Sun-sational Flower Cake

Sun-sational Flower Cake

Frosted 9x13-inch cake

Necco wafers

45-60 yellow and orange Starburst candies

Mini chocolate chips

Green fruit streamers

1 pound yellow, orange and clear gummy bears

Mosaic vase: Create an outline by cutting an 8-ounce paper cup in half vertically and pressing the cut edge into the frosting. Break 2 Necco wafers in half and set them across the top of the vase. Use 6 or so more Necco wafers, broken into pieces, to fill in the rest of the vase.

Sunflowers: One at a time, microwave 5 yellow and 3 orange Starburst candies until they're pliable, about 8 seconds, and roll them flat between two pieces of waxed paper. Use scissors to cut them into petals (1 to 1-1/2 inches long). You'll need about 15 to 20 per flower. Create an outline for each flower center by lightly pressing the rim of a 3-ounce paper cup into the frosting (for variety, sue the cup bottom to create one smaller blossom). Arrange two layers of petals around each circle. Fill the centers with mini chocolate chips. Use doubled green fruit streams strands to create flower stems and leaves.

The frame: Arrange a single row of yellow, orange and clear Gummy Bears along the top edge of the cake and then make additional rows down the sides.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Easy Flower Cookies on Sticks

Easy Flower Cookies on Sticks

1 18-ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup fine or coarse colored sugar(s)

20 4-1/2-inch craft sticks

20 milk chocolate stars

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Knead together cookie dough and flour until combined. Shape dough into one hundred 3/4-inch balls. Roll balls in colored sugar(s) to coat. For each flower cookie, place a craft stick on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place five balls in a circle around the tip of the stick so their sides are just touching; leave 2 inches between cookies on cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Press a chocolate star in the center of each flower shape. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 20 cookies.

To store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days; or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe and picture from BetterHomesAndGardens (bhg.com)

Nilla Blossoms

Nilla Blossoms

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter (or cream cheese spread)

8 Nilla wafers

2 small strawberries, cut in half

8 pieces green apple peel

1 honey graham, crushed (about 1/4 cup crumbs)

Spread peanut butter (or cream cheese spread) onto 4 of the wafers. Top each with second wafer to make sandwich. Place on dessert plate.

Cut tulip shape from each strawberry half. Place on tops of wafer sandwiches.

Cut four stems and several leaves from apple peels. Place stem at bottom of each tulip. Add leaves as desired. Spoon graham crumbs onto plate at bottoms of stems to resemble dirt.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Pretty Posy Cupcakes

Pretty Posy Cupcakes

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) chocolate cake mix

1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting

Gumdrops and/or halved large marshmallows

Prepare cake batter for cupcakes according to package directions.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Frost cupcakes. Use a dab of frosting to attach gumdrops and/or marshmallows to the top of each cupcake, forming a flower.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

Flower-Power Cupcakes

Flower-Power Cupcakes

Recipe and video from BettyCrocker.com

Ritz Tulip

Ritz Tulip

4 Ritz crackers

2 teaspoons cream cheese spread

2 small strawberry halves

2 pieces green apple peal, about 3x1-inches each

Spread 2 of the crackers with cream cheese spread; top with 2 remaining crackers.

Cut strawberry halves into a tulip shape; place 1 on top of each cracker sandwich. Cut apple peel to resemble stem and leaf shapes; insert into sides of cracker sandwiches.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Flower Pop

Flower Pop

2 tablespoons thawed whipped topping

4 vanilla wafers

2 wooden pop sticks

20 miniature marshmallows

Spread 1 tablespoon of the whipped topping onto back (flat side) of 1 wafer; top with second wafer, bottom-side down, for the center of the "flower." Insert wooden pop stick into whipped topping layer for the flower's "stem."

Insert marshmallows into whipped topping, filling around outside edge of flower to make "petals." Repeat to make a second flower.

Freeze 2 hours or until firm.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Oreo Cakesters Tulip

Oreo Cakesters Tulip

2 Oreo cakesters soft snack cakes

1 piece green string-like gummy candy (4 inch), cut in half

4 gumdrop spearmint leaves

Cut each snack cake into tulip shape.

Add a gummy "stem" and 2 leaves to each.

