can swiss/italian buttercream be used to make roses and decorations on cakes? 

I make swiss and italian meringue. I have made roses with the italian meringue. At  the ices convention, i have take a demo with the chef making all flowers right on the cake with italian meringue. So beautiful!!! If your hands make it too hot and soft, put bag in fridge for a few minutes and keep it going. hth good luck. There is a c/cer , can,t think who she is right now, but her cakes are beautiful with all meringue flowers.

I also use IMBC and can't picture it for flowers, too soft.  I guess if your hands are super cold, the IMBC is cold and the cake is cold, then isn't on display for a long time, maybe.  Just my opinion but I wouldn't chance it.

nope, its wayyyyyy too soft lol

OK.... here is a link to what you are asking. I already posted that you can. Just google your question and you will find more answers that you can. I have done it and watch the chef at the convention do it right on the meringue iced cake. It was so beautiful. hth

http://theartisancakeguild.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/how-to-decorate-cakes-with-italian-meringue-buttercream/

Hi, her is another link, showing on youtube making a swiss meringue rose. No, when i do it my hands are not cold, the icing is not cold, etc. If you keep piping , you then would rest it a little bit in the fridge (i mean , just a little). the guy at convention, never stopped making flowers for the whole hours. Please try it. If you know how to make any flower , with reg. american b/c , then you will be able to do this. hth

Hi, 

 I am the person who has the blog on wordpress.. theartisancakeguild.wordpress.com and yes you can pipe flowers with Italian meringue buttercream.  I believe Swiss meringue might be too soft to hold a good shape but Italian meringue buttercream is fine.  You might want to take the temperature of the hot syrup up to about 250 F and the meringue will be a bit stiffer.  You might want to consider using a high fat content butter like Strauss Family Creamery Organic Unsalted Butter which is 83% butter fat.

If you want to color your Italian meringue buttercream, use a little powdered sugar.  I think it is the corn starch in the powdered sugar that allows gel colors to become vivid.

I hope you give it a try.  Remember to not warm up your buttercream by handling the piping bag with your hand around the bag but just use a finger to steady your tip if necessary and pipe from the back of the bag.. If your buttercream becomes warm or soft, just temper it again in some room temperature buttercream and it should be fine.

Tobey deChristopher