How to Make a Rosebud With Buttercream

Adding buttercream roses adds decorative flourish to cakes.

A buttercream frosted cake adds a special touch to any birthday, anniversary or other celebration. Adding frosting rosebuds not only makes the cake special, it allows the cook to show off their skills, which could lead to opportunities as a caterer or pastry chef. Frosting rosebuds can be created using common pastry tools, such as pastry bags and decorating tips. Does this Spark an idea?

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Buttercream icing
Cake turntable (optional)
Pastry bags
Decorator tips
Paper towels
Flower nail
Wax paper
Kitchen shears
Offset spatula

Instructions

- 1
  
  Ice the cake in buttercream frosting. Place the cake on a cake turntable, if possible.
- 2
  
  Place a round decorating tip, such as a No. 10, in a canvas or plastic pastry bag.
- 3
  
  Choose a light-colored frosting similar to rose colors, such as pink, yellow, red or white. Fill the pastry bag with the frosting and roll the bag down the tip to remove air bubbles in the frosting. Remove excess frosting from the tip with a paper towel.
- 4
  
  Take a sheet of wax paper and cut it into small squares. Place the wax paper piece on top of a flower nail.
- 5
  
  Place the pastry bag in your dominant hand. Take the flower nail and hold it between the forefinger and thumb of your other hand. Squeeze a small drop of frosting in the center of the nail at a 90-degree angle. Rotate the nail as you slowly squeeze frosting in the center to form the flower's base. Repeat the process, raising the decorator tip higher as you make your way around. Make one final pass and raise the tip slightly higher than the previous pass; you should end up with a round base that is tapered at the top and about twice as high as the rose petal tips.
- 6
  
  Use another pastry bag with a petal decorating tip, such as a No. 125. Angle the bag at 45 degrees and squeeze while turning the flower nail clockwise. Place the tip on the frosting base and squeeze, moving slightly upward to create a petal. Repeat two more times.
- 7
  
  Repeat Step 6 to form the four additional outer petals. Angle the petals slightly toward you to give them an open appearance.
- 8
  
  Repeat Step 5 -- continuing to use the No. 125 petal decorating tip -- to create six additional rose petals on the final outer layer, angled even more slightly toward you than the previous petal layer. Remove the wax paper square from the nail and slide the frosting rose into position using an offset spatula.