Tip

If gumdrop spearmint leaves or string-like gummy candy are not available, flatten large green gumdrops on sugared board with rolling pin. Use sharp knife to cut into leaf and stem shapes. Sprinkle with additional sugar to prevent sticking.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Layered Jello Flower Box

Layered Jello Flower Box

3 cups boiling water

2 packages (4-serving size each) Jello gelatin, any flavor

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping (still frozen)

38 vanilla wafers, divided

1/3 cup flaked coconut

Few drops green food coloring

Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl until completely dissolved. Gradually add frozen whipped topping, stirring with wire whisk until whipped topping is completely melted and mixture is well blended.

Pour into 9x5-inch loaf dish. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.

Place 24 of the wafers in resealable bag; use a rolling pin to roll over the bag to finely crush the wafers. Add coconut and food coloring; seal bag and shake gently until crumbs are evenly tinted. Sprinkle evenly over gelatin. Arrange remaining 14 wafers around edges to resemble a window flower box.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Vegetable Flowers

Vegetable Flowers

Assorted vegetables

Radish slices

Fresh spinach leaves

Cucumber rounds

Cherry tomatoes

Celery sticks

Baby carrots

Ranch dip

1 16-ounce container sour cream

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced, fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic, crushed)

2 tablespoons grated onion (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Use radish slices and cucumber rounds for petals, cherry tomatoes for flower centers, celery sticks for stems, spinach for leaves, and baby carrots for grass.

Ranch dip: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and vinegar until smooth. Add the parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion, if desired and salt and pepper and stir. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Forget Me Not Cones

Forget Me Not Cones

1 package (3.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding

1 cup cold milk

2 cups thawed whipped topping

10 oreo cookies, crushed, divided

12 ice cream cones

12 marshmallow flowers (recipe below)

Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in whipped topping and 3/4 cup cookie crumbs.

Spoon into ice cream cones; sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs to resemble dirt in flower pots. Flatten tops slightly with back of spoon.

Top with marshmallow flowers.

Marshmallow flowers

Flatten 12 large marshmallows, then press both sides of each marshmallow in colored sugar. Use clean kitchen shears to cut 5 (1/2-inch deep) slits in each marshmallow to resemble the petals of a flower. Cut 6 small gumdrops in half; place 1 gumdrop half, cut-side down, in center of each marshmallow flower.

Tips

-Marshmallow flowers and pudding mixture can be made ahead of time. Do not spoon pudding mixture into ice cream cones. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Store marshmallow flowers in airtight container at room temperature. Spoon pudding mixture into ice cream cones just before serving; top with marshmallow flowers.

-Instead of spooning the pudding mixture into the ice cream cups, spoon into resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, then diagonally snip off one corner from bottom of bag. Squeeze the pudding mixture from bag into ice cream cones. Then, decorate as directed.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Daisy Cake

Daisy Cake

1 package (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 package (3.4 ounces) lemon flavor instant pudding

1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed

1/2 cup flake coconut

1 - 2 drops yellow food coloring

2 cups miniature marshmallows

2 small bug-shaped candies

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 1-quart ovenproof bowl and 9-inch round pan; set aside. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix; beat until well blended. Pour about half the batter into prepared bowl. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan.

Bake 9-inch layer 23 to 25 minutes and bake batter 33 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers come out clean. Cool cakes 10 minutes. Loosen cakes from sides of pan and bowl with knife. Invert cakes onto wire racks; gently remove pan and bowl. Cool cakes completely.

Cut 9-inch cake layer into 16 wedges. Place inverted bowl cake on large serving board; surround with cake wedges to resemble flower petals. Frost with whipped topping.

Tinto coconut with food coloring; press into whipped topping on center cake. Decorate with marshmallows and candies.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Ritz Flower Blossom

Ritz Flower Blossom

12 slices cheddar cheese

3 slices Vermont sharp-white cheddar cheese

12 crackers

Cut sharp cheddar cheese slices into flower shapes using 1-1/2 inch cookie cutter; set aside. Reserve scraps for snacking or other use.

Cut each white cheddar cheese slice into four flower shapes using 3/8-inch cookie cutter. Reserve scraps for snacking or other use.

Top each cracker with one large cheese flower and one small cheese flower.

