Things to consider when deciding whether to adorn your wedding cakes with fresh or sugar flowers.
Fresh flowers:
Fresh flowers are easier to transport and can be tightly clustered together in ways that sugar flowers which are more fragile can't, however they cannot be manipulated as readily as wired sugar flowers to create dramatic effect. The availability and cost of fresh flowers is affected by the climate and season. Compared to sugar flowers, fresh flowers have a very short shelf life. Not all fresh flowers are safe to eat, in fact many fresh flowers such as Gypsophila, Jasmine, prunus, lily of the valley are potentially harmful/toxic and can cause tummy upsets or irritate the skin.
Guidelines on the use of fresh flowers:
If using fresh flowers and foliage ensure they are non toxic
Add edible flowers to your cake at the very last minute as they have a short shelf life and can wither in the heat. Fresh flowers and foliage are best kept in the fridge until you absolutely need them.
For absolute confidence, buy your flowers from a certified edible flowers grower as most commercially grown flowers are treated with pesticides or fertilisers and so are not fit for consumption.
The important thing to bear in mind is that there must be a barrier between the flowers and the cake. Please do not place fresh stems directly in/on cakes; rather use flower picks.
For help identifying which flowers are toxic look up the horticultural trades association’s guidelines on potentially toxic plants.
Sugar flowers:
Sugar flowers allow for more creativity and can be readily arranged to create dramatic effect (they can be manipulated in ways that fresh flowers cannot). Sugar flowers can be made in any colour, have a much longer shelf life than fresh flowers and, if stored correctly, can be kept as a memento of your special day for many, many years.
Sugar flowers are fragile, absorb moisture and cannot be refrigerated.
Guidelines on caring for/storing sugar paste flowers:
Keep away from direct sunlight to reduce the risk of the colours fading.
Store in a cool, dry, preferably dust free place.
Store away from damp / moisture (i.e. do not refrigerate)
Store within a temperature range of 16'c to 25'c
If possible, seal in a container to avoid dust and moisture
Store with desiccants to reduce humidity
In short, always store sugar flowers in a cool, dry, enclosed space away from direct sunlight.
Moisture, humidity, and sunlight can damage sugar flowers and cause them to dissolve/droop or the colours to fade. Do not store your sugar flowers in the fridge, the condensation and humidity will break down the sugars and damage/compromise your sugar flowers.