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Chocolate Flower Cake

March 9, 2016 by Erin Gardner

Chocolate Flower Cake – how to make a giant chocolate flower cake, using candy melts and everyday tools. A new tutorial by our contributor, Erin Gardner!

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

My obsession with chocolate flowers continues! What could be better than a delicious and beautiful chocolate flower? A GIANT chocolate flower, of course!  Arranged on top of a cake to create a spring dessert pretty enough for any special occasion.  From Easter to Mother’s Day, birthdays to bridal showers, today’s Chocolate Flower Cake is sure to impress.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

These blossoming beauties are a fun and easy way to quickly dress up buttercream iced cakes.  Use a few simple ingredients, and tools you probably already have around the house, to create a stunning spring-inspired cake garden.  These techniques could just as easily be used to create smaller flowers for the tops of cupcakes.  Create your delicious buds with tempered white chocolate tinted with candy coloring or cocoa butters, or keep it simple and use candy melts — either works beautifully.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

CHOCOLATE FLOWER CAKE
a tutorial by Erin Gardner

Supplies:
Buttercream iced cake
Small amount of extra buttercream
Chocolate or candy melts.
Sixlets
Small icing spatula
Piping bag
Parchment paper
Small bowls or round plastic containers
Black marker
Scissors
Tape


Use a black marker to draw triangles on parchment paper in various sizes. These triangles will serve as a guide for creating your chocolate petals. For an 8-inch round cake, I used three sets of triangles, approximately 2, 3, and 4 inches long. For a 6-inch round cake, I made two sets of petals using the 2 and 3 inch triangles.  It’s easiest to work on petals individually, so cut the templates out leaving about a 1/2-inch space all around the outline.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Melt and temper chocolate, or melt candy melts, in a small heatproof bowl.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Flip the pieces of parchment paper over before spreading on the chocolate.  Use a small icing spatula to spread melted chocolate onto the triangle template. Work from the tip to the base of the triangle, leaving lines and ridges in the melted chocolate. The base of the triangle will be the outer edge of your petal.  Spread the chocolate in a rounded, messy way, not in a solid line.  This will give you more of a petal-y look.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

While the petal is still wet, place it into a bowl or plastic container to give it shape. Use tape to help hold the petal into place while it dries. Repeat with the rest of your petals, making 6-8 in each size. It’s always a good idea to make an extra petal or two just in case one breaks as you’re assembling the flower.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Once petals are completely set, peel away the parchment paper.  Place the largest petals in a circle on the top of a buttercream iced cake.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Fill a piping bag with a small amount of buttercream.  Feel free to color match your buttercream to your petal color if you’re concerned about the buttercream showing.  I simply used the leftover buttercream from icing my cake.  Use the buttercream to attach a second layer of smaller petals on top of the first layer.  Repeat with more layers of petals as desired. Make your flower as full and fluffy as you like!

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Attach Sixlets to the center of your completed flower using a small dab of melted chocolate or candy melts.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Use the rest of your sixlets to dress up the sides of your cake.  Arrange them in rows or in a pretty Swiss dot pattern.

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

Use this technique to make a mini chocolate flower to top a freshly iced cupcake or as part of a beautiful chocolate flower arrangement. You can make chocolate tulips, chocolate daffodils, chocolate lily of the valley, sunflowers and more!  Spring blooms come in all sorts of color combinations and sizes, so feel free to mix up the shades and get creative with your flowers!

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

DIY Chocolate Flowers. How to make chocolate flowers to top cakes and cupcakes. | By Erin Gardner for TheCakeBlog.com

 


 
MORE CHOCOLATE FLOWERS TO MAKE:

  • Chocolate Tulip Cake
  • Chocolate Sunflower Cake
  • White Chocolate Flower Cake
  • Chocolate Daffodils Cake
  • Chocolate Lily of the Valley

March 9, 2016 by Erin Gardner

Erin Gardner , CONTRIBUTOR

Erin Gardner is a pastry chef and cake designer. Her main focus is ErinBakes.com where she shares fun and accessible recipes and techniques. Read more about Erin on her bio page.

connect with Erin :

Make the most of citrus season with one of these cake recipes!

« 10 Floral Cakes for Spring
Matcha Strawberry Cake »

Comments

  1. Carol says

    February 3, 2017 at 9:09 am

    Thanks so much for this great and EASY idea! When I asked my niece what style of cake she wanted for her 8th birthday she said “a flower”, so this was perfect. It’s no where near as beautiful as yours but I had fun making it and I think she’ll love it regardless. Can’t wait to see her little face tomorrow. Thanks again 😊

  2. Stephanie says

    March 13, 2017 at 5:09 pm

    What would be the best way to store a cake with this flower for the next day?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      April 7, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      The flower itself is best stored at room temperature, but that may or may not work with your cake, depending on if the cake needs to be refrigerated. If needed, you can store the petals themselves in an airtight container, at room temp. Then assemble the flower on top of your cake on the day of the event.

