There’s something about working with fresh flowers in the cake decorating process that gets me so excited! The thrill always starts at the flower shop, because I really get to nerd out on different combinations of blooms. With a color palette in mind, I love to play around with different textures and varieties of flowers. But deciding on a good floral palette involves more than just what will look best – the flowers have to actually be safe for cakes.
In addition to making sure the blooms you’re purchasing for your cake are organic and haven’t been sprayed with pesticides, it’s important to know ahead of time which flowers to avoid. I’ve found that in some cases, the florist won’t even know! So before I teach you how to incorporate fresh florals into your cake designs, make them last, and keep them from leaking their stem juices into your precious cake, I wanted to share a list of flowers that are safe for your cakes (and in some cases, even completely edible!) and which ones to avoid completely:
Flowers That Are Safe: Pansies, Lavender, Violas, Violets, Roses, Marigold, Cornflower, Carnations, Chrysanthemums, Day Lily, Hibiscus, Peony, Chamomile, Freesia, Gerber Daisy, Lisianthus, Queen Anne’s Lace, Primrose, Sunflowers. Here’s a longer list (and what parts of each flower are actually edible!).
Flowers To Avoid: Lily Of The Valley, Daffodil, Poinsettia, Azaleas, Calla Lily, Hyacinth, Oleander, Wisteria, Rhododendron, Hydrangea, Mistletoe, Holly, Sweet Pea. Here’s the long list.
Now that you know which flowers work best for keeping your cake tasty and non-toxic, here’s my method for decorating cakes with fresh florals:
You Will Need:
- Fresh florals (organic, pesticide-free, and from the safe list)
- Floral scissors or pruning tool
- A frosted cake
- Floral tape
- Scissors
Step 1: Wash And Trim The Flowers
Under a sink with cold water running, gently wash your flowers to make sure there aren’t any bugs or dirt lingering in the petals. Locate where you’d like to trim the stem (I usually keep it 2-3 inches long) and place it under the water. Snip the stem at an angle and keep the trimmed portion under the water for another few seconds. I consider that the flower’s final drink.
Pat the flowers and stems dry with a paper towel carefully.
Step 2: Wrap The Stems
Cut a piece of floral tape that’s about 2-3 inches long. Wrap the tape around the stem, focusing on covering the majority of the stem and where it’s been pruned. The goal here is to create a barrier between the cake and the stem, especially the bottom of the stem, and prevent it from leaking flower secretion (ok yes that’s gross sounding but also a good band name!) into the cake layer.
Wrapping the stem in this way also keeps the flowers fresh for longer, because it helps hold the moisture and nourishment within the stem.
Step 3: Decorate The Cake
Now that you’ve created a good barrier between the cake and your floral stems, plus you’ve set your mind at ease by choosing flowers from the safe list, it’s time to arrange them on your cake – my favorite part! I usually take some time to loosely plan where to place the flowers (off the cake) before committing to an arrangement. Once you’re happy with a plan, stick the covered stems into the cake one by one. Simple as that!
For larger flower bouquets, a great trick for keeping those stems from contaminating your cake is to create a small (1-2 inch) fondant ball and stick your stems into that before placing the whole thing on top of your cake. I’ve definitely used that trick for fuller floral arrangements and it works like a charm. You’ll still need to wrap your stems with floral tape before sticking them into the fondant holder to keep the moisture contained.
And if you’re really wanting to keep those flowers fresh, you can always try using one of those plastic tubes you get from the florist. You can fill them with a little water and stick your flowers into it like a vase before submerging it into the cake. I’ve never tried that method, but I hear it works great.
Storage And Timing
Keep in mind that each flower will have a specific lifespan once you wrap the stem, so the best way to be sure how long it will remain fresh is to ask your florist beforehand. In my experience, I’ve had really good luck storing cakes with fresh florals in the refrigerator. Typically, fresh flowers will last around eight hours in the refrigerator and remain fresh for a few hours outside of the fridge environment. Even though I’ve had good luck with the fridge, I always like to prepare and place the flowers at the very last second possible (sometimes even on-site at the event) to ensure the freshest blooms. Because after all that prep work and stressing over a cake, the last thing you want to happen is wilting.
