Easy buttercream flowers for the absolute beginner
These easy buttercream flowers are the perfect project for the buttercream newbie. Even if you've never piped a flower before, these 5 petal flowers are easy to make!
What kind of buttercream is best to use to make buttercream flowers?
You'll probably be shocked to find out that you can pipe with pretty much ANY kind of buttercream, whipped cream or ganache. A stiffer buttercream like American Buttercream will be more stable against heat but the petal edges will be a bit more jagged because of the extra powdered sugar. Another bonus is after they crust, they are harder to damage.
I like using easy buttercream frosting to pipe my flowers because the edges are smoother but they are more susceptible to heat. You can replace half or all of the butter in my easy buttercream frosting recipe to make the flowers stronger.
Easy buttercream flower pro-tip - Make sure your buttercream is smooth and bubble-free by mixing your buttercream on low with the paddle attachment for 10-15 minutes after you make it.
What tools do you need to make buttercream flowers?
To make easy buttercream flowers. You only need a few tools. I got mine a Michaels but you can also find these pretty easily online.
- Flower nail
- Piping bag
- Coupler (optional)
- #104 piping tip
- #3 piping tip (optional)
- #352 leaf tip (optional)
- Parchment paper squares cut to 3"x3"
- Cookie sheet or pan for freezing
- Food coloring (optional)
How do you make easy buttercream flowers?
- Cut your parchment into small squares (about 3"x3")
- Color your buttercream. I used electric pink food coloring and regal purple from Americolor
- Unscrew the coupler and place the larger piece into the piping bag. Cut off the tip of the piping bag so that half of the coupler can fit through the hole.
- Attach your 104 piping tip to the coupler and screw on the cap to secure the tip
- Fill your bag with your preferred color of buttercream.
- Put a little bit of buttercream on your piping nail to attach a parchment square
- Hold the piping tip so the fattest part of the tip is at the center and the thin part is facing outward.
- Making a small "U" shape, pipe your first petal, starting and stopping from the center.
- Rotate your nail and pipe the next petal. Continue until you have piped 5 petals.
- Remove the flower from the nail by lifting up the parchment and placing it onto a cookie sheet. We will freeze the buttercream flowers before placing them onto the cake.
Easy buttercream flower pro-tip - Practice 10-15 flowers FIRST before you try to keep any of them. You will learn quickly about how hard you need to squeeze and improve your technique. Just scrape the practice flowers back into the bowl.
That's it! That's how you make easy buttercream flowers. I made my flowers for an upcoming wedding cake re-do were I re-create my first wedding cake! So keep an eye out for that tutorial.
In the meantime, if you're ready to check out some more awesome buttercream flowers, be sure to watch this buttercream flower cake tutorial from guest instructor Danette Short. It's free!
Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 24 oz unsalted butter room temperature. You can use salted butter but it will affect the taste and you need to leave out additional salt
- 24 oz powdered sugar sifted if not from a bag
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 oz pasteurized egg whites
- 1 TINY drop purple food coloring (optional) for whiter frosting
Instructions
- Place egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low and then whip on high for 5 minutes
- Add in your butter in chunks and whip with the whisk attachment to combine. It will look curdled at first. This is normal. It will also look pretty yellow. Keep whipping.
- Let whip on high for 8-10 minutes until it's very white, light and shiny.
- Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles. This isn't required but if you want really creamy frosting, you don't want to skip it.
Margot de los Santos says
Love your work???
The Sugar Geek Show says
Aww thank you so much Margot!
Heidi says
What if I cannot buy pasteurised egg white? Any recommend means to pasteurise them?
Brenda Marsden says
Absolutely love your easy buttercream. By far the smoothest and tastiest! Above you reference replacing (for stiffer icing) half or all the butter but not sure with what?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Oh sorry about that, replace half the butter with vegetable shortening for very hot climates 🙂
Brenda A says
I made your smbc and it turned out beautifully, i placed it in a air tight contain In the fridge. This morning i went to mix my color to practice your flower tutorial and it just keep melting, its about 65 degrees in my house its usually cool and no matter what it would just not stay to make a flower. I followed the recipe to a t and the tutorial, not sure what i did wrong.
The Sugar Geek Show says
Did you re-mix it to make it smooth again? You could just be holding it too long in your hand and making it too hot.
Liz says
Can this recipe measurements be cut in half to make a smaller serving size ?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes it can be
Kelly Merrell says
Liz - love your channel. Can you recommend a brand of disposable piping bag? I've tried several that are too flimsy and am tired of wasting money.
Thanks a bunch.
Elizabeth Marek says
I really love the bags from truly mad plastics https://trulymadplastics.com/
pat says
Love your channel and recipes i would like to know with the cake box recipe with sour cream and you add instant pudding in the mix too
Elizabeth Marek says
No, there is no instant pudding added. Instant pudding is just milk, sugar, and gelatin. There isn't a reason to add that.
Jarina L Branch says
Love your work. Instead of parchment paper, can I use foil?
Elizabeth Marek says
Yes you can
Regina T Kunschman says
Wonderful! As always!!!
Maja says
How long can you keep the flowers in the freezer? Would a week be ok?
Elizabeth Marek says
Oh yea, definitely
Allain says
Is the eggwhite raw?
Sugar Geek Show says
They're pasteurized egg whites, so heat treated and are safe to eat without cooking. Like how milk is pasteurized.
Ela says
I am allergic to diary, is there a replacement for the butter that I can use for this recipe?
Elizabeth Marek says
You can use earth balance butter or crisco
Elaina says
Would avocado or coconut cream work as a substitute for the butter in this butter cream recipe?
Sugar Geek Show says
I'm not sure, I haven't tried it. I know that people have used vegan butter with success for this recipe.