is there something i can add to my recipe or modify a recipe (more 10X sugar, etc) to make my buttercream roses stiffer once they dry? how long in advance should i make them so that they dry/stiffen up to put on the side of the cake?

thanks!

what recipe are you using?

Why not use royal icing?

Or, use regular buttercream, and then freeze them...then immediately put on the sides of the cake, and when they thaw they will be still fine although you will be able to cut through them when you serve.

The recipe seems balanced .. a little more fat than I use, but not unreasonably more. I'm a 100% crisco user, but with the butter in there, that might be contributing just a bit, since butter/margarine has a lower melting point than crisco.

If it was me, I'd just add more p.sugar to stiffen it up a bit. If you want them stiffer once they dry, then it sounds to me like they are not crusting as well as they should. Crusting is the result of the sugar/fat ratio .... the more sugar, the more crusting.

Try adding either a couple tablespoons meringue powder or adding a little cornstarch.

cornstarch will absorb the extra liquid from the butter or margarine that you use.

Don't add all the cream at the end, take some bc out, put it in a bowl and cover it. Then add the rest of your liquids to thin it down for frosting the cake. That's what I do so my bc for the roses is somewhat thicker than the rest of my bc

Have you tried my B'cream for air dried flowers?

Basically it's just royal icing w/about 2/3rds cup of Crisco added. It's just perfect for making roses.
Using straight royal is a pain.....the flowers are sooooooooo hard they could break a tooth Royal is hard to get just right.......can you tell I'm not a fan ot royal?

I don't have the recipe at hand to post for you but it is on this site -- somewhere. I'm search function ignorant! I can never get it to work for me. Try yourself ok.?

180bug79,
One way to find kakeladi's recipe that she's speaking of is to just click on her profile and there will be a link for recipes that she has submitted.

thanks for all your help!

I would like to find that royal icing w/crisco recipe too for roses.....sounds weird though because I've been taught to make sure when using royal icing to that you don't have any grease any thing...and this is adding ....grease!!!

I couldn't find that RI w/crisco recipe either. I'm also interested about how that would work .

So here's a bumb, hopefully someone has seen it.

I was curious about it too so i went looking for it. Is this the recipe you were talking about kakeladi?

3 Tablespoons meringue powder
1/3 cup tap water (room temp. - not cold not hot)
2/3 cup Crisco (solid shortening)
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar (this is MORE than 1 pound)
generous dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla (or flavoring to taste)


Mix together water and meringue; beat stiff.
Add remaining ingredients and whip for 3 minutes,
scraping the bowl well twice. Keep covered when not
using.

and heres the link http://forum.cakecentral.com/cake_recipe-2278-2-Airdried-Buttercream-Icing.html

Yes, yes yes.......thanks so much for finding it
I said I just cannot make the search function work for me.......not only on this site but others as well

Do pay head to the notes I have added:

I prefere to keep any left-over in a glass jar. Keeps well a couple of weeks but may need to be stirred well before using.
Once flowers are made DO NOT! cover or put into
freezer or refrigerator. Keep uncovered at room temp until they dry. The amount of time that takes will depend on how humid and warm your house/area is.
Usually 24 hrs is plenty. Once completely dry
completed flowers should be store in any NON airtight container - like a gift box in a cool, dry place (like a cupboard). Flowers Will keep up to 4-6 months.