Have you tried any of these methods before? Know any tips that aren’t on my list? I’d love to know your secrets for working with fresh florals too! Let me know in the comments.
Shanon Rohan says
I recently got cupcakes with Daisy’s, they were very dry, could it have been the flowers?
Whitney says
Hi Shannon! If the cupcakes were dry, it was most likely the cupcake recipe that produced a dry cake. Using daisies as decoration will not affect the consistency of the cake.
leah says
Hi Whitney, what about dried Hydrangea flowers, can use as cake decor if i wrap the stemp.
Whitney says
Hi Leah! Since Hydrangea flowers are pretty high up on the toxicity list I wouldn’t recommend using them even if you wrap the stems. In the past I have opted for making gumpaste hydrangeas or buttercream piped hydrangeas in place of fresh flowers.
Martha Veenendaal says
I have found that dipping my flower stems in Quick Dip or any other florist dip and then wrapping in plastic and covering with florist tape really helps to prolong the life of the flowers!
Whitney says
That’s amazing! Thanks for the tip!
Nancy says
Thank you for the list of safe and not safe flowers to use on cakes! I have been reluctant to use them because I really don’t want to poison people!!
Whitney says
Of course, Nancy! I’m so glad you found the list helpful!
Dawn says
I planned on decorating with just baby’s breath but I read on the internet that it’s poisonous. I didn’t see it on your toxic list.
Does anyone know if baby’s breath is truly poisonous?
I think the cake will look gorgeous with these flowers!
Whitney says
Hi, Dawn! I wasn’t aware that baby’s breath was toxic, but after doing some research it sounds like it is mildly toxic. I would either try making a gumpaste version or figure out a different floral arrangement.
Cara Matimong says
Thank you for such a wonderful article! Bakery has made my sons wedding cake and I have home grown lavender, pansies and cornflowers that I’m going to decorate the cake with as well as some white beading. I’m hoping it will look beautiful for the 10th July 2019! Fingers crossed. Brilliant article by the way. Thank you.
Whitney says
Amazing, Cara! That sounds beautiful!
Josnne says
Would love to see a picture! How did it turn out? I am making my nieces cake for this weekend and plan on decorating with peonies. I hope the humidity that’s predicted doesn’t affect the frosting too much!
Barbara Stephenson says
Alstoemeria are pictured here , but not mentioned in your list of plants that are safe for cake decoraration..Neither are they in your list of plants to avoid…
I would love them for my wedding cake decoration, please ca n you advise me whether they would be safe.
Your cke designs are beautiful!
Many Thanks
Whitney says
Hi Barbara! So when I created this cake I asked the florist if the Alstoemeria were food safe because I couldn’t find much info on the internet about their toxicity. I was assured that they were safe for cakes, but after doing another round of research, it sounds like they do have a low grade toxicity. I’d say if you wrap the stems well and don’t use a ton of them I think you’ll be fine, but if you’re worried about it and only want to use 100% food grade flowers I would stick to the list of edible flowers.
Louise Sandy says
HI – just wanted to clarify – does this mean that floral tape is considered food-safe when inserted into frosting?
Whitney says
Hi Louise! Floral tape protects the stems from leaking into the cake, and the tape itself is non-toxic, but I have yet to find a floral tape that is marked as food-safe. Wrapping fresh stems with floral tape is a common technique that has been used for decades in the cake world. If you want to make the technique more food safe, you can always insert a boba tea straw into the cake before placing the wrapped stems inside of it.
Deb M Nevsimal says
How do you know if they are organic and pesticide free? dont most flower shops use pesticides?
