Hi everyone–this may be the easiest flower tutorial that you’ll find on our site.
Do you know the cheerful flowers that look like bright yellow balls on stems? In the summer, I see them in bouquets everywhere, not to mention all over Pinterest.–I LOVE them but had no idea what they were called until today. A quick Google search for “Yellow Ball Flowers” led me to a sea of photos of……billy balls! Do you know the ones? If not, HERE’s a picture! I’m probably the last to know what a billy ball is ;0) –These cuties, which are also known as Craspedia and even billy buttons are so simple and cheerful that I just had to make some. You will not believe how quickly they come together…
I frosted a 6 inch double barrel cake with vanilla buttercream today and it’s the perfect backdrop for some billy ball cuteness.
(By the way, in case you’ve never made a double barrel cake, it’s a taller-than-usual cake that has a cardboard cake circle about halfway up with dowels or supports beneath. That way, nobody’s walking around with a 7″ slice of cake hanging off of their plate, and the cake will be nice and sturdy. Not to mention that tall cakes mean more room for decorating! )
Ready to make some flowers?
First, you’ll need some yellow balls of fondant (I tinted my white Satin Ice fondant with Americolor Lemon Yellow). You’ll also need a sharp knife, a little water, and some yellow nonpareils. Mine are CK brand. You’ll need a ziplock or plastic bag too.
One at a time, I took the fondant balls and dampened them with a little water. Then rolled the ball in my palms to make sure that the dampness covered every part of the fondant. This creates a stickiness that acts as an adhesive for our next step. Just a small amount of dampness should do the trick. 
Next, I shook the ball of fondant in a bag of yellow nonpareils until covered.
Next, I gently sawed the ball of fondant in half. (By the way, you could do this step first and then shake the halved balls in the sprinkle bag….but I preferred doing it after.) Sawing them in half makes them more lightweight and will also give you more surface area for you to use to adhere the billy balls to the cake.
After sawing your billy balls you may have to slightly reshape them to restore the roundness, since the fondant will still be a little soft.
I made several….
Here I am combing my cake with my favorite Ateco cake comb. I’m using the side with the smallest teeth, and just combing vertically, section by section.
I cut away the excess frosting around the top edge of the cake with my knife.
Then, I combed the top of the cake too.
Now, for the best part of all…building the bouquet! A little fresh buttercream is all that we need to adhere the billy balls to the cake.
After applying the flowers to the cake, I piped several stems using some buttercream (tinted with Americolor Avocado Green), and using a Wilton Piping Tip 3.
After piping all of my stems, I chose a thin blue ribbon (lightly greased with vegetable shortening to prevent later discoloration), tied a bow and applied it to the cake with a dot of buttercream! Look how pretty!~
I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial! Remember these billy balls when you are looking for something sweet and cheerful. I just love the country chic feel that they add, and they would be perfect for just about any occasion from birthdays to bridal showers. Have fun experimenting with this design and designs of your own–see you next time!
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Beautiful
This is too cute for itself, and so easy!!! I can def see using this for a lot of different events- love this!!!!
Cute. Thanks for the tutorial.
You are not the last to know their name because I just learned it from you.
Love it! Thank you Melissa!
adorable Melissa! thanks
thank you! this is a beautiful design!
Very cute! And, I have never heard of billy balls either, so you are not alone. lol
LOVE IT! Simple and elegant!
Love it! You have the best ideas!
So cute and so easy!
Wonderful!
Very cute love the design
Been looking for a tutorial on these. Such a hip flower for brides right now. Thanks!
I had no idea they were called billy balls. I’ve just called them yellow ball flowers. Pretty cake.
Never heard of Billy Balls. Thanks for the information and your easy to follow tutorial. Your cake is beautiful with out being too overly done.
Hi there with your buttercream do you use a crusting buttercream that everyone seems to use in America. We dont use that here
Hi Lynn, yes, it does need to be a crusting buttercream.
ME ENCANTO, PRECIOSO!!!!!!!
Gracias por compartir maravillosa idea y fácil de realizar
This is just too cute. I love the simplicity of it so that even beginning students can master this technique.
Great tutorial Melissa
)
Although the “nonpareil” name kind of through me off. Until I realized they were just sprinkles”. At least that is what they are called in Canada, in my neck of the woods.
I am making cupcakes for a baby shower in a few weeks, and I was searching for something different to do. I think I can incorporate this idea onto my cupcakes. Thanks Melissa for the cute idea.
Thanks everybody–
@June- That made me laugh ;0) –Not trying to get too fancy with you! Sprinkles works for me too….but non-pariels have that distinction of being the tiny balls (rather than other sprinkles that may be sanding sugar or confetti-type, etc.) — ;0)– I like the look of the tiny yellow balls.
Now that is just precious. Definitely have to try this.
Hermoso, tengo q intentarlo. Gracias por compartirlo
Hola Melissa, Me llamo Claudina soy de Perú,muchas gracias por aceptarme y compartir hermoso deseño de torta con flores amarillos.
soy aprendiz , Cuídate que el Dios te bendiga hoy y por siempre.
I am new to this. Is fondant edible?
Regardless, I like what you made.
Thanks!! –
Jeannette~ Yes, fondant is edible. Not everyone eats it –but it is edible! ;0)
What is the size of the cake rounds for this cake and how many layers?
This is gorgeous but I have to be HONEST, I laughed pretty hard at the name Billy Balls – but then again, I behave like 10 yr old boy sometimes.
@Emon- These are 6″ cake layers– 2 layers, cake board (with supports beneath) and two more layers. The cake is approximately 7 inches tall, but this design would be cute on any size cake!
@Trish– You are so crazy ;0) –It is so much more fun to say Billy Balls than their more formal name (Craspedia), don’t ya think? ;0)
Melissa, I get so excited when a notice comes in my email that you have something new to show us ! ….you never disappoint me ! I so love these little yellow flowers ! I need to tell you once again how great of a teacher you are….you have a way of explaining ideas and techniques that makes me want to do whatever the new project is..immediately..thank you for that.:). can’t wait for the next one.
This is so pretty! Not only have I never heard of Billy Balls, I’ve never even seen them before looking at the picture from the link that you posted.