How to Use Fresh Flowers & Botanicals on Cakes Safely

Beautiful, Natural, and (Sometimes) Tricky

Few things make a cake look as effortlessly elegant as fresh flowers. Whether it’s a simple buttercream cake with a few seasonal blooms or a full floral showstopper, fresh botanicals can turn your bake into a masterpiece. But here’s the catch — not every flower is safe to put on a cake. Some are toxic, some wilt quickly, and others can affect the flavour of your buttercream. So, if you’re planning to decorate with flowers, it’s important to do it safely and thoughtfully.

Step 1: Choose the Right Flowers

When decorating cakes with fresh blooms, always start by choosing non-toxic and pesticide-free flowers. Some popular safe choices include:

• Roses

• Peonies

• Dahlias

• Carnations

• Chrysanthemums

• Eucalyptus (for greenery, used carefully)

• Herbs like rosemary, thyme, or lavender

Avoid flowers that are known to be toxic, such as lilies, daffodils, foxgloves, and hydrangeas — they look beautiful, but they don’t belong anywhere near food.

Whenever possible, source your flowers from a trusted florist and let them know they’ll be used on a cake so they can guide you to the safest options.

Step 2: Prepare the Flowers Properly

Once you’ve chosen your flowers, it’s time to prepare them before placing them on the cake. Here’s how:

1. Wash and dry gently. Remove dirt and dust with cool water and allow the flowers to dry completely.

2. Wrap stems securely. Never insert bare stems directly into the cake — wrap them in floral tape or use flower picks to prevent sap or moisture from seeping into the sponge.

3. Trim stems just before use. This keeps them fresh and reduces the risk of wilting.

If you’re using herbs or edible flowers, you can skip the wrapping step — but make sure they’re clean, dry, and chemical-free.

Step 3: Timing Is Everything

Fresh flowers look best when added as close to serving time as possible. Flowers can wilt quickly, especially in warm or humid conditions. Keep your decorated cake refrigerated (if suitable for the type of cake) and bring it out just before display or serving.

If your cake needs to sit out for a long event, choose hardier flowers like roses or chrysanthemums, which can stay fresh longer.

Step 4: Consider Edible Alternatives

If you love the look of florals but want a worry-free option, consider using edible flowers. These are grown specifically for safe consumption and often used in patisserie and fine dining. Examples include:

• Pansies

• Violas

• Nasturtiums

• Marigolds

• Borage

• Lavender

They’re perfect for adding pops of colour to cupcakes, mini cakes, and buttercream designs — and they taste as delicate as they look!

Step 5: Balance Beauty and Safety

When in doubt, less is more. A few carefully placed flowers can make a big impact without overwhelming your design. Combine them with piped buttercream leaves or edible decorations for a professional finish.

At Jack and Beyond, we occasionally use fresh florals on our custom cakes upon request — but always with safety in mind. Every flower is prepared carefully to make sure it’s food-safe and as beautiful as it is delicious, and we might decline customer requests for fresh flower decorations if we have doubts about transporting the cake safely. 

We have also introduced some edible flower cakes to our online birthday cake range, such as our beautiful Sunset Rose and Blue Viola Birthday Cakes. And our popular Matcha Cake would only be half as pretty without the elegant, multi-coloured edible petals that adorn the top. 

The Finishing Touch

Decorating with fresh flowers is one of the simplest ways to elevate a cake, but it’s also one of the easiest places to make a mistake if you’re not careful. Choose your blooms wisely, prepare them properly, and handle them gently — and you’ll have a cake that’s both breathtaking and safe to enjoy.