny flowers, you can use a bit of buttercream, candy melts, or royal icing. Medium-sized flowers can sometimes be attached with melted candy melts, but this works better on fondant than buttercream. If your flowers have toothpicks or wires attached, you can insert them directly into the cake, especially if you're creating a cascading floral design.

For larger flowers or those made with wires, you'll need to take a different approach. Group the flowers into small bunches, wrapping the stems with floral tape. Cut the stems to the appropriate length, ensuring they aren't taller than your cake. You can use bubble tea straws or regular straws to insert the flowers into your cake, creating a barrier between the wires and the cake. This method helps to ensure food safety and provides stability for your floral arrangement.

Sugar flowers can be a beautiful and elegant way to decorate your wedding cake, and with the right techniques and inspiration, you can create a stunning display that will wow your guests.

Using a combination of fresh and sugar flowers

Combining fresh and sugar flowers on your wedding cake is a great way to get the best of both worlds. Here are some tips and ideas for using a combination of fresh and sugar flowers to create a stunning floral wedding cake:

Pros of Sugar Flowers:

• Food Safety: Sugar flowers are made from edible materials and can be safely consumed, as long as they are created by an experienced designer who follows food safety guidelines.
• Design Flexibility: Sugar flowers can be manipulated into beautifully curved branches or S-shaped bouquets due to the wires used, allowing you to achieve your dream design.
• Customisability: A skilled cake designer can replicate any flower you desire, in any size or style. They can also customise the colour to match your wedding theme, including metallic shades like gold or silver.
• Seasonal Availability: Sugar flowers are not limited by seasonality, so you can have your favourite flowers on your cake regardless of the time of year.
• Longevity: Sugar flowers are shelf-stable and can be kept as a memento of your wedding day for a long time, as long as they are stored properly to prevent exposure to high humidity.

Cons of Sugar Flowers:

• Cost: Creating sugar flowers is a highly technical and time-consuming process, which makes them more expensive. A single flower can take anywhere from an hour to seven hours to make.
• Delicacy: Sugar flowers are delicate and fragile, so they require careful handling during transportation and setup.
• Experienced Designer Needed: Sugar flowers require a proficient cake designer who is familiar with food safety practices and can safely arrange them on your cake.

Pros of Fresh Flowers:

• Relaxed Look: Fresh flowers are perfect for creating a loose and messy floral design on your cake, giving it a liberal and organic feel.
• Cohesion: Using the same florist for your wedding flowers and cake decorations ensures a cohesive look, as the flowers will match perfectly.
• Cost-Effective: For couples on a budget, fresh flowers can be a more affordable option to elevate a simple cake.

Cons of Fresh Flowers:

• Food Safety: Fresh flowers are not grown, prepared, or chosen with food safety in mind. They may have been sprayed with pesticides or contain dirt or insects if organically grown.
• Toxicity: Many popular flowers and foliage, such as peonies, anemones, hydrangeas, and baby's breath, are actually poisonous or toxic.
• Preparation Time: Making fresh flowers safe for your cake involves cleaning, covering stems, and ensuring the flowers don't directly touch the cake, which can take a significant amount of time.
• Cost Consideration: The cost of fresh flowers for your cake may be overlooked, as florists may charge extra for cleaning, preparing, wiring, and taping the flowers.

Tips for Combining Fresh and Sugar Flowers:

• Choose a cake designer who is experienced in creating sugar flowers and can work with your florist to incorporate fresh flowers safely.
• Opt for a mix of sugar flowers and fresh blooms that complement each other and fit within your wedding theme.
• Consider using sugar flowers for more intricate or out-of-season blooms and fresh flowers for simpler or readily available varieties.
• Ensure that all fresh flowers are properly cleaned and prepared to minimise the risk of any toxins or contaminants coming into contact with your cake.

