6 Top Tips For Floral Cake Decorating From The Floury

***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***

There’s cake decorating and then there’s floral cake decorating. You’ve probably seen floral cakes pop up all over Instagram but that doesn’t mean this is just another fly-by trend. Using flowers (both edible and non-edible) are a great way to make your cakes stand out from everyone else’s.

Holly Cowgill founder of The Floury, a bespoke occasion cake business using beautiful floral displays, tells us her tips for the perfect cake decorating tips with a floral twist.

1. Make sure they can take the pace. 

We’ve all done it. Left a cake out in the sun for a little too long that the icing slips down the sides, or used a decorative syrup that soaks straight into the body or leaks out the side. Holly says that when you’re working with florals you need to take the same considerations into mind.

“When decorating, choose flowers or herbs that will hold up for as long as you need until the cake is eaten. Dahlias, roses, peonies, rosemary and wax flowers are all great. Fresh thyme, daisies, and violas wilt much quicker,” she explains.

2. Choose wisely

As for using flowers that can hack it, you also need to make sure they’re not going to accidentally ruin your cake. Holly says to make sure you “choose flowers that won’t drop pollen or needles – lilies are pretty much out for cake decorating.” As lilies are one of our favourite flower, we’ve just about made our peace with that…

3. Grow your own

It’s all well and good buying flowers for decorating but if you’re not buying in bulk, it can add up. Holly says the best and most ethical way to combat the cost is growing your own at home and if you pick the right variety, it’s easier than you think.

Holly says” violas are edible and really easy to grow, you can buy small pots of them in supermarkets or small flower shops and grow them in window boxes, they just need a decent amount of sunlight.”

4. Have a colour scheme in mind

There’s no use buying the most beautiful flowers if they clash with your cake is there?  Just as you’d think of flavours that compliment each other, you have to think of the colours. One of the ways this can trip up is if you’re too heavy handed with the buttercream.

Holly explains: “Buttercream icing often has a buttery yellow tint to it. To get rid of this add a few drops of purple food colouring – it’s magic!”

5. Don’t forget herbs! 
“As well as flowers, herbs are also great for decorating,” says Holly. “Rosemary and dried thyme, in particular, are great as they a sturdy. Mint leaves work well if the cake will be seen pretty soon after decorating.” It’ll also give your cake a

6. Where to buy

There are loads of places you can now buy edible flowers but if you want somewhere online that has decent shipping Holly recommends Greens of Devon “for really beautiful edible flowers of all varieties, shapes and colours.”

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Maria Bell

Maria Bell is a photographer and editor from the Isle of Wight. Talk to her about food and/or photog...

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