Hi everybody...I am new to cake decorating...I just finished course I and absolutely loved it..I have always had a passion for cake decorating and decided 4 weeks ago to take the courses.....I do have one question my roses are feathering at the top and I don 't know why...my instructor told me that they were fine and she thought that they looked better that way. I don't like the way they look...Could some please tell me why they look the way they do.

I am not positive but I think if you make your icing thinner that will help. I am sure someone will have some more wonderful advice for you soon.

The feathering is caused by the icing being to thick and dry!! I personally like the look as it looks more natural.I do it this way on purpose some times!!

I have the same problem with my roses. This happens with roses I make from my own buttercream. When I make roses with the Wilton canned frosting they do not feather.
My course II instructor suggesting adding piping gel to my BC and that seemed to help reduce the feathering. So you may want to give that a try.
When i make roses out of royal icing I don't have this issue at all, so now i ususally make my roses with royal icing.

Hi,

I think your icing does need to be thinner. There was a recent post from someone having a similar problem:

http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-8799.html

I would try to thin it out with milk/water whatever liquid you use. I use to have a similar problem, then I switched recipes to one that I found on another board....don't ask me which one cuz I have 4 kids, a hubby and 4 dogs.....I print things out, stack em up, and eventually go through and try em out!!! Anyway, this recipe is was not the pretty good tasting but it made nice, nice flowers. I don't get orders for many cakes with roses so I'm no expert.....just trying to help!

Berta

I would use milk to thin your frosting down as water may cause your colors to bleed a little. Plus the milk makes it creamier!!

Thank you all for the wonderful advice....I will try to thin it down and see what happens...

Hello-

My advice would be to thin your icing out some too. Remember, a little at a time (that's what my Wilton instructor used to say). Once you change the consistency slightly, I think you'll definitely see the change in the edges of your roses.

Good Luck-

Bunchy.

TMM,

I feel your pain.lol

Mine do the same thing...I call them cabbage roses to keep from feeling so bad.

I see people with some beautiful, flawless flowers and wish with all my heart that they were mine

Don't get discouraged...will get better each time you make them.

I'm still trying to make the Wilton Rose and have along ways to go.

As stated from the others, try thinning your icing and open your tip some.

Good luck and welcome to cake decorating

I would try thinning with a little corn syrup. Other than that, though, they look pretty good!

I would try adding a little more shortening/butter (which ever you use) so that way it won't be so dry but it won't thin it out to much either. You can add a little bit of water or corn syrup too but I would definitely add more shortening. Try it and see how it works.
Heather

I think your roses are good.....but then I NEVER make them because i tried them once and they so looked not good!!!

Ialways tell people lets put something other than flowers you would get at the grocery store! that seems to work for me ......

I thinki will have to retry with the tips in the thread....they seem to make sense has me thinking why didnt I think of that!

I just want you to make sure it is not the rose tip itself. Invest in another one and see if the same thing is happening, maybe the tip is jst not perfect. It is worth a try.

I had that problem when I took course I. My instructor made me make my icing so thick I got carpel tunnel syndrome and seizures just trying to squeeze my icing out of the bag. So I went home and I experimented. I made some roses the way she suggested and the others I made with icing that I added piping gel to. I went back To class the next week and I asked her which ones she prefered. She chose the ones with the piping gel added.


Experiment and see What works best for you.

Princess

I always add a little piping gel....it gives it a bit a elasticity to help smooth the edges of the petals.