Recipe and picture from KraftFoods.com

Flower Pot Cupcakes

Flower Pot Cupcakes

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) devil's food cake mix

16 pieces Fruit by the Foot

24 large green gumdrops

48 large assorted gumdrops

48 pretzel sticks

Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions for cupcakes.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Cut three 9-in. pieces from each fruit roll piece (save small pieces for another use). With a small pastry brush, lightly brush water on one end of a fruit strip. Wrap around bottom of cupcake; press ends together. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Lightly brush water on one side of remaining fruit strips; fold in half lengthwise. Brush one end with water; wrap around cupcake top, slightly overlapping bottom fruit strip.

Press each gumdrop into a 1-1/4-inch circle. With scissors, cut each green gumdrop into four leaf shapes; set aside. Cut one end of each remaining gumdrop into a tulip shape. Gently press a pretzel into each tulip-shaped gumdrop. Gently press gumdrop leaves onto pretzels. Press two flowers into the top of each cupcake.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

PB&J Blossom Sandwiches

PB&J Blossom Sandwiches

Bread

Peanut butter or cream cheese

Jelly or jam

For each sandwich, cut two slices of bread into flower shapes with a cookie cutter.

Cut a hole in one of the slices by pressing a water bottle cap into the center.

Spread the peanut butter and jelly on the whole piece and place the slice with the hole on top.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Black-Eyed Susan Cheesecakes

Black-Eyed Susan Cheesecakes

• 24 vanilla wafer cookies

2 packages (8 ounces, each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup peanut butter chips

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

Sliced almonds

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with foil bake cups (2 inches in diameter). Place one vanilla wafer, flat-side down, in bottom of each cup.

Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed of mixer in large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spoon heaping tablespoon cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup.

Bake 15 minutes or just until set, but not browned. Cool.

Place chocolate chips and butter in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.

Drop about 1 teaspoon of chocolate mixture onto center of each cheesecake, letting white show around edge. Place almond slices around chocolate mixture to resemble petals. Cover; refrigerate. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecakes.

Recipe and picture from Hersheys.com

Fruit Flowers

Fruit Flowers

Banana

Kiwi

Raspberries or strawberries

Licorice

Mint leaves

For the flower center, use a slice of banana or kiwi.

Arrange raspberry or strawberry petals around it, then add a shoestring-licorice stem with real mint leaves.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Flower Box Cake

Flower Box Cake

1/4 cup butter

1 package (10-1/2 ounces) miniature marshmallows

Red and blue liquid food coloring

4 cups Frosted Cheerios

15 leaf-shaped spearmint gumdrops

15 wooden skewers (8 inches)

3 strawberry-flavored Fruit by the Foot fruit rolls

6 large marshmallows

Colored sugar

3/4 cup chocolate frosting

1 loaf (10-3/4 ounces) frozen pound cake, thawed

12 crisp rectangular cookies (about 3 inches x 1-3/4 inches)

For hyacinths, combine the butter and marshmallows in a saucepan; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Divide into two large bowls. Stir 2-3 drops each of red and blue food coloring into one bowl; stir 1-2 drops red food coloring into another bowl. Add 2 cups cereal to each bowl; stir until well coated. Insert one gumdrop on nine skewers. With greased hands, quickly shape about 1/2 cup cereal mixture into a 3-to 4-inch long hyacinth shape around gumdrop. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Loosely cover and chill for 4 hours or until firm.

For each tulip, cut six 2-1/2-inch long pieces of fruit roll. With a kitchen shears, trim one end of each piece into tulip petal shape. Trim 1/4 inch from each corner of opposite end. With a small pastry brush, lightly brush water on one end of marshmallow; dip in sugar. Lightly brush water on sides and bottom of marshmallow so top of petal is 1/2 inch above sugared end.

Repeat five times, overlapping the side of each petal by 1/8 inch. Fold bottom of petals under marshmallow, overlapping tapered ends Brush with water if needed to hold petals together. Insert a skewer through petals into center of marshmallow. Insert a gumdrop into the other end of skewer to hold marshmallow in place.

Frost top and sides of cake; place cookies vertically around cake. Just before serving, insert flowers into cake, trimming bottom of skewers to varied lengths.

*This recipe is a little labor intensive, but the end result is very nice and cute. I made it once for Mother's Day and it turned out great.*

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com