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How to Make Buttercream Flowers: Roses and Peonies

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Let’s learn how to make buttercream flowers! With the right supplies, and a bit of practice, flower cake decorations are an easy skill to master. Buttercream roses and peonies are beautiful iced flowers to use for cake decorations whether on a celebration cake, cupcake, cookie, or other pastry.

I used these easy buttercream flowers on my recent heart shaped cream tart cake and bunny cream tart cake recipe, and both were a big hit! Whether you are a novice or someone who has experience with icing, I hope you’ll find these tips helpful.

Keep reading for a tutorial for piping buttercream roses and buttercream peonies, and be sure to check out the 14 posts featured at the bottom for creative ideas on decorating with peonies in your home. 

If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

How to Make Buttercream Flowers: Supplies

Buttercream Icing

Gel Food Coloring

Piping Bags

Couplers

Tip 104 (you can also use 120, 122, 125, 126, or 127)

Tip 352 (you can also use 349 or 68)

Flower Nail

2″ Squares of Parchment Paper

Baking Sheet

Offset Spatula

If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

Tips for How to Make Icing Roses

The first step in creating your buttercream flowers is making your icing. Scroll to the bottom of this post for my buttercream icing recipe. For piping buttercream flowers, you want to use a stiffer icing so I usually just add about 1/4 cup of extra powered sugar to the icing I’ll be using for my flowers.

After you have the desired consistency of icing, portion out your icing into separate bowls for each color you plan to create. You’ll want to set aside icing for your green leaves as well.

Add drops of gel food coloring to your bowls and mix together your icing. To achieve the ombre look that I used for my pink roses on this cake, I divided about 3 cups of icing in three bowls, I used 2 drops of red in the lightest pink bowl, 4-5 drops of red in the medium pink bowl, and 7-8 drops in the deeper pink icing bowl.

The icing will deepen over time so be careful not to go too deep with the color. If you ever find you added too much coloring, add white buttercream icing to your bowl to dilute your color. If you have liquid whitener food coloring on hand, you can use that to achieve a more pastel effect or dilute your color. Stir until fully combined.

Place each color in an icing bag with a coupler and get your tips ready for icing. I used tip 104 for my petals for both buttercream roses and buttercream peonies. I use tip 356 for my green leaves.

You’ll need a flower nail and you’ll want to cut 2″ squares of parchment paper for the number of flowers you want to create. I always create extra to use in case there’s a mishap when I’m applying them to my final surface area. You can always save your leftover buttercream flowers by storing them (with their parchment paper still attached) in an airtight container in the freezer.

While you are working with your piping bag, you want to be sure the icing doesn’t get too warm. When this happens, I pop my piping bag in the refrigerator for a few minutes. The warmer temperature of icing will impact your control of the petals when piping flowers.

The biggest factor in working with delicate icing decorations is learning the amount of pressure needed by your hand in squeezing the piping bag, and when to stop applying pressure. Once you get this down, you will have the foundation to create any icing decoration! Also, for buttercream roses and peonies, you want the smaller opening of your tip always angled up. 

If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

Once you have finished creating your flower cake decorations, place the flowers on a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer, and freeze the flowers for ease of separating from the parchment paper and placing on your final surface area. Your flowers won’t take long to freeze. When you pull the flowers out, using a offset spatula to separate them from your parchment paper. Add a dollop of fresh buttercream icing on the bottom of your flower and apply to your final surface area. If your flowers get to soft to handle, just pop them back in the freezer for a few minutes.

If you are icing flowers on cupcakes or cookies, you can pipe the flower directly on your cupcake or cookie and skip the parchment/flower nail step.

Once you’ve placed your flowers, use your green icing and icing tip 356 to add your leaves.

How to Make Buttercream Peonies

  1. Start with putting a small dot of icing on your flower  nail and placing a square of parchment on top. The icing will help keep your parchment in place. This step only needs repeating on future flowers when your parchment is no longer sticking to your flower nail.
  2. Create a dome of icing in the middle of your parchment square. This will be the base of your flower. Keep in mind that your dome also determines the size and height of your flower. I love to create different sizes to use, so I’ll typically make small, medium, and large buttercream flowers.
  3. Angle your hand inward, and start with creating three overlapping petals to cover the surface of your icing dome. Getting the right angle and consistency of icing will take practice, but once you get it down you can quickly create your flowers. If you make a mistake, you can often easily cover them up with additional icing. Otherwise, wipe the icing off your parchment (be sure to save it in case you need more at the end) and start again.
  4. You’ll want to have a paper towel or fresh hand towel available to keep your tip clean as you create subsequent petals.
  5. Create another row of overlapping petals, making short curves or arcs with your tip and be sure to angle inward toward your dome.
  6. The number of rows of petals will depend on the desired size of flower. I typically try to work in odd numbers, so the first row will have three petals, the second row will have five petals, the third row will have seven petals, etc.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

How to Make Icing Roses

Buttercream Roses are very similar to the steps above. The biggest difference is the shape of your dome and the angle of your hand when piping flowers.

