How Long Can You Store Sugar Flowers?

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Wondering how to store your Sugar Flowers before you decorate your cake? Or how to save them afterward for a unique keepsake?

Wonder no more! Consider this your compendium of Sugar Flower storage knowledge. (psssst, there’s a downloadable pdf link at the bottom of the post, too!)

Let’s run through some frequently asked questions, shall we?

How long do Sugar Flowers last?

The cool thing about Sugar Flowers is that they are shelf-stable. You can order them months in advance, which is perfect for pre-planning during the slower seasons.

Not only that, but you can keep them for years as mementos. I still have the flowers from my wedding cake in 2018!

Worried about fresh flowers being out of season when you need them? (Remind me to tell you about the time we almost couldn’t find figs for a fruit-and-flowers wedding cake because fig season had just ended.)

You don’t need to worry about that with Sugar Flowers!

How do you store gumpaste &
fondant decorations?

Sugar Flowers are shelf-stable at room temperature due to their sugar content and the low moisture of gumpaste. 

If you order Sugar Flowers from Kelsie Cakes, you’ll get some extra  help along the way. Each flower arrives in a box suitable for storage and comes with a care guide.

Place desiccant packets in the storage box if you won’t be using them for a few months or if you live in a humid climate.

Keep the flowers out of direct sunlight (it can fade the colors), extreme heat/cold, and especially out of humidity. 

Fondant has a higher moisture content than gumpaste, which means not only does it take longer to dry when working with it, but also using desiccant packets is even more important.

How do you safely store decorations
made well in advance?

• Always store Sugar Flowers in a cool, dry, dark place. 
• Keep away from sunlight. Use an opaque container or sealed cardboard box.
• Keep away from humidity. Do not store them in the fridge or freezer. 
• Use a desiccant packet to absorb any potential moisture.
• Keep away from heat/cold. Basically, don’t store the flowers in the same spot your cat wants to nap in: it’s too warm there. Above the refrigerator where you proof your cinnamon roll dough would also be another terrible spot to store them. Someplace cool, not drafty, and not next to any heat-generating appliances or windows.

The takeaway: Humidity is terrible for Sugar Flowers.

How do you attach Sugar Flowers
to a wedding cake?

The less the Sugar Flower touches the cake, the easier it will be to remove and save for later. Be sure to use a barrier between the cake and the flowers while styling them on the cake.

I like to use products such as:

• PME flower picks
• Safety Seal
• White Chocolate
• Smoothie Straws

Or a combination of all of the above.

Here’s a video where I show how to use straws (smoothie or boba straws work best) to insert & style the flowers.

Can Gumpaste & Sugar Flowers
be refrigerated?

If you have a high humidity refrigerator or walk-in cooler, place the flowers on the cake right before displaying and serving. 

Pro-tip: Place desiccant packets in the corner of your sealed cardboard cake box. 

Alternatively, you can store your cake inside a sealed cardboard box to reduce condensation and humidity damage.

What do you do with
Sugar Flowers after the wedding?

I recommend removing all of the flowers before serving and placing them on a sheet pan to deal with after the wedding. 

Here’s how I prep them for long term storage:

I first take a paper towel to wipe off any icing stuck to the flowers. Then I’ll do a second pass with a paper towel wet with rubbing alcohol. I prefer the concentrated 99% rubbing alcohol for this, but if you can’t find it, 70% will do. Again, this ensures the buttery frosting is removed as much as possible.

Then I’ll let the flowers dry since they need to be bone-dry, not damp, before storing/displaying. (The 99% alcohol dries faster which is why I like it. I’m impatient like that.)

I use a UV-protected acrylic container for display (also known as archival quality). Think of the boxes that sports fans keep their prized signed baseball in. You can place your flowers in a vase or floral foam. Tuck a desiccant packet behind the flowers to ensure you’re keeping away the humidity. 

If you’re not ready to display yet, carefully wrap up your flowers (soft foam, tissue paper, cotton balls all work) and place them in a cool, dark place. A sealed cardboard box works, or an opaque Rubbermaid container.

If stored this way, your Sugar Flowers will last for years. (Though I don’t recommend reusing them on another cake)

How long do Sugar Flowers keep?

Forever?? Not quite, but almost.

From personal experience, my mom still has Sugar Flowers that I made when I was in high school. Not to age me, but… that was well over a decade ago. 

Plus, I still have my wedding flowers from 2018 safely stored away.

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