Cakes abloom: Edible spring flowers adorn these baked confections

April showers bring May flowers, or so the old saying goes. But here in Arkansas, spring's flowers are already abloom. You probably have some edible ones in your yard right now — roses, lilac, redbud, violets, grape hyacinths, dandelions, pansies, woodsorrel and honeysuckle, to name a few.

Note that not all flowers are edible. Do not eat any flowers you cannot positively identify or any that may have been sprayed with pesticide.

Topped with delicate edible flowers and delicate pink frosting, either or both of these desserts would be great additions to any spring occasion that calls for cake. The recipes are from a delightful, soon-to-be-released cookbook, "Tea at the Palace: A Cookbook — 50 Afternoon Tea Recipes From a Royal Chef" by Carolyn Robb (Weldon Owen, April 19).

Robb