The reason I have never posted any cake decorating tutorials here before is because I really don't consider myself a cake decorator. I love to make cakes and if it just so happens that I am asked to decorate it a certain way, then I do so. I tend to keep my decorations very simple. I don't like over the top, excessive decorations that cannot even be eaten.
Today I have decided to share a bit of cake decorating because I think this technique is something that any homebaker can try doing - a buttercream rose wreath! It seems this type of decoration is trending lately. Quite lovely really.
To start with, you need to pipe lots of buttercream roses, preferably in different sizes. (Actually, you don't have to limit yourself to roses. A variety of flowers will look even lovelier.)
For the roses pictured above, I used the Swiss meringue buttercream with shortening recipe that I shared here a while back. If you have tried using this recipe and have had problems with it being too soft for piping, I suggest you use butter and shortening that are not too soft. The recipe works perfectly for me but you can certainly use whatever buttercream recipe that suits you!
After piping your roses, set them aside in the fridge to harden while you frost your cake.
My cake is a three-layered 8" cake. You can, of course, choose to decorate a smaller or larger cake. The larger it is, the more roses you will need.
Pipe a round border around the cake top about 1" in from the edge. Here I used a piping bag with a coupler but simply snipping off the end of your piping bag will work as well. This border is where your flowers will rest onto, so make it thick enough.
Once your roses have hardened, position them one by one on top of the border. Place them at different angles, some facing out, some facing in, some just upright.
Continue positioning the roses, placing the smaller sized ones in gaps, until you have gone around the entire edge.
Now fill the smaller gaps with leaves using green buttercream and a piping bag fitted with a leaf tip 352. Alternatively, you can also pipe tiny flowers like blossoms, hydraengeas,etc, to cover the gaps.
That looks quite pretty, doesn't it? Not perfect, but just the same, pretty.
Here is my finished cake. It's actually for a 70th birthday. Peach and fuschia are apparently the celebrant's favourite colours. (My fuschia is a little off, I think, but it will have to do!)
Clean and simple. Just the way I like it.
Hope you learned something new to try. Have a lovely weekend!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteLovely cake! I'm a fan of all of your cakes.
What is your technique in layering 2 different sized cakes? Do you finish the icing on both cakes and then position them? How do you make it look neat?
Thank you.
Pam
Yes, both cakes are iced smoothly before stacking them. I use a bench scraper and an angled spatula to make the finish as smooth as possible. Once stacked, the cakes are ready to be decorated.
DeleteAs it is very hard to simply describe the process of icing a cake and stacking them, I suggest you watch tutorials on YouTube. There are tons of them!
Hello Corinne,
ReplyDeleteButtercream wreaths are becoming a trend these days. I would usually have cake envy on cakes with tulip, peonies and babies' breath in buttercream. So glad you are making your own version of this.
As for your SMBC, I have tried making your recipe but it is too soft to pipe especially if I use crisco. Perhaps I will try a harder shortening when I get time to retry your recipe.
On your stacked cakes, are these all chiffon cakes? How are you able to stack them without pressing the base cake down?
Yes, all my stacked cakes are chiffon. I use the same method for stacking as with any other cake. I use bubble straws to support the top tier. The top cake doesn't press down on the bottom cake because it rests on the straws, not on the cake.
DeleteI have not tried doing more than two tiers, so I'm not really sure how chiffon would hold up when more cakes are stacked.
Nicely done, Corinne. I wish I could make roses as pretty as yours. I'm still having a difficult time piping the roses with the SMBC you posted. But yours look so pretty wish I could do the same.
DeleteMiss Corinne, i didn't see this post that's why i kept asking you questions on your filckr account. Anyway, this is exactly the cake i'm attempting to make. I'm practicing my roses using american buttercream. Will i still be able to pipe roses using the regular smbc recipe as i don't have high ratio shortening on hand? Kelangan po ba crusting buttercream pa din kahit po winter ang weather natin ngayon?
ReplyDeleteI just answered your questions on Flickr.
DeleteMy SMBC with shortening is not a crusting buttercream and I don't use hi-ratio shortening anymore, just all vegetable shortening (Solite). A regular SMBC will work just fine.
Thank you Ms. Corinne, i have read your answers to my questions on Flickr. The only shortening i have on hand is Copha, i mainly used it when making my fondant decorations. Fingers crossed,hopefully my attempt with all buttercream floral wreath cake will turn out ok.Thank you so much po.
DeleteCopha is no good for buttercream. You need a creaming shortening like Solite. It is mainly available in cake decorating shops. But as I said, you will be ok with regular SMBC. Good luck!
DeleteWhat piping tip did you use for the roses? Was it wilton? What number? Thanks
ReplyDeleteI used tip 124 for the roses. My piping tip is not branded but I am assuming it is the same size as Wilton's.
DeleteHi Corrine, just a asking your border I noticed they look so glossy . Did you add something to make it glossy? Thanks and i hope you're well now.
ReplyDeleteYou are referring to the pink ribbon? That is not icing but an actual tear (floral) ribbon.
DeleteThanks for the well wishes.
hi miss corrine, my family and friends love my caramel cake, i am so thankful for sharing your recipe, i just made it plain with only shell borders as decoration, i want to try buttercream rose wreath but i dont know what is the piping tip for rose wreath and can u share link for buttercream rose wreath tutorials on youtube, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI use a tip 124 for my roses.
DeleteJust google "buttercream rose wreath tutorial".
thank you miss corinne
DeleteHappy new year ms. Corinne. I will be attempting to make my first tiered chiffon cake. I have tried making a 2 tiered using moist chocolate cake and used the same method of inserting bubble straws to make it stable. My question is, do you insert a dowel at the centre of your tiered cake? Can't find a wooden dowel at our local cake decorating shop.
ReplyDeleteI've only done 2 tiers at the most so have not tried dowelling through the center. Maybe try looking at craft stores or even at Bunnings for dowels?
DeleteWill try and look for one at bunnings. Thank you ms. Corinne. One more question with colouring smbc, how much of the gel icing colour do you use to get that dark vibrant colour?
DeleteI don't really measure how much gel paste I use. I just add, mix, add, mix, until I achieve my desired colour. Just bear in my mind that the colour will deepen as the buttercream sits so you might want to hold back a little bit.
DeleteThanks so much ms. Corinne. Will keep that in mind.
DeleteI just want to know, how much would you normally sell a 6 inch or an 8 inch flower wreath cake like yours?
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I am not the best person to ask about pricing. My cakes are terribly underpriced.
Delete