cupcake decorations

Floral Fancy Cupcake Decorations

By Lynette Bell

Anyone can make fancy cupcake decorations even if you are not a creative cake decorator and have absolutely no experience. Yes, it's true. You can make an attractive cupcake flower decorations even if you have never piped or molded icing or paste in your life.

How can this be?

Well, you may not be aware that are many flowers can be eaten. Crystallizing these flowers make delicate, beautiful and fancy cupcake decorations. Just a word of warning though there are some flowers which are poisonous so be careful not to kill your guests with kindness.

Here's how you crystallize your flower:

• Whip up an egg white until fluffy but not peaky
• Using a small brush, paint both sides of the flower.
• Gently dredge with caster sugar
• Leave on a rack in draft-free space to dry completely
• Decorate your cupcake, dessert or cake
• These flowers can be stored in an airtight container for many weeks.

What flowers can you use?

Violets and roses are the most common flowers used for crystallization but here are a few others: apple blossom (in small doses), carnation, cornflower, lavender, nasturtium, pansy, rosemary, squash blossom, thyme. These are only a small selection of flowers that you can use but they will probably make the most fancy cupcake decorations. And there's no need to use coloring either.

Taking this a little further the crystallizing of small berries will also make attractive decorations. Try cranberries and redcurrants. Whether you use frosting, fondant or glace icing I tend to prefer white icing for a delicate effect for your cupcake.

I'm sure that you will agree that anyone can make fancy cupcake decorations by using edible flowers. Bring the garden to the table and surprise your guests with your fancy cupcake decorations and creations.