I'm making royal icing roses for an upcoming wedding cake and they look very smushy and not as defined and detailed as my usual stiff buttercream roses.

Is something wrong in my recipe?

I used 4 cups icing sugar, 3 tbsps meringue powder and 6 tbsps water and I was sure to make sure everything is grease free. Also I mixed the ingredients on low for 10 minutes with my Kitchen-Aid...please help!!!!

My brother looked at the roses and he said they look awful when compared to my buttercream roses...he wasn't trying to hurt my feelings but was being honest and this Bridezilla has specifically asked for royal icing!!! again, please help...Thank you.

Bump...sorry I'm starting to cry could someone please give me some advice? Thank you.

Well, I can tell you that when we learned how to make RI in Wilton class, the instructor told us to use 4 tablespoons to start, then add as needed.

Next, humidity plays a major factor in royal icing production. If it is humid in your locale, you needed to cut back on the water by 1 tablespoon to start.

Then there's body heat. I have hot hands, and all icings turn to mush on me after just a few minutes.

I would suggest that you re-beat your icing, adding more powdered sugar, about 2 tablespoons at a time.

Theresa

Thank you so MUCH, Theresa, I really appreciate your response and will try your suggestion right now..thanks again.

Seriously I give up!!! I spent 4 hours last night trying to make roses out of royal icing and they just wouldn't stand up and keep their shape even after I tried what was suggested...........looks like buttercream is my only option unless I buy roses but why buy I could just make them?????

Did the bride have a particular reason for requesting RI or was it just a term she heard on the food channel?

Her reason was and I quote "my family likes the hard icing and I like the soft icing, so please cover the cakes in buttercream and make the roses in royal icing so each one of my many family members can have a rose.

But now I'm starting to get irritated, why can't I make these roses? In class i could make them with my eyes closed however, i didn't mix the icing...my instructor did but she used the wilton recipe...I really don't know, maybe i'm just a failure at royal icing roses.

every time I've ever made a RI rose they came out the way you are describing. the RI is stiff, but almost too liquidy, I'm afraid if I cut back on water, I won't be able to work the icing. I feel for you and sadly have no real help, other then to say you're not losing it .

Are you sure your bags are grease free? I tried making RI roses a while ago using clean decorating bags and they never stood up either, didn't matter how stiff my icing was. I realized that in the past when I had made them, I had used parchment bags and my decorating bags, even though clean, still had grease residue in them. Now if I do RI roses, I will use either parchment bags or new disposable ones. I don't think you can ever get the grease from buttercream out of those featherweight bags.