Video: How to frost a rose on a cupcake

You’ll find the recipe for the cupcakes, frosting, and all the information you need to replicate these rose frosted cupcakes. 

how to frost a rose cupcake @createdbydiane

I love the pretty pink color and the smooth texture of this frosting, pink frosting is by far my favorite color, but luckily you can make your rose cupcakes in any color you would like, beige and cream color frosting really look pretty on cupcakes as well. Remember just a little color goes a long way!

Be sure to take a look at the how-to video I made so that you could easily replicate these cupcakes with rose frosting yourself. It will help you master these beauties!

One of my favorite memories as a kid is pink frosting. It’s funny how memories can linger on forever!

My mom made me a cake with pink frosting for one of my birthdays.

WOW was it pretty…

I remember every detail! I remember watching her pipe the edges and I appreciated the time it took her to make my cake so pretty.

I was all about PINK then (my whole room was pink including the carpet) and some things haven’t changed. My favorite color frosting is still pink.

Rose frosting looks good in so many colors you’ll have to give your favorite color a try and looks great on vanilla cupcakes or chocolate cupcakes! The recipe for this smooth silky American Buttercream Frosting is in the recipe card below.

how-to and recipes for rose cupcakes createdbydiane.com

If you like pink frosting don’t miss seeing this Pink Coconut Cake and my Fruity Pebbles Cake and these adorable Russian Rose Cupcakes, these have tiny roses all over them!

There is a lot of info in this post, including the recipes for my creamy buttercream frosting as well as cupcake recipes, tips tricks, and how-to. I’ve also updated this post with my cupcake guide, so be sure to check it all out!

My top 3 must-have cupcake baking items:

  • THIS is my favorite cupcake pan
  •  THESE  are my favorite cupcake liners 
  •  THESE  are the piping bags I use 

One of the best things about frosting cupcakes in pretty roses (or rosettes) is that it only takes a few seconds to frost each cupcake and once you get the hang of it you’ll be surprised how quickly you can a whole batch of cupcakes.

When you have a whole tray of cupcakes in front of you, with a few practice swirls you will be frosting roses in no time at all.

There are many reasons why these cupcakes are my all-time favorite,  I love chocolate cupcakes and pink frosting the contrast in colors is so pretty.

The dark liners on the cupcakes give them a really nice finished look. I like these Dark Brown Liners.

If you bake (or craft) a lot and often run out of counter space try THIS, rack it’s a real space saver I use it all the time for cookies, cupcakes, and even when we work when putting together puzzles, I spread out puzzle pieces onto baking sheets and stack them up to see everything easily!

Here is a great set of piping bags along with piping tips.

Don’t miss one delicious recipe and get my FREE e-cookbook click here!

A few tips when frosting these cupcakes:

  • practice on a piece of wax paper or the bottom of a cupcake pan, so you can scrape off the frosting and place it back into your frosting bowl and use it when you ar frosting your cupcakes. If the frosting gets warm from practicing, place it in the fridge for 5 minutes, you don’t want it cold, but you don’t want it warm either.
  • keep a damp towel nearby so you can wipe off the piping tip if it gets messy, don’t start piping if it’s already messy, it will only get worse as you pipe on the cupcakes
  • start in the same position of each cupcake, don’t reach over cupcake you’ll be more likely to mess them up. Move the tray of cupcakes or move your body so you’re in front of what you are doing. If your kitchen counter is too high, try your table.
  • you don’t need to pick up each cupcake, yes I do that in my video, so you can see what I’m doing. It is easier to place all the cupcakes on a baking sheet and pipe them that way. This method also avoids you handling each one after it’s piped.
  • If you do mess up on frosting a cupcake, don’t worry, just swirl it smooth with a spatula and add some sprinkles. Having some difference in a whole tray of cupcakes often adds interest and who doesn’t love some fun sprinkles!
How to decorate a Rose Cake @createdbydiane

This is one of my favorite cakes, it’s not only pretty it tastes AMAZING! There are different varieties of vanilla and it got RAVE reviews when I served it at a wedding!

  • When piping roses on a cake, you can either pipe them all flat, in a grid and even overlap them slightly or you can pipe them as I did, like in a bunch, the way you would see a grouping of roses in a vase, just reposition your hand so it’s at a different angle when piping and move around the cake when piping so it’s not in a specific pattern.
  • If there is a space where there is no rose and really not enough room to add one, just squeeze the frosting to create a dollop to fill in any open areas.
  • Take a look at the entire post here: Vanilla Wedding Cake
red white blue cupcakes @createdbydiane

These red, white, and blue cupcakes are fun and pretty.

