I am having a heck of a time making these roses!! We did a few in class and I just could not get it to come out right. Actually, I think my icing was a bit too stiff.

By Tuesday, I have to have 6 roses made for the final cake. How am I going to pull that off when I can't even get one to look good.

Did anyone else have problems, or am I just rose challenged?



Lisa

It will come. It took me a bit too to get the feel of it. Just practice practice practice and remember we are our own worst critics. I'm sure they look better than you think. Good luck!

No you are not challenged! I think everyone has rose problems in the beginning! You really just have to practice. It is hard to say what is going wrong without seeing it, but the best advice I can give you is don't get to stiff yourself, try and stay relaxed. When I first started, I found out that I was holding the tip at the wrong angle and it was too tilted. (It wasn't my teacher that told me, it was a girl who was observing to be a teacher) She was the one that said, relax, it's only icing and you can just put it back in the bag and start over! Re read your book and keep on trying. Good Luck!

When you put several on a cake together they will look better. if you just focus on one rose your eye will pick out every flaw. I kept making mini-cupcakes with roses on top to practice and got so much better.

learning the rose is really learning a new form of eye/hand coordination. It takes time and it doesn't feel right at first because you aren't used to using your hands like that. Eventually you will get used to it and it will feel comfortable. When I teach, sometimes I put my hand over the student's and pipe it with them so they can feel how you hands should move. It will come with practice. Don't give up!!

I will have only one night to work on these, so I hope I can master it.

I think my instructor was getting a bit annoyed that I wasn't able to do it. It is the one thing so far that has been a trick to me.

Just keep practicing! It will come! I was always challeneged with the loop that goes around the blob in the middle. My teacher always referred to the top of the tip (the skinny end) being at different numbers on the clock. That helped me. Also, like crumbscakeartistry said, they look better when you get them all together on a cake. Our instructor also told us not to throw them away, but keep them all to the side and pick out your best six. Also, you can see how you progress!
Good luck! You can do it!!!

I HATE BUTTERCREAM ROSES! Survive the class then learn to make gumpaste roses. Far superior product!

I remember that my instructor said we could use a hershey kiss/hug for the center and it helped. My instructor wasn't high pressure. It sounds like yours is.

Mine were not great, but adding some corn syrup to the icing helped with the consistency a little bit. I think the book says to add piping gel, but corn syrup worked too.

Good luck, like she said, it's only frosting.

I was horribly challenged in the beginning but I wanted to do a all rose top cake for a friend so I just made a batch of RI (IMHO, I think royal icing is easier to make a rose with)..by the time the batch was used up, I could make a decent rose...I think it just takes practice, so don't get too discouraged...it'll come if you practice.