Whitney says
Hi Deb! You just have to ask the shop. There are a lot of options for organic/pesticide-free florals in Portland, but the availability will depend based on where you live
Maj says
Thank you for your article, from your experience how long will fresh roses last on a 3 tiered cake.
Whitney says
Hi Maj! In my experience, fresh roses will last about 12 hours on a cake, sometimes longer if the environment is nice and cool (aka the fridge). They’re one of the longest lasting flowers for cakes!
Patricia Cramer says
I would also recommend using clear plastic straws or ‘ flower picks’ cut at the ends, burnt with a flame and pinched together to seal. Place your wrapped flowers or posy stems into the plastic straws and it’s now even safer to put into the cake.
Whitney says
Thanks Patricia! I love using Boba straws with that method.
Karen says
I have been told that you can stand fresh blooms such as Gerberas and roses in a mix of water and glycerin to extend their freshness on a cake? Is this a good idea??
Whitney says
Hi Karen! I have also heard that before but have never tried it! It seems like a good idea, but I would try it on some fresh stems as part of a trial run before committing to the method. I just don’t know for sure how well it works.
Kasey says
So happy to have come across your page. Thank you for sharing such awesome information. If I was to use the water vials to keep flowers from wilting , would I still need to wrap the stems in tape? Or are they fine to go straight into the water as the vial would protect the stem from touching the cake?
Whitney says
Hi Kasey! If you’re using water vials, there’s no need to wrap the stems. Just stick the stems into the vial and you’re good to go!
Thomas Ho says
Hello, can I use eucalyptus?
Whitney says
Hi Thomas! Eucalyptus is mildly toxic, so I can’t advise sticking it into the cake even with a wrapped stem. I have heard of cake decorators making eucalyptus from gumpaste or using faux eucalyptus though!
Connie says
wow. thank you for such a beautiful post. can i use cling wrap to cover the stems if i don’t have the tape?
Whitney says
Hi Connie! I have never heard of using cling wrap as a substitute for floral tape but after a quick Google search it seems to be a popular solution. I’d say give it a try!
rohit aggarwal says
thank you sugarandsparrow for giving me wonderful information
Paula says
Thank you so much for your wonderful post. Very helpful indeed!! I have tape, scissors, etc…I’m at the ready! Wondering….have you seen this from Chelsweets? I thought it was clever. For the top of a cake, she takes a cake board, the same size as the cake below it, and covers it in buttercream. Uses a lot of buttercream, but she creates mounds of it and pops the cut flowers directly into the buttercream. The board can then be removed from the cake below, flowers and all, never touching the cake!! Neat!! I find you very inspirational. Thanks so much!!
Whitney says
Hi Paula! I haven’t seen that technique before but it’s genius!! Gonna have to give that a try next time I work with fresh flowers.
Shannon says
Hey Witney, I have bluejay blueberry flowers at home. Are they toxic? I didn’t see them on your list of toxic plants, but their not on your list of edible flowers either.
Whitney says
Hi Shannon! Are Bluejay Blueberry flowers the little white flowers that appear before they turn into blueberries? If so, from a quick Google search it appears they are edible and safe to use. My list only really covers the most common flowers that can be used for cakes or should be avoided. If the flower you’re referring to is something different than what my Google results were, be sure to do some more in depth research before adding them to your cake.
mihir says
Hello,
Can we use Gerberas (fresh) on cake by wrapping their stams using cling wrap and toothpick?
Is it safe to use “Gerberas” ?
Whitney says
Hi Mihir! After a quick Google search it appears that Gerberas (Gerber Daisies) are safe to top cakes with considering you wrap the stems.
Debbie says
Can you wrap flowers in tape the day before and keep in the frig?
Whitney says
Hi Debbie! It depends on the type of flower and what the wilting timeline is like. I’ve never pre-wrapped my flowers because I always want them to be their absolute freshest, so I stick to cutting/wrapping them the day of.
Janey Hoeflich says
Hi Whitney, this is an absolutely brilliant page with tips and tricks. So pleased to have a list of flowers to avoid as well. Thank you. xx
Whitney says
Yay, Janey! So happy to help!
