Has anyone ever decorated a cake or cupcakes with fresh pine? I have a costumer who wants pieces of cut fresh pine to adorn the tops of each cupcake for her wedding but just worried about the safety. Was thinking to of course soak them in water to clean them first. 

there's sap & weird stuff on there -- i would not do that -- i would pipe something

I agree with K8memphis, I would not use fresh pine because of the sap. 

To prevent the sap couldn't one wrap the ends like you would fresh flowers?   It is easy to pipe pines so maybe just tell the customer it's not a heathy way to go.

Ok, so this question made my zombie-apocalypse-preparedness-alter-ego came out. No, not really, but I just like stuff about nature, and "free food" found in it. I am weird that way LOL

Many pines are edible trees - parts of it, like needles, inner bark, pollen, and the obvious one - nuts (unless tree nut allergies). And, in fact, eating a pine can be good for you, when in a pinch. I will skip the details of how to eat a pine tree. I have not done it personally, yet, but I consider myself "still young" ))) 

Pine resin (sap) is not for eating, but good for starting fires, or as antiseptic on wounds (and other uses). 

However, there are also varieties of QUITE TOXIC pines, which are - naturally - best to avoid. But, you have to learn which ones they are. Or chance it, as in Russian roulette. 

My advice here is to suggest the customer opts for piped pines and pine cones, which are attractive and fairly uncomplicated. Or break down an artificial tree - not sure if that would be worse as far as toxins though ;-) 

yeah -- my whole thing about food and combining non-food items is -- if you would put it on your mashed potatoes or on the baby's fruit dessert -- then put it on the cake -- otherwise sure let's make it pretty but let's remember it's food -- just my two cents

the nice lady can put the maybe beneficial maybe poisonous branches on the table --- kwim -- i mean could we be entirely positive that no squirrels or birdies had to go right above those particular branches -- who really wants to risk it --

but op, i'm just carrying on -- i know the message got across several times -- i'm  just saying that bakers need to educate their clients often -- and i'm  giving you more food for thought and to share w/her & whosoever in the future -

best to you

You know we all have concentrated on piping & not real but I just thought if you & customer want to go to all the trouble and work you could make branches in gumpaste &/or fondant.  Yes, make thousands of needles poked into a  gp/fondant branch :)