I shy away from buttercream flowers. I much rather make fondant or gumpaste. Anyway, I was just wondering, how do some of you place your buttercream flowers? I see some cakes where there are just tons of flowers on the tops and sides of the cake. Do you make them on individual pieces of wax paper on a flower nail then transfer them to the cake? Or do you just make them right there ON the cake?

Just curious...I want to start making flower cakes b/c Spring is upon us...

I always make my bc flowers on wax paper on a cookie sheet and then place it in the freezer. After they freeze I just pick them off the wax paper with my clean fingers and place them where I want them on the cake. As a matter of fact I still have some left over drop flowers in the freezer now

Lazy_Susan

i use the nail and a pair of scissors or pipe em directly on the cake. depends on what kind of flower you are doing. don't have time to do the waxpaper thingie.

I use the nail & wax paper also, freeze an then place, to me it really seems like it is much easier. As odd as it may sound, making the flowers are one of most favorite things...(excluding the daisy's) Daisy's & i just dont seem to get along!

Parismom,
Thanks for asking the question. I have been pratising my piping this morning and because I'm a beginner I was wondeing if it would be better for me to do the bc flowers separately and then place them on a cake. Shaky hands don't make for pretty petals and lovely leaves!!!!
Karen

for me, it just depends if i have time to do roses ahead of time then i will do them on the wax paper, but i just usually let them air dry then transfer them onto the cake. otherwise, if i do them right away i use scissors to transfer them on carefully then whatever you mess up... well that's where a leaf will definitely go. lol

Chefdot,
That's one tip I'm definitely going to use....where I mess up I'll stick a leaf!!! Trouble is, at the moment I would have a forrest of leaves and not many flowers.
Karen

I do the same as chefdot. I usually let mine air dry. I've done them a week in advance when I have the time. They crust well and are so easy to put on the top and sides of the cake. If it's a simple cake with roses on top, I'll use the scissors. Although, roses are usually the only ones I'd use the scissors with - all other flowers I either do ahead of time or pop them in the freezer.