Cynthia says
Hi Whitney! Are chrysanthemums good to use? I know they are toxic for animals but would it be ok to add them to a cake?
Whitney says
Hi Cynthia! Although Chrysanthemums are not edible, they can be safely used on cake as long as you wrap the stems and prepare the flowers according to the tutorial.
Wendy Sciberras says
I would love to know if peonues are ok to use on a cake
Whitney says
Hi Wendy! Do you mean Peonies? If so then yes, the petals are actually edible as long as they haven’t been sprayed with a pesticide. Simply follow the tutorial for preparing the flowers for your cake and you’ll be good to go!
Madeline Abbott says
Hi Whitney! This post has been so helpful!
Proteas?? And Silver Coin Gum Leaves??
If I wrap them and then insert a straw, I haven’t seen a lot online. Some sites say they’re toxic, some have no information? If they’re wrapped and in the straw, will they be okay?
Whitney says
Hi Madeline! I’ve never worked with Proteas or Silver Coin Gum Leaves before, and they weren’t on the “safe” list I compiled from the most common flowers used to top cakes. To be on the safe side, I would make sure they aren’t toxic before attempting to top a cake with them by researching online and possibly calling a florist. You might be able to get away with sticking the stems in a tube (so that no juices end up leaking through the wrapped stem and end of the straw into the cake) and placing some wax paper underneath where the petals would touch the cake, but you’ll want to know what the toxicity is before even attempting. Hope that helps a little!
Heela says
If I will freeze the flowers after making them safe for decorating in vacuum bag how many time it will hold on?
Whitney says
Hi Heela! It really depends on the type of flower because they have different wilting timeframes. You’ll need to research that specific type of flower to see how long it will last after cutting the stem. I’ve never frozen fresh flowers before, so I am not entirely sure how that will prolong the life of the flower.
Robyn Cotton says
All this information is most helpful. I am also wondering about bleached dried florals? I am assuming they are toxic? Wondering if they are wrapped and put in a fondant “ball” if that would be safe? I am seeing this product used on cakes and wondering how to make sure it is food safe?
Thanks so much.
Whitney says
Hi Robyn! I’ve actually never heard of or worked with bleached dried florals so I don’t know what the process is for making them or what the level of toxicity is (if any). I would do a little research to see what info you can find before using them. My hunch is that if they’re commonly used on cakes nowadays, they’re either completely safe to use or there’s a method for making them safe (like putting the stems in a fondant ball, etc).
Fran says
Hey there! Have you ever worked with Iris and Tulips on a cake?
Whitney says
Hi Fran! I haven’t worked with either of those flowers on a cake. I would check with your local florist or do some Googling to see if those flowers are safe for cakes before decorating with them.
Ritika says
Hi Whitney! Loved how informative this blog is! It has helped me alot, honestly since I just started my small home bakery! I actually had a question regarding small flowers like baby’s breath. I’ve seen everyone put it on their cakes, and it looks gorgeous, but I just googled it and saw that those are poisonous! Do you know anything about it, and if there are any alternatives to those beautiful white small flowers? Thankyou in advance!!
Whitney says
Hi Ritika! I have not worked with baby’s breath before, but you’re right. After a quick Google search it seems that these flowers are toxic. Either the people using these on their cakes aren’t aware that they’re toxic or they are using artificial baby’s breath (which is what I would use if I were to make a cake with baby’s breath). Hope that helps!
Jenny says
Hi! I find that anytime I use this method, the floral tape gets soggy after a while and gets left behind in my cupcakes when pulling the flowers out. Any tips?
Whitney says
Hi Jenny! I’ve never tried this method with cupcakes but if I were to, I would try inserting the taped stems into a boba straw cut to fit the center of the cupcake. That way you can just pull out the whole straw and keep the cupcake fairly intact for consumption.
Caroline says
How do I find pesticide-free flowers?
