If you want a simple but dramatic cupcake display this Valentine’s Day I’ve got the perfect project for you! This simple cupcake design is going to make that special someone feel the love! Talk about a perfect gift!
For years I’ve seen cupcake bouquets. Most of them feature cupcakes tooth-picked to a styrofoam ball. That sounds good in theory but what happens when the cupcakes fall off?
I just couldn’t run that risk.
A Simple Valentine’s Cupcake Bouquet
For Valentine’s Day I wanted to create a cupcake bouquet for the grandkids that would be a little on the simpler side. I decided a round cake pan would serve as the base. Loaded up with tissue paper, I could make these cupcakes look like a bouquet. . .even without the styrofoam ball.
To start, I ordered some green cupcake liners that are taller than the usual ones. I ordered Polka Dot Green Tulip Baking Cups from Amazon. I didn’t actually bake the cupcakes in these liners, though I’m pretty sure they can be used that way. I saved mine to add for the display. More about that later.
I’m going to share how I made these, but first let’s look at ingredients. I used lemon cake and lemon buttercream. You can choose whatever flavor you like.
For the Cake:
- 1 lemon cake mix
- 1 cup water
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
For the Lemon Buttercream
- 1 cup room temperature butter
- 1 cup Crisco
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- heavy cream to thin
How to Make Valentine Bouquet Cupcakes
To Make the Cupcakes:
Bake the cupcakes according to package directions. A typical cake mix will make 17 – 18 cupcakes. I added a little more butter to the pan so that my cupcakes would rise higher.
Allow cupcakes to fully cool before decorating. I placed mine in a disposable cupcake carriers. (I love this particular brand. It’s sturdier than most.)
To Make the Frosting:
Cream butter and shortening together until light and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar and mix 2 – 3 minutes.
Check the consistency. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream. (You can choose your consistency. Mine was made in my Thermomix and turned out like silk!)
Now it’s time to color your frosting. You’ll need four colors total: white, pink, red, and pale green. You’ll also need some 1M tips and a leaf tip for the green. (You’ll notice that one pastry bag had had a Russian piping tip. I ended up not using that one because my frosting was too soft.)
Decorate Your Cupcakes
To make rosettes: Start in the center of the cupcake and go around and around, working your way outward as you pipe flowers. Don’t take it all the way to the edge. Leave a bit of room for leaves.
To make trio of rosettes: Make smaller circles–one in red, one in white, one in pink. They can overlap. Leave spaces for leaves.
To make the puffy flowers just squeeze and lift.
To make leaves turn your leaf tip press and then pull away.
Here’s a full tutorial on the process of creating rosettes from Cakes by Lynz. You’ll get to see first-hand how to do this technique. Just be sure not to get too close to the edge of the cupcake.
Once your leaves are done, put cupcakes in an airtight container. Place in refrigerator to firm up.
Once the frosting is cold and set, it’s time to put the cupcakes into their Polka Dot Green Tulip Baking Cups. Gently place each cupcake in its own liner.
Grab a round flat pan. I used a 12″ cake pan, but if you’re giving these away you might want to pick up a pan from the dollar store. Place red, pink, or white tissue papers across the bottom and up the sides.
Arrange your lined cupcakes in the pan in any design that makes sense to you.
Now step back and admire your handiwork! Check out those buttercream roses. Lovely! They almost looks like a real flower bouquet tucked into that white and red tissue paper!
If you want to make a smaller bouquet, just use a smaller pan or dish. This is what an 8″ bouquet looks like.
Cupcakes can remain at room temperature for 2 – 3 days as long as they’re in an airtight container.
If you need to make your cupcakes in advance you can freeze them and frost them on the big day.
Questions People are Asking about Cupcake Bouquets
How do I keep the frosting from smearing onto the liners?
Chill the frosting for several hours. Also, the liners that I used were pull-apart, so I “opened” them a bit before setting the decorated cupcake inside.
What if I don’t have a leaf tip?
You can make your own, cutting a tiny inverted “v” into the bottom of your piping bag.
Can I use mini cupcakes?
Absolutely! You’ll need quite a few more, of course, (and your decorating space will be limited), but they will work fine.
How could I decorate a bouquet for bridal shower, baby showers or other events?
Sure! This type of bouquet is perfect for many special occasions. Just choose your tissue papers and different colors accordingly. If you’re doing a baby girl shower, for instance, you can use pink and white paper and decorate the cupcakes in pink and white rosettes. A bridal shower bouquet would be lovely in white, cream, or red. Use your imagination! These would also be lovely for Mother’s Day or anniversaries. I made a birthday bouquet for my daughter in lovely shades of pink and purple. (Love it!)
What if I want to make a bouquet using a styrofoam ball?
Easy! Just fasten cupcakes to the ball using wooden skewers. Here’s a full tutorial on that process.
Does it matter what cupcake flavors I choose?
Only if you care about the color peeking out from the edges. (Remember, you don’t want to pipe all the way to the edges of these cupcakes since they’ll be pressed together.) You can make red velvet cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes. . .anything you like!
What other flower techniques could I use?
You could use Russian Piping Tips to create any number of amazing flowers. Russian nozzles are fun and easy to use.
Can I use fondant flowers?
Absolutely. Here’s a picture of some fondant flowers I made for an Oreo trifle. You could frost your cupcakes and then add fondant flowers on top of the frosting.
How could I package these cupcakes to give as a gift?
If you really want to go big I would suggest using something like a hat box as a cupcake bouquet box. Otherwise, these cake boxes from Amazon should do.
Other Valentine’s Day Desserts from Out of the Box Baking
Valentine Oreo Truffles: If you love the taste of Oreos but you’re also crazy about truffles, you’re going to flip over this simple Valentine’s themed recipe. Best of all, it only calls for four ingredients!
Heart-Shaped Cake without Heart Pan: You’ve got a hankering to make a heart-shaped cake but you don’t have a set of heart shaped pans. What do you do? In this easy tutorial I’m going to show you how to take a round pan and a square pan and turn them into a lovely heart-shaped cake you’ll be proud to serve.
Easy Red Velvet Truffles: If you’re looking for the perfect sweet treat to share with loved ones this Valentine’s Day, have I’ve got a recipe for you! These delicious Red Velvet Truffles are easy to make and oh, so tasty!
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoy this easy cupcake bouquet! This is one bouquet of flowers your loved one will never forget! While you’re here, don’t forget to pin some of your favorite pictures!
About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.
