I am making this cake for my hubby's niece's open house ... I have not, as yet, worked with real flowers and am wondering what I need to do ... I know I probably shouldn't just stick the stems through the fondant, I should wrap them in something first ... any advice on what to use or the best way to go about this? ANY help would be appreciated - we are adding the flowers tomorrow morning!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/southen/2732139484/

Thanks,

Sandra

I've seen them wrap stem in floral tape and put in frig until ready to insert into cake. Some people do it when they set up the cake, because some flowers tend to stain cake when they are real/fresh flowers. I haven't tried yet but I saw a demo on fresh flowers. Hope's this helps.

I wondered about floral tape .. because it isn't FDA approved/food safe .... hmmmm...

Thank you for your reply, though!

Floral tape contains latex which is a big allergy problem, most people use floral picks or straws in the cake then put the flowers in those.

I used straws, just stick the stem through and cut off at the length you need, I pulled the stem out a little bit and piped a little BC into the bottom of the straw just so none of the stem was touching cake.

Buy flower picks--I've been trying to find a picture for you online--they're just little plastic tubes --one end open, one end pointy and you stick the flower in there--but I can't find them anywhere--wilton used to make them. I know you need this for the morning--but straws will work great.

Or use straws--insert the stems into straws--trim the straw--you could plug the other end of the straw with chocolate or buttercream or something. Maybe a blob of fondant.

Thank you all so much!!

The straw idea works well but you should only be using edible flowers. There isn't a problem with sticking the stems in the cake without the straw if you know for sure they haven't been sprayed with any chemicals. If you are getting them from a florist and not your own garden use the straws because all commercial flowers are sprayed in the green houses.

The flowers from my garden (when I had a garden) had bugs in them.

They don't wilt in the water?

This is just my .02 opinion...NEVER and I mean never stick stems straight into a cake. Even if they are organic, stems can weep.... eewwwww...

I would tape them up first, then insert into a straw. You also could wrap foil around them. But whatever you do, make sure the cutters are aware of what you did, in case something happens to stay in the cake when the flowers are pulled out.

Jen

Thanks for the info, Jennifer! (Someday I'm going to meet you, LOL ... I was in Manistee today for the open house).

Niece ended up only buying 2 big red flowers, no roses ... I did stick them in straws to the best of my ability (huge stems + drinking straws = struggle to fit).

When hubby gets back with the car (ETA - my camera is still in the car, LOL) , I will post pictures of my not-so-great-almost-made-me-wanna-give-up-cake-decorating masterpiece! LOL

Thanks again, everyone, for the help! CCers are the best and this novice surely does appreciate you all!

You were in Manistee (Hooterville) today LadyPol???? Do I know you?

Jen

Jen,

You don't really know me ... I contacted you once about the diamond effect on a cake of yours ... and I ordered the diamond cutter and the quilting tool from you. Found out you were in Manistee and mentioned hubby has family there, the Granadas. You didn't know them, *smile* We were there in Manistee for their youngest's graduation open house!

Ohhhh ok....sometimes it's so hard to keep people and their avatars straight!

Have a nice eveining. I hope we can meet sometime as well.

Jen