With strawberries in season now I have been wanting to make a cake with fresh strawberries on the top (edible) but also for beautiful decoration. I saw on a foodchannel show that when you put fresh strawberries on top of cake/cupcakes they should have some type of simple syrup or glaze. What is the easiest so that the red color of the berries shows thru? . Thanks !

I just add the fresh berries to the cake, no glaze. Just make sure they are dry and add them at the last minute.

According to the french judge on cupcake wars you have to glaze the strawberries to preserve them and not have them wilt. I have no personal experience, but I have read that melted apricot jelly is often used. I'm not too sure if a simple syrup will work or not. Again I have had no experience yet. I intend on trying the apricot jelly trick.

I do know I love the fruit tarts made at our local grocer and they glaze their fruit. It also make for a beautiful presentation too.

I make a French Apple Tart and other fruit tarts with gourmet apricot preserves, but it's really for looks and an added flavor.

I just delivered a cake yesterday with fresh strawberries around the sides and top just pressed into the IMBC. It worked perfectly. But the berries were fresh and had plenty of life.

I make a strawberry cake with preserves and chocolate covered strawberries. But on the cake made with fresh strawberries only, I like the naked strawberries. They stayed perfect for the 8 hours before serving.

Pastry chefs usually buy the neutral glaze for their fruits. My pastry books usually list them as ingredients. You can buy it here:

http://www.forthegourmet.com/Neutral-Mirror-Glaze-Sugar-p8154.html

There's a small, inexpensive one here, if you want to try. This one doesn't have to be heated, because your fruit can be damaged with warm glaze.

http://www.lepicerie.com/customer/product.php?productid=122030&cat=0&page=1

Your neutral glaze can be flavored with anything from fruit juice, fruit purée, coffee or another liquid. The ratio is 40 percent liquid to 60 percent glaze.

I do have a recipe for a glaze, but it involves mixing and boiling pectin, glucose, and citric acid...might be a little bit much work.