I was SO excited to work on today's wedding cake because the bride was NOT using silk or real florals ... I got to make BC roses!!! YAY!!! So as part of my New Year's Resolution to expand my skills, I decided to try making roses on a sharpened dowel stick instead of using the flower nail.

OMG, I LUV THIS TECHNIQUE!!! If you've mastered this for quite some time, it's ok to laugh at me as I jump up and down with a stupid grin on my face, clapping with delight like a seal!! I was able to make taller, fuller roses .... gosh, I impressed myself with these suckers!!!

I am SO bad at remembering where I get ideas from on here, but someone posted a video showing a woman making blue roses on a sheet cake, using the stick method, and she was FLYING thru the rose-making process! When I saw that video, I decided then and there to give it a shot. So a big THANKS to whoever posted that!!

Here's the cake with the finished roses: http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1225307&done=1 Closeup's of the roses are on my flickr site, if interested. The petals are "ragged", (but I like this look!)

They are beautiful! I still haven't mastered roses of any kind! lol But I am still trying....

They're really beautiful! What size of a dowel did you use?

WOW!!! I loved the roses. If anyone can find that video please let me know where it is. I'd love to try these roses.

Thanks
Sally

Very pretty, nicely done

Mike

Me too! I've tried a few times, but failed miserably. The kept sliding off the dowel. I haven't really practiced much - I hate the flower nail method.

congrats. I am really wanting to try that method. i'm glad it worked for you. so do you plan on using your flower nail for roses ever again?

Someone please find this video. I had to break down and buy roses for a cake for yesterday because mine looked like cabbages and they kept melting - I know the video won't fix that. I'm actually taking class one again just to work on my roses. Boy do I feel slow!

You did a great job. I know exactly how you feel. I had the same feeling when I did them the first time last November when i had to make 100 butter roses for our ICES thanksgiving dinner. If anyone has trouble with the flower nail and icing try butter just one time. It was unreal. I went to the tutorial for stick roses here and gave it a shot. I'll never use a nail again.

They look beautiful! When I tried to do them on a stick, I ended up destroying (they sort of flattened and spread out) them as I lifted them off the dowel! Your's look great!

Yes..I have to say that I love that method as well!!! My roses look better too!! I believe I got the technique from the Cake Genie DVD.. Jean Plowman....I bought the DVD and it is really great!!!

Indydebi.............You are so right! I just learned last week....it is so much faster..............and yes..........I too was doing the HAPPY dance!

The part that really amazed me was lifting them off of the stick. I couldn't imagine how they could hold their shape .... unbelieveable but they sure did hold ok! My 15 year old was there and wanted to try one .... her very first rose and it turned out great! She put it in the freezer to save it!

So, what's the trick? Is it thicker icing? I was using a medium-stiff consistency, but they just kept sliding down into a big mess.

Ok y'all please tell all your secrets...

I've heard of this but never have tried it. It's been so long since I've had to make a rose I probably couldn't remember how to even start.

I've got to try this method. Do you use stiff consistancy BC like the nail method?

I found the video!!!

I'm no where NEAR that fast and good but it is as simple as it looks.

Amysue, when I used the #104 tip, they stayed on the stick just fine. I made a few with the really big tip (#127 maybe? .... not sure, don't have the tip here with me) and I had a couple that slid down, but I think it's because I made the first 'wrap' a little loose and not as snug as it should have been. The dowel I used was the same size as in the video.

Thanks Indydebi for reposting that link!!!

YOUR roses came out beautiful. I need to practice some of these today. I am glad that you inspired me ONCE AGAIN!!!!

I don't think that I will be as quick as she is in her video, but as long as I can get the basics all will be good.

Thanks Debi!!!!!!

Donna

This has been my immediate plan to train on this style...like my knitting, I'm too anal and uptight when using the nail. I am hoping to recreate the casual ease the lady has in the video...fingers crossed. I just need a dowel, I'm not finding any under 3 meters. argh!

Thanks Debi - another awesome tip from you!!!

SO YOU LIKED THE LINK!!!! YoUrE WeLcOmE!

when i first hired in a my first bakery years ago...they MADE you learn on the stick....and throw the nail away...it's so much faster.

the last couple years i just been using the wooden sticks they sell at the grocery store, to make sish kabobs....they are already sharpened, a little long...i just break the end off.

using the stick saves tons of time...and they look nicer (i think).

you can even make really tiny ones on a toothpick, with the small rose tip.

Cool! Thanks Indydebi, and Littlecake! Can't wait to try this-I don't like the flower nail at all. I think it may have something to do with my left-handedness!
Debi, your cake looks great! Funny, my 10 year olds could do a better rose than me with the flower nail

Okay, I must have made the first wrap too loose. I was having a problem getting it to "stick" to the dowel. Thanks for the video!

I have seen that video and she does a super job. I saw the picture of the cake you made--OMG that is one beautiful cake. What size tip did you use to make those flowers on the bottom of the cake? One of these days I am going to be able to make a pretty flower too, I take that back one of these years I am going to be able to make a pretty flower too.Right now I am still in the cabbage patch.

I have seen that video and she does a super job. I saw the picture of the cake you made--OMG that is one beautiful cake. What size tip did you use to make those flowers on the bottom of the cake? One of these days I am going to be able to make a pretty flower too, I take that back one of these years I am going to be able to make a pretty flower too.Right now I am still in the cabbage patch.

Your roses look great!

I'm so used to the nail though, that when I tried the stick - they looked more like pine cones! LOL!!

instead of using a dowel, i used a candle and stuck them into cupcakes.

Diane, what a super-cool idea!!

Holy Crap, did you guys watch that video?? That woman is a machine!! She made those roses faster then I could watch and her reverse shell border made me want to cry - I want to do that!