How to Make Candied Flowers

Flower power.

One of the easiest, best ways to decorate a cake or cupcakes is with fresh flowers. Now you can use egg white and sugar to make fresh cake flowers even more beautiful by turning them into candied flowers. From pansies to rose petals, here’s how to give your baked goods a beautiful–and completely edible–new look. 

The Basics of Sugared Candied Flowers

So you made a beautiful layer cake or batch of cupcakes, and it’s time to decorate. You want your cake to look special, but not too fussy. Sure, you could grab a piping bag, piping tips, take a class, and then try to craft buttercream rosettes and other flowers. Or you could do this much easier and, in my opinion, more beautiful thing, and simply crystallize real flowers with sugar and a little egg white.

Candied flowers are the best of both worlds: gorgeous and easy to make. The only special equipment you need is a small, clean paintbrush; a wire cooling rack; and a small bowl. (And if you’re making a cake such as Hummingbird Cake, you can make pineapple flowers!)

Where to Find Edible, Food-Grade Fresh Flowers

The most essential element of decorating a cake with fresh candied flowers is to make sure that the flowers are:

1. Edible, and
2. Have not been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals.

I head to the farmers market for farmers carrying food-grade fresh flowers, but you can also find some in your own back yard, assuming you have not sprayed them. Avoid store-bought flowers and bouquets from the store. They are meant for feasting with eyes only. You can also purchase edible flowers online from select floral retailers and farmers.

What Are Some Common Edible Flowers?

The best flowers making sugar-crystallized flowers are those with large, wide petals. Pansies, nasturtiums, and rose petals are my favorite.

Lots of flowers are edible, with flavors that vary from garlicky to acidic to mildy sweet. Common edible flowers include:

1. Chive blossoms
2. Nasturtiums
3. Marigolds
4. Pansies
5. Roses
6. Honeysuckle
7. Bee balm
8. Squash blossoms
9. Chamomile

Again, this non-exclusive list assumes that the flowers have not been sprayed or fertilized with chemicals or pesticides and are food-grade.

Step-By-Step: How to Make Candied Flowers

Now that you have your food-safe, edible flowers, let’s talk about how to candy your flowers with a crystallized sugar wash. You will need 1) a beaten egg white, 2) sugar, 3) a small, clean watercolor brush (I prefer a 5/8″ flat brush), and 4) a standard wire cooling rack.

Now that you have your equipment:

1. Take a watercolor brush (I like a 5/8 inch flat brush) and “paint” the petals with egg white. Some people prefer to use their fingers.
2. Generously sprinkle the entire flowers or petals in sugar.
3. Let them dry on a wire cooling rack for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

That’s it. Easy and beautiful crystallized candied flowers that will keep for a long time.

How to Store Crystallized Candied Flowers

Sugared flowers need to be away form humidity and moisture to stay dry and hardened. Let them fully dry, preferably overnight. Once fully dried, crystallized flowers will keep for several months in a clean, airtight container. I separate each layer of flowers with paper towels, but a single layer is best.

Note: If the flowers have not fully hardened before you store them, they will wilt and rot from the moisture. They must be fully coated with egg white and sugar, then dried until hard.

But What About the Egg White? Is It Safe to Eat?

Crystallizing flowers with egg white and sugar is a ye-olde French pastry technique. To my knowledge, this has never resulted in illness. The egg white fully dries and hardens, and the lack of moisture, coupled with the sugar, makes bacterial growth difficult.

That said, raw egg always carries some small risk of Salmonella, and can also harbor bacteria. Babies, pregnant women, older adults and other high-risk groups should avoid raw egg consumption. Salmonella infection could lead to serious, health issues.

You can lower your risk of Salmonella by using refrigerated eggs. Pasteurized egg whites are also an option. You could also serve the cake without flowers.

Love edible candied flowers for cake decoration? Then check out:

• Sweet Candied Rhubarb Ribbons
• How to Make Carrot Peel Rosettes for Carrot Cake
• How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers for Hummingbird Cake
• How to Make and Decorate a Rainbow Sprinkle Cake

How to Make Candied Flowers

Author: Lisa Ruland

Decorating a cake with fresh sugared flowers gets even more beautiful when they're coated with egg white and sugar. Candied flowers look gorgeous and rely on an easy technique. Here's how to make them.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Drying Time8 hours hrs

Total Time1 day d

Servings: 24 or more fresh candied flowers

Calories: 17kcal

Print Pin Save Saved!

Ingredients

• ▢ 24 (or any quantity) food-grade fresh edible flowers, such as rose petals or pansies
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 egg white, beaten

Instructions

• Make sure your flowers are clean and fully dry. Set a wire cooling rack atop a sheet of wax paper or parchment. Place the egg white and sugar in separate bowls. You will also need a clean watercolor brush. (I prefer a 5/8" flat brush.)
• Working one flower at a time, use the paintbrush to fully coat each flower or petal in a light coating of egg white. Make sure everything is covered.

  PRO TIP: If you don't mind getting your hands a little sticky, some people prefer to coat the flowers using their fingers. Just try to keep one hand dry for the sugar.
• Generously sprinkle each flower front and back with sugar. Tap off any excess sugar. Set each flower to dry, face up, on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining flowers.
• Let the flowers dry out for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, on the countertop, uncovered. Do not refrigerate.

Notes

How long will candied flowers will last? How do I to store them?

Fully-dried candied flowers can remain stored in a dry, airtight container for several weeks. Do not refrigerate, as the moisture and humidity of the refrigerator will soften them and dissolve the sugar.  

Nutrition

Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 2mg | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 0.1mg | Iron: 0.003mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.