Whitney says
Hi Caroline! You’ll need to ask your local florists whether or not the flowers have been sprayed with pesticides.
Mais says
Thanks for this very informative post. I do google flowers before purchasing them but sometimes flowers names are not included or easily recognizable. Do you just avoid those altogether? I do see a lot of cakes with peonies on them but when I googled them they came up as poisonous. I have a wedding cake coming up and the bride’s bouquet includes peonies and wanted to include them on the cake. Do you have a trusted source saying otherwise… and I hope you do because I want to use them! Also i was planning on using floral tape but recently came across a comment from someone saying they are not food safe. Thoughts on that? Thanks!
Whitney says
Hi Mais! I don’t have a go-to source for researching flowers (besides Google). I use floral tape all the time, but if you want to make things extra food safe you could insert the wrapped stems into a boba straw before placing it in the cake, or into a fondant ball placed on top of the cake so that no stems get inserted into the cake. If you’re concerned about the toxicity of a flower you could always use silk/fake flowers as well – I’m seeing that more and more!
Laura says
Thanks for all of the great tips! I have used florist tubes many time’s embedded into a cored out section of cake stabilized with icing. It works well with roses! I’m excited to try some other flowers on your acceptable list
Whitney says
Yay, Laura! Happy to help!
noelle genevier says
A really helpful blog, thank you
Whitney says
Yay, Noelle! Happy to help!
Kath says
Hi,
sorry, just a quick note as I saw that your post says that both Chrysanthemum and carnations are safe, but they are both grade 2 toxins so shouldn’t be used on cakes. This is a really handy list for anyone looking for what’s safe to use.
https://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/Toxic_Plants_by_common_Name_659/
Julie says
Hi, has anyone experience with decorating a fondant covered fruit cake with fresh flowers? If so any tips?
Jae says
Hi Whitney! Would you say it’s safer to maybe add another layer of cling wrap over the floral tape just because I don’t really trust the quality of the tapes we get where I live !?
Whitney says
Hi Jae! You could do that and/or stick the wrapped stems into boba straws inserted into the cake. Hope that helps!
Pauline says
Really helpful post, Thanks so much!
I recently did a birthday cake with fresh flowers thanks to your information. Came out beautiful and was much appreciated by the recipients.
Ive got a 50th Golden Anniversary cake this weekend, and will be applying the same technique with some golden hues.
The link to the bigger edible flowers list is also really helpful… might have to try some in my next salad! 🙂
Thanks
Whitney says
Yay, Pauline! I’m so happy to hear that you were able to make a beautiful cake with this info! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Katie says
Hi! Thanks for the detailed info and all the comments have helped. I was wondering if I can’t get straws or floral tape. Would a good amount of normal tape or duct tape with cling film work ok and still be safe?
Whitney says
Hi Katie! I’ve never considered normal tape/duct tape wrapped in cling film. I’m not sure how safe it would be. I would do a little research to see if there are alternatives to the methods I’ve described here.
Sarah Morrison says
Hi are orientalist lilies cake safe?
Whitney says
Hi Sarah! I’ve never heard of those. I would do a little research to see what the toxicity level is and if anyone else has used those on a cake before.
Pat says
Hi Whitney,
Do you have a list of greenery or leaves that would be safe to use on cakes?
Whitney says
Hi Pat! I don’t have a list of greenery but you can always google! Any herb would be totally fine to use but I’m not sure which other greens are edible.
Nik says
Hiya, if using supermarket flowers, how do you know if pesticide free? Thanks
Whitney says
Hi Nik! You’ll have to ask the florist to be sure they’re pesticide free.
Esther says
Thank you for this information. I am attempting my first fresh flower cake this week and the advice has been invaluable and makes me a lot less nervous about it. I will be using marigolds. The design I’m doing involved foliage as well. Is the wrapping procedure the same for leaves? Is there anything else I need to consider before using marigold leaves?
