Trying to get back into making cakes again after a couple of years off. My roses look terrible. The petal edges are all ridged, not smooth. I don't understand what is causing this. I use tip 104 and 103. I put the wider end to the bottom and the narrow end on top. Do I need to get new tips? Appreciate any help.

You need a bit more fat (butter or Crisco) in the recipe. It is too stiff.
I must be the only person who LOVES when roses have ragged edges. To me they look more natural

If you've owned your tips for many years, sometimes the narrow end of the tip closes slightly from storage. Slightly opening the end will help. Kakeladi suggestions will really help. I also love the ragged edge on buttercream flowers, lovely.

Thank you for the tips. I will try both. I know lots of people like the rough edges, I do to but these are pretty bad. Really appreciate the help.

Your batter is too stiff. I too love these roses. My niece wanted the "ruffled" roses for her wedding cake. I made 141 and my hand has never been the same! But, she loved them...

All great advice above.

If you still have problems after adjusting your icing and opening your tip #104, you might try using tip #124 instead.

My test for icing used for roses...

Take a little bit of the icing and roll it up in a ball and hold it between your first finger and thumb. Now squish the ball a little.

If it does not feel sticky or tacky to you, you need to make it more creamier. You can do this by adding more crisco, like mentioned above, usually about a tablespoon per cup of icing, or you can add piping gel, about a teaspoon per cup.

You need icing that is sticky or tacky, but where a lot of it does not stick to your finger, that could be too soft.

Another issue, is that often we don't squeeze the bag hard enough and/or are turning our flower nails too fast. This will cause the icing to pull and stretch creating the ruffled edge. So squeeze harder, work faster and think less about each individual step of the rose.

TexasSugar said: .....Another issue, is that often we don't squeeze the bag hard enough and/or are turning our flower nails too fast. This will cause the icing to pull and stretch creating the ruffled edge. So squeeze harder, work faster and think less about each individual step of the rose. ............

Having been away from teaching for some 8 yrs I had forgotten about this.....you are sooooo right!

Many beginners aren't squeezing hard enough. Since this OP hasn't decorated for a couple of yrs she is 1) a bit older and maybe weaker from lack of use of the hand; 2) doesn't remember just how much pressure it takes
Mostly I bet it's just that she is out of practice and needs to get just the right consistency.

I have the hardest time making pretty roses when I'm teaching the steps because I move slower than i would if I was just doing them. Little, easy things to change, do effect the out come.