Cupcake Decorating 101

A cupcake arrangement is a nice edible centerpiece for your dessert table. Easy decorating techniques you can learn in minutes. It’s time to get creative and have some delicious and beautiful-looking cupcakes.

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materials for decorating the cupcakes

materials you need

  • OFFSET SPATULA –  this is an angled spatula that makes stirring or mixing easier
  • RUBBERBANDS – this is use for closing the top of the bag to secure the icing
  • LEAF TIP #352 – when you look at it side ways, it looks like an open aligator’s mouth. It is use to pipe leaves around the flowers.
  • ROUND TIP #4 – the tip is round and ideal for filling the center of a flower
  • STAR TIP #22 – a star tip can be used to pipe borders, shells, swrils, rosettes, or drop flowers. 
  • ROSE OR PETAL TIP #104 – petal tip looks like a teardrop, the base of the tip is wide and the top is tapered. It is mostly use for making roses. Use the tapered top to make beautiful petals. 
  • COUPLERS – couplers are use to interchange the tip. It let you use different types of tips with the same color and consistency. 
  • DECORATING BAG – it is use to hold the frosting and let you pipe the icing easily
  • SCISSORS – are use for cutting the tip of a piping bag
  • BOWLS – are use to mix the colors of your icing
pink cupcake flower

how to pipe a nice bloomsom using a petal decorating tip

  1. Use the petal tip #104
  2. Fill the decorating bag with your favorite colored buttercream.
  3. Hold the bag gently in a forty five degree angle.
  4. Tip #104 has wide base and the top is tapered. Hold the bag with the tapered top.  
  5. Gently squeeze the bag and pipe to form a double petal. Make double loop strokes for each petal.
  6. As you pipe the petals, turn the cupcake to fill the whole top with a flower decoration
purple cupcake flower

how to pipe a flower on top of the cupcake using a star tip

  1. Use a star tip #22
  2. Fill a decorating bag with your favorite colored buttercream.
  3. Hold the bag in a forty five degree angle.
  4. Gently squeeze the bag, and pull down as you pipe to form a petal.
  5. Keep turning the cupcake as you continue to pipe the petals around.
  6. Ideally you form 5-6 petals to make a nice flower on top of the cupcake using the star tip.
  7. You can also use tip #22 for borders, swrils, shells, rosettes, and drop flowers. 

watch how to make it

recipe

American Buttercream

Jen Paleracio
A delicious frosting or filling for your cakes and cupcakes. Light and creamy vanilla-flavored icing.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • Mixer
  • Offset spatula
  • Mixing bowls
  • Decorating bags
  • Couplers

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup or 2 sticks of butter, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Use a mixer with a whisk attachment. Place the butter into the mixing bowl, mix on medium-high for a minute or until creamy.
  • Turn the mixer to a very low speed and gradually add the powder sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure the butter and sugar are all incorporated. Add the heavy cream and vanilla.
  • Turn the mixer on high, continue mixing for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
  • Fill your decorating bag with buttercream, use couplers, and any tip you like. Start decorating your cupcakes.

Notes

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Tag @leanbellaskitchen and hashtag #leanbellaskitchen
Keyword buttercream, cake, chocolate cupcakes, frosting

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Hi there! Nice to meet you. My name is Jen.

I’m a mom of 2 wonderful girls. I love to prepare and cook home-cooked meals. Cooking and planning your meals might sound like another chore added to your already long list of things to do. Believe me, I’ve been there. However, cooking more meals at home is worth all the effort.  After years of cooking for my family and teaching culinary classes, I can honestly say that I have more control over the quality of the ingredients I use. That means I’m eating a lot better. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t have to eat the same thing repeatedly. There are ways we can do to naturally enhance the flavor of our food and enjoy home-cooked meals. 

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