Just take a box of white cake mix (or use this recipe for white cake) and separate the batter into three bowls and tint one red and one blue, leaving the third white.

Place the batter into plastic bags to make filling the cupcake pan easy and layer the batter in the cupcake pan, baking according to directions and allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Classic white frosting looks great on these as well.

If you want your frosting bright white, you can add some White Food Coloring, it works great!

Red White and Blue Cupcakes Tricolor rose frosting @createdbydiane #july4 #patriotic #cupcake

To create the tri-color frosting:

In one piping bag, from the tip to the end of the bag place each color of frosting carefully not to swirl them,

but keep them in lines do the red and blue on each outside edge and put white in the middle,

they will swirl when you pipe them and look great!

Alternately you can place the frosting on a piece of plastic wrap in lines and then gently roll the plastic wrap into a log and insert it into a piping bag. Then add on the piping tip and you’re all set to decorate the cupcakes.

Click to see the video: How to Frost a Rose Cupcake

and if you like watching food videos be sure to check out the rest of my videos on YOUTUBE.

The most often asked questions on frosting rose cupcakes:

  • What piping tip do you use: 2D piping tip…. (if you like seeing more of my favorite items look HERE)
  • Can I use another tip: yes, but the roses will look different. The 2D tip is a curved star tip with 6 prongs. You can PURCHASE the tip HERE
    This is the “nozzle” used to pipe the rose cupcakes, I find people searching for what piping tip to use to frost rose cupcakes, and what piping tip to use to frost rose cupcakes, and buttercream rose nozzle to find out what tip to use. It’s the 2D tip!

I also have a fun recipe for chocolate red-wine cupcakes that you could frost with a rose on top for a delicious and elegant dessert.

frosting cupcakes how-to's, tips, and recipes @createdbydiane

 

CHECK OUT my guide to CUPCAKES: frosting, tips, and tricks

If you’d still like more information on cupcakes I have an ebook that is just for YOU!  Click here>>> CUPCAKES TIPS TRICK’S & RECIPES to see what’s in the ebook, the cost is only $5.00 and it’s full of great information.

THIS is my favorite cupcake pan it bakes cupcakes nice and evenly without overcooking/browning them.

THESE are my favorite cupcake liners, they are greaseproof and look so pretty on cupcakes.

I use THESE piping bags and love them.

Below you’ll find the frosting recipe I used to make these cupcakes.

I’m SUPER excited to share with you the great news that my rose cupcake video has over 1 million VIEWS on youtube!

Thanks so much for watching. Be sure to sign up for my email updates so you won’t miss what I’ll make next.

Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

an easy recipe for American buttercream frosting, and options for hot weather. Great for cakes, cupcakes, to top cookies, and fill desserts with.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Frosting
Cuisine: Dessert
Servings: 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter if making it in hot weather use vegetable shortening
  • 4-6 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  • Beat butter until smooth add powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream.
  • Mix until smooth and creamy.
  • If it’s HOT outside and I don’t want the icing to flop I either mix 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening or all shortening.
  • Adjust powdered sugar if you add a lot of food coloring or extracts.
  • For very white frosting, use all shortening, and add a few drops of Americolor white food coloring or a tiny drop of lavender/purple food coloring to offset the yellow in the butter to make it bright white.

Notes

There are different brands of shortening, some are thicker and heavier than others. Depending on what consistency you want, choose accordingly.
Crisco tends to be heavy and thick,
Walmart’s store brand is light and fluffy.
There are also differences in butter, some stay thick and some are softer when whipped.
All these differences will affect the final outcome of your frosting.
I often make the frosting a day ahead of time along with the cupcakes, but pipe the frosting the day I’m serving the cupcakes.

 
pipe frosting like a pro how to and video with buttercream recipe createdbydiane.com
 
If you want to display your cupcakes on try this CAKE PLATE this three-tier cupcake stand  and if you’ll be traveling with your cupcakes don’t forget to get a Cupcake Carrier.
 
This frosting recipe is delicious with vanilla added this is one of my favorite vanillas,
I also love coconut, almond, and this lemon flavor but mostly if the cupcakes are vanilla.
 
ANOTHER great frosting recipe that is SO POPULAR on my website is this OREO FROSTING and it tastes fantastic.
 
If you like baking. maybe you’ll be interested in making cookies…
I’ve made my popular rose cupcakes into COOKIES
 
buttercream frosted rose cookies
 
 
chocolate rose frosted chocolate sugar cookies createdbydiane.com

AND take a look at the Chocolate version, chocolate cookies with chocolate buttercream recipes for the chocolate lover!