Arranging flowers on a single-tier cake

Flowers can be used to decorate a single-tier wedding cake in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas and tips for arranging flowers on a single-tier cake:

Fresh Floral Wedding Cake Topper

Use flowers as the cherry on top of your single-tier cake. Take inspiration from the colour scheme, the bridal bouquet, or the tablescape to create a cohesive look that emphasises the couple's style and personality. Seasonal foliage or flowers foraged from the wedding venue can also add a unique, vibrant touch to the cake topper.

Cascading Florals

Create a romantic, lush look with a cascading floral design tumbling down or spiralling around the cake. For a delicate, elegant style, use orchids and roses. For a modern twist, lighten up a darker colour scheme with exotic, oversized flowers.

Edible Flowers

Various flowers are safe for consumption and can be used to decorate a wedding cake. Edible flowers can be used in different forms such as dried, pressed, or scattered like confetti to create different textures. For a bohemian or casual wedding, arrange small edible flowers in a floral wreath design on top of the cake.

Minimalistic Wedding Cake Florals

For a minimalist wedding, less is more. A single dried flower or pinecone can be an elegant, simple touch. Alternatively, repeat the central bloom from the bridal bouquet on the wedding cake to bring unity to the overall wedding design.

Bright Colours

Bright, colourful flowers can bring out the couple's personality and create a bold, lasting impression. Use colourful, mixed blooms such as ranunculi, daffodils, tulips, or waratahs to create splashes of colour against a white cake.

When using fresh flowers, ensure that they have not been exposed to any pesticides or harmful chemicals, and that they are safe for human consumption. It is also important to consider the cake's flavour profile and how it will complement the flowers.

Additionally, sugar or gumpaste flowers can be used to decorate a single-tier wedding cake. Gumpaste dries completely hard, making it ideal for creating intricate flowers such as roses and daisies. These can be arranged on the cake using melted candy melts or inserted directly into the cake if attached to toothpicks.

Arranging flowers on a multi-tier cake

Flowers can be used to decorate a wedding cake in a variety of ways, from fresh blooms to handcrafted sugar flowers. Here are some tips for arranging flowers on a multi-tier cake:

Research and Preparation:

Before you begin, it is important to do your research, especially when using fresh flowers. Ensure that the flowers you plan to use have not been exposed to pesticides or harmful chemicals, and that they are safe for human consumption. Also, consider the cake's flavour profile and how it will complement the flowers.

Fresh Floral Wedding Cake Topper:

Instead of a traditional cake topper, consider using flowers as the finishing touch. Take inspiration from the colour scheme, the bridal bouquet, or the tablescape to create a cohesive look that emphasises the couple's style. You can also draw inspiration from the venue or season, incorporating seasonal foliage or flowers to add a vibrant touch.

Cascading Florals:

Create a romantic, waterfall-like effect with cascading florals tumbling down the tiers of the cake. For a delicate and elegant look, use orchids and roses. If you want to lighten up a darker colour scheme, opt for exotic, oversized flowers and plants to create a feeling of luxe abundance. Fresh or dried fruit can also be incorporated for added interest.

Edible Flowers:

Various flowers are safe for consumption and can be used to decorate the cake in different forms—fresh, dried, pressed, or even as confetti. For a bohemian or casual wedding, arrange natural, edible flowers along the top edge or in a floral wreath design. For a whimsical touch, sprinkle small edible flowers like confetti all over the cake.

Minimalistic Florals:

Sometimes, less is more. For a minimalist wedding or bride, consider using dried flowers or other natural elements such as pinecones. You can also repeat the central bloom from the bridal bouquet on the wedding cake to bring unity to the overall design. Simplicity doesn't have to be boring—it can showcase the detailed beauty of natural elements.

Bright Colours:

Bright, colourful flowers can bring out the couple's personality and invoke emotions in their guests. Use colourful, mixed blooms such as ranunculi, daffodils, tulips, or waratahs to create splashes of colour against a white cake. The boldness of the floral arrangements will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

When arranging flowers on a multi-tier cake, feel free to get creative and mix different types of flowers and arrangements. Whether you choose fresh blooms, sugar flowers, or a combination of both, these tips will help you create a stunning floral display that complements the cake's design and the overall wedding theme.

Frequently asked questions