Dried flowers for a cake - a short guide

2023-03-16

Not all dried flowers are suitable for decorating cakes

Dried flowers offered in florist stores delight with their appearance and colors. However, this does not mean that in preparing the decoration of the cake we can be guided only by their aesthetic qualities. Keep in mind that not every composition of dried plants intended for room decoration is suitable for food contact. Although plants have long been used to decorate cakes, you need to use only certified dried flowers for this purpose. This applies to all types of plants. What dangers may lurk for the consumer's health? Let's list the most important ones:

chemicals that are used in plant cultivation,
a chemical used by many manufacturers during the drying process to bleach or stain dryers,
species of poisonous plants, very popular when creating compositions from dried plants

These include the following flowers: the hollyhock, garden lily, foxglove, hyacinth, narcissus, tulip and peony. Plants that do not have the appropriate certification are not suitable for contact with food, and therefore for eating. In order to avoid health complications, plant decorations should be sourced only from proven, reliable suppliers.

Dried edible plants and flowers recommended by confectioners

For decorating cakes, dried bunches of lavender,palm leaves i cotton flowers. Dried plants in the form of toppers, which are placed at the very top of the cake. This is a very popular type of decoration, which captivates with its naturalness and ability to create unique compositions. A special group of decorations for cakes are dried edible flowers, which do not need to be removed before enjoying the cake. These include pansies, cornflowers, violets, carnations, jasmine, lavender and marigolds.

Dried flowers for a cake - protection during decoration

Dried flowers need to be properly protected before being placed on the cake. So we proceed as follows: -

if the stems are dirty, wash and dry them thoroughly, then cut them at the appropriate height,
melt white or dark chocolate and cool slightly,
dip the flower stems into the glaze or paint them with a brush,
in the case of thick twigs, it is best to cut them off and stick the flowers on toothpicks,
when the flower stems are thin, you can protect them with melted food wax.

Aluminum foil, florist foil or food grade foil is often used to protect plants. We do not recommend this method, as fragments of the "wrapper" after removing the decoration may remain in the cake and expose our guest to their unwitting consumption.

The most popular dried plants and cake decorations

Current trends in decorating parties held for various occasions influence the use of appropriate cake decorations. After all, it is the crowning and centerpiece of the event, so it should fit in with the mood of the celebration and incorporate its theme. The dried plants with which cakes are most often decorated are: -

palm spear, that is, dried palm leaves in the shape of a fan or spearhead, -
oviraptorium- ornamental grass with distinctive white and cream, very delicate, long flowers that resemble the fluffy tail of a hare, In areas where it is found in the wild, it is commonly called "hare's tail", -
ruskus, or buckthorn or ruscus - an exotic plant native to the Black Sea and Mediterranean basin. It is a winter-hardy species, closely related to lily of the valley. It has small leaves and white-yellow flowers growing out of them. The shoots of this plant can be used in cooking, and the seeds can be used as a coffee substitute,
dried flax - known for many thousands of years. Originally used as an edible plant, it is now used in medicine, in the production of fiber and paper, edible oil, and as an ornamental plant, -
dried gypsophila- feature and great advantage of this plant are its countless small and subtle flowers, mostly white, although there are also sometimes pink-flowering gypsophila.
pressed flowers - a set of dozens of flowers. A floral meadow on a cake is one of the hottest trends of recent times. Usually the base is a plain white cake, which is decorated with pressed flowers - preferably edible, namely: nasturtiums, pansies, cornflowers, marigolds, violets, carnations, jasmine, lavender and roses,
toppers of dried flowers - ready-made sets of dried plants, which are placed on top of the cake. It's a very practical decoration - no candles are required, it doesn't wear out, and it looks beautiful on the cake throughout the ceremony.
dried cereals - wheat, triticale and oats.

Dried flowers - fashionable motifs on cakes

The use of dried flowers and leaves to decorate cakes entails the emergence of a fashion for several motifs that are increasingly found on these impressive baked goods.

The first one is flower meadow on the cake, for the making of which flat dried plants are used. Arrange colored petals, flowers and leaves evenly over the entire surface of the cake or create any composition you like with them. Pressed flowers look great on both storied and single-level tracks. Also very popular are boho style cakes. To decorate them, they use spear palms, egg-blossom, flax, ruscus and toppers made from dried plants. An excellent effect is also given by composition of dried flowers on the cake using all kinds of dries attached to the side of the cake.

Secca dried flowers

Dried flowers are available in our store in a variety of colors and shapes to suit any occasion and style of cake. They can also be used to create a specific color or decorative theme. Plants retain their natural color and shape for a long time. In our catalog you will find dried flowers,dried leaves,dried grasses,dried cereals and ready-made decorations made of dried fruit. We invite you to shop!