And if you like baking cookies, I have lots of tips, recipes, and info to share on cookies too…

 
You will find more recipes HERE

144 Comments

  1. You are so cute Diane! I love this. You should do more of these for the cooking-impaired like me 🙂

    xoxo
    Jen

  2. This was great. I have a few cake decorating tools, but have no idea to use them. I would love to be able to frost like you! Keep the videos coming.

  3. This is great Diane! I have been wanting to know how to do your beautiful rose cupckes. You make it look so easy. I think your voice sounds really nice and you look very pretty:) I always hate the way I sound in videos, though, too. I sound very nasally and have a bit of a Boston accent..not good..lol

  4. I think that was great! What I took from your video was that I should be frosting the cupcakes while they're in my hand, rather than while they're on the table. It made all the difference in the "flow" of the rose. Simple to some, but for whatever reason it hadn't occurred to me to do that! thanks, Diane

  5. Love the video and agree that seeing something like this is key as opposed to reading about it. Thanks for sharing with us!

  6. You made it looks so easy…but I know I'm going to mess this up! LOL But thanks for the video. Much better than a thousand words!

  7. Those are so pretty I thought they were made of material at first. Watched your video and you make it look so easy.
    mickey

  8. I am soooo glad that a link from the Idea Room led me here! I have seen the roses done in the same way on youtube but your roses are the only one's that I have seen done with the 2D tip and they are gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

  9. Hi Diane,
    Made your icing roses last night on cupcakes for a bridal shower I'm having this weekend. Very pretty and after a little practice, very simple!!! Thanks for the helpful video. Love your blog!
    Susan

  10. Omg! Thaaaaaank u soooo much for this!! Your video was great and I love how easy and fast your technique is! How did you get two tone in your bag? Mine all mixed together into a big mess of a new color! Thaaanks! Also would love your buttercream recipe, if u have a good one. Thanks again! Will definitely look for more of ur videos!

    1. I just swiped each colol on the opposite sides od the piping bag, leaving the center to mix together on it’s own. The buttercream recipe I use is 1 cup butter to 4 or 5 cups powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons milk and a teaspoon vanilla. For white frosting use shortening and clear vanilla. If it’s hot when you make frosting or you think it will be too soft just use shortenin, sometimes I use half butter half shortening, depends on how I want it to taste and the weather:) hope that helps let me know if you need more info. -Diane

  11. I can’t pipe for the life of me! 🙂 Thank you for doing this… I will most definitely follow your instructions!

  12. Hi Diane would you share your frosting recipe you used yo create the lovely rose design? I just looks so perfect and smooth!
    Thanks

    1. I typically use salted as I am like the contrast in flavor, but I’ve used unsalted and it’s very delicious too 🙂

  13. Diane, I made your cupcakes for Valentines. Your tutorial was a great help. I have linked your tutorial to my post which will go live on Monday if you would like to see it. Thanks so much!

  14. Pingback: Rose cupcakes | The Cupcake Blogs
  15. Diane- I am eager to try your roses for a baby shower this weekend! You mentioned that I should use shortening for the icing if the weather is hot. How much? Do you just substitute it for the amount you would have used for the butter? Also have you ever used butter flavor shortening? Curious.

    1. Hi Esther,
      Yes substitute equal parts shortening for butter. You can do 1/2 butter 1/2 shortening, or all shortening.
      I do not like the taste of butter flavor shortening and it’s very yellow, so if you need white or a light color the yellow will effect it. You can certainly add extracts to give a different flavor, lemon, orange, almond, raspberry, mint. The possibilities are endless there.

  16. It looks easy, and I would like to have a go at it myself, but I would have liked to have seen what type of nozzle you were using to do this.

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  18. Hi Diane! I agree with your statement about someone or somebody will grab/steal your photo without any permission, it’s good that now we can water mark photos 🙂 Thanks for sharing your techniques and recipes…

  19. 5 stars
    Thanks so much for this wonderful idea. I am trying this for my parents 55th Anniversary. I’ll let you know how it goes!

  20. I loved your video, thank you. I have to ask you about butter cream mine after its done you can feel the icing sugar still crunchy and i used different types ,and its the the same .is it normal to feel it?

    1. no the sugar should not be gritty, are you using powdered/confectioners sugar? it’s sounds like you’re using granulated sugar. Powdered sugar is super fine and fluffy. If when you are making it the icing is on the dry side add a bit of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon, not to much or it will become soupy. Let me know what kind of sugar you are using and we’ll try to problem solve and find out what is going wrong. Are you mixing it with a mixer? Is the butter at room temperature?

