How to Make Cupcake Bouquet {Flower}

Learn how to make easy cupcake bouquet, using frosting and chocolate cupcakes. This pull apart flower cupcake cake is great for Mother's Day and Valentine's Day parties.

*Thank you Pillsbury™ for sponsoring today's post so that I can share this recipe with all of you. As always, all opinions and photos are my own.*

Valentine's Day will be here in a few weeks and this stunning edible bouquet is the perfect addition to your menu.The concept is very similar to these Football Cupcakes Cake (Football Party) as well as these Watermelon Cupcake (Pull Apart Cupcakes). I have seen many designs for this style of presentation. Some of them are in a basket and others are in a box or even a vase and they are all gorgeous. However, I wanted to make something simpler and easier than those versions. The best thing about this pull apart cupcake cake is that you can match the colors of any party theme to these cupcakes. Think about making Mother's Day, weddings, and even birthday bouquets. The possibilities are endless! You can also use this tutorial to make a beautiful centerpiece, which will totally blow your guests away.

How to make easy cupcake bouquet without styrofoam?

1. Bake cupcakes- Cool them completely. 
2. Pipe petals- All around the cupcake. 
3. Add flower centers- Using a few edible pearls or round candies.
4. Arrange the cupcakes- In a round bouquet. 
5. Tie the stems- With a ribbon below the cupcakes. 
6. Add green leaves- To fill up the empty space. Enjoy!

How do you secure cupcakes in a bouquet?

You can use double sided tape on the bottom of each cupcake or stick it down to the board with some frosting. 

Variations for cupcake flower bouquet

Make other types of flowers- This post on How to Decorate Cupcakes has some ideas, using Wilton's Tip 104 and 1M . Pipe Buttercream Poinsettia Cupcakes. They won't look like Christmas poinsettias, if you use a different colored icing other than red. Follow this Russian Piping Tips Tutorial to make breathtaking flowers with just single tips.

Make rose bouquet- Use Wilton's large start tip (Tip 1M). Start piping in the middle of the cupcake at a 90 degree angle and then pipe around in a circle.

Use mini cupcakes- Or a combination of regular sized and mini ones to create variety.

Cupcake bouquet box or basket- This is assembled differently. Fill a box or basket tightly with a styrofoam piece. Push toothpicks into the foam and then push the cupcakes into the toothpicks to secure tightly. Fill any gaps between cupcakes with green tissue paper. Finally, pipe flowers on top of each cupcake and you are done.

Pipe stems with green icing- Instead of using actual flower stems, if you prefer.

Use fondant flowers- Instead of colored frosting. Use this How to Make Fondant Flowers tutorial to help.

Try other cupcake flavors- Such as Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes {From Scratch}, Best Red Velvet Cupcakes {With Cream Cheese Frosting}, or Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (With Mint Frosting).

Try other frosting flavors- Like this White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, How to Make Homemade Stabilized Whipped Cream, or Best Cream Cheese Frosting which are all white frosting that can be colored to create vibrant flowers.

Use different colored frosting for the flowers- Use colors that match your party or event theme such as pink and red for Valentine's Day, baby blue frosting for a boy baby shower, or all white for a wedding shower.

Tips and techniques

Make sure cupcakes cool down completely before piping flowers- Because the icing will melt and slide right off the cupcakes.

What to do if you don't have Pillsbury's piping bag? You can use the star tip (Tip 21) and leaf tip (Tip 366) to make these cupcakes. 

Icing should be firm- Because then the frosting will hold its shape and the petals won't look messy.

Chill the piping bag in the fridge for 20 minutes- For the best piping results.

Use different decorating tips- Because this allows you to make different types of flowers.

Use gel coloring to color frosting instead of liquid food coloring- Because liquid food coloring makes the consistency thinner and that becomes difficult to pipe.

Make sure the stems that you use in this bouquet come from safe and edible plants- Because this protects everyone from toxins and illness.

Use a thick, sturdy cake board- Because that will prevent the board from bending and disturbing the arrangement of your cupcakes.

How to fill space between cupcakes? Pipe green leaves or stuff spaces with green tissue paper.

How to pipe petals? Hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle along the edge of the cupcake. Squeeze the bag until icing comes out and pipe inwards to the center. Continue piping petals all around the cupcake. 

As part of Operation Celebration, I used Pillsbury products to make this cake (Devil's Food Cake Mix, Pillsbury Filled Pastry Bag in Cream Cheese), which made the entire process so easy! I have been obsessed with these pastry bags for a few months now and I love the fact that they are ready to use immediately. The piping bags have a built-in star tip, which is perfect for making frosting flowers and even frosting swirls on cupcakes. They are also disposable, which makes clean-up a breeze and there is no mess.

Storage

Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freeze- Unfrosted cupcakes and colored icing can be stored in individual containers for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy this dessert, thaw to room temperature and assemble, as per instructions below.

Room temperature- These cupcakes can stay out on the counter away from direct heat for about 1 hour.

More decorated cupcakes

• Bee Cupcakes (Bumblebee or Honey Bee)
• Dinosaur Cupcakes (Fondant Topper)
• Ladybug Cupcakes
• Easy Fondant Daisies (Daisy Cupcakes)
• Easy Flower Cupcakes (Fondant Pansy)

Recipe