  1. Start by creating a spiral of icing in the middle of your parchment square. Again consider the depth and height of your desired flower when creating your center.
  2. Using the same method of odd numbers above, create your arc shaped petals and for each row you will angle your hand more outward each time. The petals should overlap as you go. 
  3. I find there is a lot more room for error and creativity when making roses. You can make them more closed, or more open, and if you make a mistake on a petal it is easy to move on or cover it up with the next row.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

I hope this tutorial for How to Make Buttercream Flowers was helpful and fun. After practice and getting down both the amount of pressure needed in squeezing your piping bag, and the angle of your hand, I think you’ll find this skill very doable. I am currently working on perfecting use of Russian piping tips and plan to share a tutorial soon.

See below for my buttercream icing recipe, this amount should allow you to ice a full cake, along with setting aside your icing for piping flowers. Remember to add about a 1/4 cup (if using 3 cups of icing) to thicken the icing you are using for your flowers. 

Questions:

How to decorate flowers on a cake?
You can use any pattern or color you like when piping flowers! I recommend choosing a color palette and pulling together inspiration before you get started.

How to store your flower cake decorations?
Store the buttercream flowers in an airtight container in the refrigerator until use, or freezer up to six months. 

Can you put real flowers on a cake?
Yes, you can absolutely use fresh flowers. I recommend adding this element prior to the event, and storing in a cooler or refrigerator until ready to serve.

Yield: 9

Buttercream Icing

A festive and easy Easter dessert, this Easter Cream Tart Cake Recipe is almost too pretty to eat! With a buttery tart crust and cream buttercream filling, this bunny cream tart is fun to make and perfect for your Easter table!

A light and creamy buttercream icing that is perfect for any dessert!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 454 grams butter (1 lb)
  • 907 grams powdered sugar (2 lbs)
  • 10 ml vanilla extract (2 tsp)
  • 10 ml lemon juice (2 tsp)
  • 6 grams salt (1 tsp)

Instructions

  1. Combine butter, powdered sugar, and salt and mix until creamy.
  2. Combine vanilla extract and lemon juice and add to mixture.
  3. Mix together on medium until smooth and has a lighter texture.
  4. Divide into number of bowls for desired coloring. Add gel color and mix well.
  5. Place into piping bags and decorate.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag me @jennifermaune so I can see!

If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.If you've wanted to learn how to make buttercream flowers, here is a detailed tutorial for easy buttercream flowers including a vanilla buttercream icing recipe. Learn how to make a buttercream flower cake, buttercream roses, and buttercream peonies that can be used for your next birthday cake, cupcakes or iced cookies.

My talented friends have joined me in sharing ideas for decorating with peonies. You will love all the floral arrangements, decor, and craft ideas, so be sure to check out each post below!

How to Make a Simple Floral Arrangement – Happy Happy Nester // Free Peony Printable Art & Lock Screen Download – The DIY Mommy // DIY Potted Peonies in Milk Glass – Life Is Better At Home // How to Make a Felt Peony Basket – My 100 Year Old Home

Peony Tips & Tricks – Modern Glam // DIY Peony Line Drawing with a Sharpie – The Happy Housie // Tips for Creating a Peony Arrangement – A Blue Nest // How To Make Paper Peonies – The Handmade Home

Watercolor Peonies in Ginger Jar Art – Craftberry Bush // Easy Foraged Peony Arrangement – Zevy Joy // DIY Peony Canvas Art – My Sweet Savannah // Easy Peony and Lilac Arrangement – Inspiration For Moms

Iced Peonies: How to Make Buttercream Flowers – Jennifer Maune // DIY Paper Peonies – Taryn Whiteaker Designs // Easy Summer Mantel Styling With Florals – She Gave It A Go

Thanks so much for stopping by today! For more inspiration, follow me on InstagramPinterestLIKEtoKNOW.itFacebook,  and Twitter. Here is a pin to save this for later!

Here are creative and beautiful ideas for decorating with peonies. From floral arrangements, to crafts, to decor ideas, to how to make buttercream flowers, these peony decor ideas will get you ready for a beautiful summer!

Arkansas Lifestyle Blogger Jennifer Maune from Maune Legacy Blog

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