I need help!! Please!! I'm doing a wedding shower cake in 1 week and am having huge problems. The bride is a friend of mine. She's given me free reign to do whatever I want - no direction even on color or flavor.

I was going to do 10 inch heart cakes decorated like a tux and a wedding dress but I was losing sleep over the tux so I decided to make a round cake with roses on the top and coordinating cupcakes with roses on them but . . .

I just learned how to make buttercream roses. I've made 1 that was really good. The rest of them have looked like cabbages. I'm learning but not fast enough to do a cake with them for next weekend.

I was going to make fondant roses using the Wilton step saving rose bouquet cutters but I've only successfully made 1 rose using that method and it wasn't that good.

My Duff roses look like rolled up fondant. My ribbon roses are getting better but I'm not sure they're . . . elegant enough for what I'm thinking about.

I've attached pics of my step saving rose and my ribbon rose. They're kind of dusty and crack-y because I played with the fondant so much while making them. If I did them for the shower they'd be more fresh and a different color - dusty pink I think.

What do you think? Help!! Please!!

Adding a pic of a Duff rose I just did that turned out better than the others I've done . . .

I think your second Duff rose looks great! Just keep practicing! Pick the best ones from the bunch, and decorate around them. (My BC roses tend to turn out like cabagges, too ~ lack of practice on my part, I'm sure!)

Ok...calm down first...you have lots of time!

I really like the look of your Wilton fondant rose AND the ribbon rose...I think you could go with either. What kind of feel are you trying to do for the cake?? If you are going for a more elegant feel I would go with the Wilton roses...if you are going for a more contemporary feel you should go with the ribbon roses. I think both of those look great! I, personally, don't like the look of the Duff roses....they just don't strike me as looking like a rose...and i feel like it is just a short cut to doing something simple but not better looking.

If you don't want to do the whole thing roses you can do some like cascading from the top down the side! And if you still wanted to do the heart you can do a band of ribbon roses across the top....this is something I've done and it's in my photos...I think it looked really pretty with a modern look to it!

Good luck with your cake! I LOVE the fondant roses!

I don't know how to do BC roses either, and I don't care! I love your Wilton whatever-style rose. It looks great to me. Your Duff rose is pretty too, and your ribbon rose needs to be loosened up a bit (in my opinion, but who am I since I only have 2 cakes to my name! )! I think you are stressing too much. It will look great!

Your Wilton rose is great. You just need to give it a bit more 'movement' by tweeking the tops of the petals. Pinch one between your thumb & 1st finger to thin it some here, and/or roll one over your finger there; pull one up, one down just a bit etc. (Especially on those 2-3 petals around the center.) Once you play w/them and see the different things you can make them do you will be more satisified w/them Finish them off w/a light dusting of a different shade of petal, pearl dust (or even powdered color). Shading will help lots! When you are finished playing w/them add a drop of dew....a *tiny* bit of piping gel here & there. I just bet anything you will be much happier w/them. Your techniques/basic work is there -- it just needs a bit of refining

Well I don't know what's going on but the above post is leaving several lines more of the post off

I would go with the fondant cutter ones. I am not fond of the Duff-style either. I'm sure which ever ones you decide will be great!

gosh, I think they all look good!

Dont' worry about cabbage roses! Even God doesn't make a perfect rose every time! And cake civilians won't even notice that they aren't perfect .... they will only notice how incredible the cake looks!