Whitney says
Yay, Esther! I’m so happy you found all this info helpful and put you at ease. Leaves don’t tend to wilt quite like flowers do though, so the wrapping procedure isn’t necessary unless you’re planning on inserting them directly into the cake.
Allison says
I am making a wedding cake with flowers on each layer to make it look like it is sitting on the flowers. I am going to put a cardboard round on each cake to fill the gap, I am thinking about sprinkling hot glue on the stems on the cardboard to hold in place then we just have to lift the ring of flowers off. It is a cake stand the screws together in the middle so it should go together pretty easy, what do u think? Can I put the flowers on the cake 5-6 hours in advance as it will be wayside? About 70-75 degrees, help!
Whitney says
Hi Allison! That sounds like a good plan, but I’m not sure about hot gluing the flowers just because I’m not sure if that will make them wilt faster or not. Instead, I would figure out how to insert the stems into some little vessels like this: https://amzn.to/3NiLWxQ and then glue those vessels to the cardboard. This way the flowers will stay fresh and easy to arrange. Hope that helps!
Nathalie W says
Hi Whitney,
If the safe flowers are properly wrapped with flower tape etc, what is the harm with pesticides? Or is that harm particular to edible flowers only that will be ingested?
Thank you so much for all your info!
Whitney says
Hi Nathalie! Since pesticides are considered toxic, making sure you use pesticide-free flowers is just an extra measure to prevent anything toxic from contaminating the cake portions that the flowers may touch. It’s a really small chance that the pesticides will contaminate the cake (especially if they’re not edible flowers), but still worth mentioning. Hope that helps!
Connie McCrery says
Hi I am having an Hawaiian themed birthday party for my husband and want to decorate his mango cake with orchids. Is that ok?
Whitney says
Hi Connie! Most varieties of orchid flowers are fully edible, so depending on the variety you should be totally okay. I’d just do a little google research to confirm or you can get freeze dried edible orchids on Etsy/Amazon as well.
Amy says
The flowers are edible and always safe. They are just like any other food product in your kitchen. However, if you want to keep them fresh for a few days or weeks, freeze them. Take a few of your favorite flowers, wash them, and place them in a ziplock bag. Get a plastic container if you don’t have zip-lock bags. Use a straw to suck out the air from the bag and then seal it. Please keep them in the freezer and take them out before you want to use them.
Jenny Walker says
Thank you for your informative blog but I am sorry I must disagree with you on the use of tape to be inserted into the cake. Florist tape, which is used by most cake decorators, contains a glue. This is what makes it sticky. Glue is not food safe so should not be inserted into a cake. The only real safe option is a plastic flower pic or spike.
Whitney says
Thanks, Jenny! It’s been awhile since I updated this post so I’ll definitely look into that!
Nikki says
Hi! I don’t have many farmers markets that sell organic flowers and the ones online cost a lot to get shipped over.
Is there a safe way to use the ones from the grocery store?
What options would you suggest?
Whitney says
Hi Nikki! You can safely use grocery store flowers as long as they’re edible/non-toxic. If they’re not fully edible just be sure to wrap the stems well or take other measures to prevent the stems from touching the cake.
Norma says
Hi, thank you for the great advice! I’m wondering about laying the actual petals on icing. I saw mentioned that you could put waxed paper under the petals.. do you normally do that or just let them sit on the icing?
Whitney says
Hi Norma! If the petals are food safe you can lay them right on the icing. If they’re toxic I would put a barrier (like wax paper) in between the icing and the petals or use a different flower that is food safe.
Amina says
Hi, if you didn’t wrap the flowers with tape, would that be bad? I washed them and drained them for 2 hours. They were completely dry though. Thank you!
Whitney says
Hi Amina! If you’re planning on decorating your cake with dried flowers, I would still wrap the stems or stick the stems into something (like a boba straw or fondant ball) instead of straight into the cake. Unless the flowers are edible, this is just to prevent any lingering liquids or toxins to come into contact with the cake.