I was playing around last night, showing a "cake civilian" friend (thanks indydebi!) how to hold a decorator bag and pipe some basics. She wanted to learn roses which of course, I suck at, but whatever. She had fair warning.

Digging through my tips, I found tip #97. I don't remember buying this tip, and had never used it, but it looked interesting. So I tried piping a rose with it, and it worked PERFECTLY! The very first time! I couldn't believe it! Just out of curiosity, I tried the #104 again, and it still looked like a cabbage.

So I guess the moral of my long story is, try tip #97! It was so much easier to pipe a beautiful buttercream rose!

After reading your post, I went through my tips ( some I got at a garage sale a couple of years ago), and sure enough, I too have a # 97 tip that I have not ever used..... it says Bakery Crafts..... is that the same one that you have ? If it is, I'll give it a try !!

In my wilton courses after learning how to do roses with the 104's the instructor showed us how to do them with the 97. The 97 has a slight turn to it if I remember correctly and helps push out the petals more.

Yes, it is almost an "s" shape...... do you have the smaller or larger part of the "s" on the bottom ?

The 97 is my favorite rose tip. As always, fat end down!

I just came across this post and I can't wait to give it a try!! I too suck at roses. I get so frustrated trying to make them that when people order cakes I tell the upfront I don't do roses! I really hope it works as well for me as it did for you.

this tip is taught in course 11 with royal icing. it is called the victorian rose . it is really pretty. this tip comes in the course 11 kit.

never used that tip yet, but wondered what it was for! Sure gonna give it a try, I like my roses but maybe they will look even better using this tip. Does it work for leftys does anyone know?, as I am a lefty.

" As always, fat end down! "

LOL! LOL!!!.....Sad, but true !

no more cabbages, yay!!!

thank you for the tip of using tip #97... I checked and I DO have that one and left over frosting, I am going to give it a try!!

Cool. I plan on giving tip 97 a try. "Cabbage" is a good way of describing mine too! Maybe I'll have better luck with this tip.
Thanks for sharing!

thank you for the tip of using tip #97... I checked and I DO have that one and left over frosting, I am going to give it a try!!

always looking for a new look! thanks for the "tip"!! Will be trying it very soon!

For years I couldn't make roses, with any tip. Either there wasn't enough separation between the petals or the whole rose flopped over. I was using buttercream.

One of my neighbors told me she'd show me how to do it. She showed me how they did it at baskin robbins...it wasn't what I had in mind at all, and I don't think it's how the cake decorator there did it (my neighbor was a cashier) but she told me that the most important thing about making roses was to put it in the freezer or fridge for a while during the stages of it.

So after she left, I piped a bunch of middles on waxed paper squares on a flat plate. I put them all in the freezer until they were hard (looks funny in pink ) but once they were hard and I put them on the flower nail, I was able to make perfect, upright roses with enough space between the petals. I usually have to put them in the fridge for a little while on the flower nail before I move them to the cake. I think it might just be the climate down here in South Texas.

It is really satisfying to be able to make them after so many years of not being able to get it right (why I didn't just take a class, I don't know).

thanks for the tip. I will try tip #97 . I have also used hershey kisses for the center of the roses, they work great and it is added surprise!

thanks for the tip. I will try tip #97 . I have also used hershey kisses for the center of the roses, they work great and it is added surprise!

thanks for the tip. I will try tip #97 . I have also used hershey kisses for the center of the roses, they work great and it is added surprise!

That is a another neat idea, the hershey kiss would sure be a great surprise

That is a another neat idea, the hershey kiss would sure be a great surprise