    2. hello again, the sugar i use is icing sugar ,i even sometimes grind it myself to make sure sugar is fine, ,and butter at room temperature, and i use a mixer ,well sugar is not gritty but you can feel it , little crunchy which i don’t like it ,i wish you can help me with this matter, thank you

    3. I consider icing sugar to be the same as powdered sugar and it has the same consistency as powder not gritty at all and would melt on your tongue.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdered_sugar
      If that is the type of icing sugar you are using and you still feel you are getting a gritty texture, you could add a bit more heavy cream to it.
      Another option is a different frosting. Italian Buttercream is a buttery type of frosting, less sweet and silky smooth. Here is my post on Italian Buttercream https://www.createdby-diane.com/2012/12/how-to-make-italian-buttercream-frosting.html
      If you’d like more help, please let me know. You could reduce the amount of sugar you are using and see if that helps. I am thinking it’s the type of sugar. I linked to a photo of powdered sugar.
      The Italian Buttercream Frosting may be the way to go 🙂
      Hope that is somewhat helpful.

  21. Pingback: How to frost a rose on a cupcake, video | Created by Diane | Romance and Romantic | Scoop.it
  22. Can you do the rose technique with a chocolate ganache? I want to make this espresso cupcake with a dark chocolate ganache, but the only way to make it pretty is to put the ganache on nice. I wanted to decorate it, but with it being so dark, I am finding a hard way to without adding another flavor component.

  23. This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I’ve found something that helped me. Cheers!

  24. Diane, Thank you so much for sharing your techniques. I thoroughly agree with your statement. Stealing someone else’s ideas is still stealing. I also own my business, Cheesecakes Unlimited. The majority of my cheesecakes are my own recipes, this also goes for the special names that they have. Wishing you the very best.

  25. Just wondering, how many cupcakes can you ice with 1 batch of your icing recipe? Trying to figure out if I need a whole recipe.

    1. This makes enough frosting to pipe the roses onto 24 cupcakes. (about 3 tablespoons of frosting on each cupcake if I recall my measurements correctly) Hope that is helpful. ~Happy Baking!

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  28. 5 stars
    Love your recipe and how to frost the roses but, you don’t have patients unless you’re a doctor. I believe you meant patience.

  29. I am curious what food coloring, brand and color you used to get the beautiful pink color you used in your instruction video and photos?

    1. I use Americolor food coloring. It’s available at cake/baking supply stores as well as Amazon if you are unable to find it near you. Those roses were made with soft pin and egg yellow. The colors deepen the long the frosting rests (keep that in mind when mixing)

  30. I”m gonna try or not, but this looks so delicious & colourful, even i tried too, I’m not sure about to get texture like this,

  31. How weird. I had NO idea it was this easy to do. My grandma used to frost roses and other flowers on all her cakes, and I don’t ever remember her telling me how she did it.

    Thanks for the video 🙂 Know what my next cupcakes are going to look like 🙂

    1. These roses are way easier that piping each petal of a rose, which is a more traditional way of piping roses. Hope you enjoy them!

  32. Thanks so much! I love how your buttercream looks. It looks so creamy! n flawless.. Will try your recipe next time for sure.. Thanks again 🙂

  33. This is so great, I just love these rose cupcakes, so pretty. Thanks for all the info, wow this post is power packed.

  34. THIS is such a great post, I love all the details and recipes and I just love how pretty these rose cupcakes are, thanks so much.

  35. These rose cupcakes are gorgeous, you have the best recipes, I can’t wait to make these in white for a party I’m going to this weekend.

  36. These cupcakes are so beautiful, I’ve seen some roses before but these are stunning. I’ll be making them for my family this week.

  37. Really much detailed guide on How to frost a rose on a cupcake. I must appreciate the efforts of yours.. Thanks again for sharing this so much detailed and step by step guide.

  38. Thank you so much for all this great info on the rose cupcakes, I am always looking for up my decorating skills!

    1. I always laugh when I get comments like yours. It’s my website and I’ll write what I like, after 10 years of writing this blog it never ceases to amaze me that someone would take the time to make a snide comment instead of building others up, there are always those types of people that like to tear things down. It’s not that hard to scroll to the point you want to read, or read faster, or skim a post to get to the information you’d like.
      Wishing you a wonderful day!

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  40. 5 stars
    WOW, this is so simple. I made cupcakes this weekend and they turned out so well. I can’t wait to make them again. The frosting was nice and smooth and the cupcakes tasted great. Thank you so much for simplifying this all for me.

  41. I can’t thank you enough for making this so simple, I can’t believe in just a couple tries I got it right on the third cupcake. I will be making these again and again. I love your recipes and now signed up for emails and look forward to seeing all your new recipes!
    Thanks so much Diane,
    Erin

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