  3. Storm says

    March 31, 2017 at 6:49 pm

    Where can I find the recipe for an edible version?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      April 7, 2017 at 1:00 pm

      I’m not sure if I understand your question – the flower is made of chocolate candy coating and is completely edible. If you’re looking for a good cake recipe, you’ll find a lot of good options in our recipe section: https://thecakeblog.com/category/cakes

  4. Mary Gamble says

    April 6, 2017 at 8:53 pm

    I just made this and it turned out fantastically. One note I have is I learned as I was making the chocolate flower petals, is that tape doesn’t stick to wax paper. At all. Not to either side of wax paper. Not scotch tape, nor low tack painter’s tape, nor the kind of plastic tape you use on the outside of boxes you’re mailing.

    Fortunately I have dishes (10″ and 12″) that are not flat but almost like wide, shallow soup bowls. I wound up laying the petals to set across the raised edges of the plate, and where there was a ripple in the paper, I simply cut a notch (3/4″ or an inch”) so that the wax paper would flatten out and allow the chocolate to follow the curve of the plate. That might be hard to visualize, but I don’t know how to verbalize it any more clearly. Anyway, it worked!

    Thanks for this amazing tutorial!

    • Carrie Sellman says

      April 7, 2017 at 1:02 pm

      Thanks for the feedback Mary! Yes, tape and wax paper can be a tricky but I’m glad that you found a way to make it work! Happy to hear that you’re happy!

  5. Francesca Adamo says

    May 1, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    wow thats awesome

  6. Ro says

    June 6, 2017 at 10:47 am

    Hello, will these wilt or droop if the cake is left out at room temperature? And if so, about how much time before they wilt? Anyone experienced this?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      October 20, 2017 at 9:28 am

      The candy melts are pretty stable at room temperature – but if your room is hot, or the cake is in direct sunlight, they will droop faster than if it’s the middle of winter and your room is quite cool.

  7. Lyra Stroud says

    October 20, 2017 at 8:44 am

    How do you cut the cake when serving? Do you have to remove the petals?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      October 20, 2017 at 9:30 am

      Depending on how big your cake is and how big of slices you want, you could cut in between the petals. Alternatively, you could slide your knife underneath the petals when cutting, so that each piece of cake takes some petals with it. Lastly, yes, you could always the remove the petals and then serve one along side each slice of cake. Completely up to what you feel comfortable doing!

  8. Tati says

    February 19, 2018 at 1:31 pm

    Is there a actual name for this flower?

    • Carrie Sellman says

      March 23, 2018 at 10:48 am

      I don’t think so Tati – it’s more of a fantasy flower than modeled after a specific flower — which is great because then there’s right or wrong way to create it!

  9. frases de amor cortas para mi novio que esta lejos says

    March 23, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    ¿Deseas frases bonitas para compartir en imágenes?

  10. Isabelle Payne says

    May 12, 2018 at 6:54 am

    What a fantastic idea! Will be trying it out on my Mum’s birthday cake in her favorite colour, blue! Thank you!

  11. Krista says

    August 19, 2018 at 12:45 am

    When I made this for a nurse I work with, the comment made by one of the doctors was “that cake is going to make somebody feel very special!” And it did…thank you so much for the idea/tutorial!

  12. Pam Kozlow says

    December 26, 2018 at 6:11 am

    I plan to make this flower cake this week and wondered how much white chocolate I will need to make the flower for an 8″ cake.

    Thank you

  13. Neha says

    July 21, 2019 at 9:31 am

    Such an awesome tutorial.. I tried it.. and it was a hit with my customers.. thanks a lot..❤

  14. Mahtab says

    September 7, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    Hi,
    I love it. So beautiful. One Question. Can I put these chocolate flower on a cake covered with whipping cream.
    Thanks

  15. Glenna says

    November 28, 2019 at 4:26 am

    The post is nicely organized. I see the writer has a true knack for
    this particular subject. I like that subject, and I’m in constant search of new
    bits and the most recent news. I really loved that one, because it is
    full of interesting facts and it is a sort of easygoing
    article. I spent just a few minutes studying, and because of well-structured text, so I know it completely.
    Thanks!

« Older Comments

Trackbacks

  1. Chocolate Daffodils – Yang Yang bakery says:
    March 31, 2018 at 1:36 pm

    […] like I’ve done here.  You can learn how to make the chocolate tulips here, a giant chocolate flower here and many other flowers in my online Chocolate Flowers Class.  Daffodils come in all sorts of […]

  2. Easy Chocolate Flower Cupcakes - SugarHero says:
    April 11, 2018 at 2:05 pm

    […] flowers can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. I think I first saw them on The Cake Blog (of course!), designed by Erin Gardner. Since then, I’ve seen some versions, made by master […]

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