Icing Cupcakes (the easy way!)
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| Vanilla Chai Cupcakes |
I spent a long time thinking that beautifully iced cupcakes were out of my reach. Sure other bloggers and bakers could do it, but me and my lack of artistic talent sure couldn’t. Imagine my surprise when I realized that it’s really not as hard as it looks! In fact, it’s even easier than using a knife to spread the icing on.
All it takes is a pastry bag and the right tip. It took me a long time to figure out that the missing key was the right tip. For big swirls like you see on these cupcakes, you need a tip with a big opening. Eventually I went to Michael’s, stood in the cake decorating section and pondered my choices. I finally figured out that the easiest thing to do was search a decorating book for the look I wanted, find out what tip the decorators used, and just buy what they recommended. My tip of choice for what you see here is a Wilton 1M tip, but any star tip with a large opening will work.
To get the look of the above cupcakes, first attach your tip to your pastry bag and fill the bag with frosting. (I like to hold the bag loosely in my hand and fold the excess out over my hand to make it easier to fill.) Then, simply start from the outside of the cupcake and make a swirl of frosting around the top of the cupcake, working from the outside to the center. If you think it seems complicated, it’s actually much easier than it sounds. It might take one or two cupcakes to practice, but I promise you’ll have professional looking cupcakes in no time.
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| Mini Colorful Chocolate Cupcakes |
To make the icing “roses” you see above, I did the same thing I just described, but started the icing in the center of the cupcake and swirled out around it. Still simple, and it gives you a slightly different, daintier look.
Good luck, and let me know if you have any other tips for fancy icing!
If you’re looking for more inspiration, Katie from Good Life Eats posted a great kitchen tip on cupcake piping last week, and Jen from My Kitchen Addiction has a great picture tutorial for frosting cupcakes. I learned the “rose” design from Amanda from I am Baker who has a great rose cake tutorial on her site – can’t wait to try that one!
Oh, and I also posted a review about the Wilton cake decorating class that I attended. In short – I loved it and learned a lot! You may want to consider it in the future if you haven’t gone!
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| Black Magic Cream Filled cupcakes |
Welcome! I'm Megan and it's my hope that here you'll find food that has been made with love and recipes that are shared with joy. Thanks for stopping by! 
Ahhhh the vanilla chai cupcakes look yummy! I have to make those- I think I actually have all of the ingredients on hand from a 'chai crunch' I made last fall. Thanks for the tips!
Lovely cupcakes…U r seriously very good with baking 🙂
Hmmm – these could not look more gorgeous! And delicious!
Great job- so pretty! 🙂
I am horrible at icing cupcakes, I am saving this for future reference:-)
I'm saving this for future reference too, thanks Megan!
Beautiful! It always seems more complicated than it really is, doesn't it? Thanks for sharing!
I want cupcakes now….mmm
I am god-awful at icing cupcakes and basically decorating any baked goods in general. Thanks for these tips!
Thanks for the icing tips! You just made me really hungry too 🙂
The 1M tip has changed my life. Or at least my cupcakes. If you ever see any of the other 1-level tips like 1F out there in the wilderness, snatch them up. I found one at Goodwill once and it makes for a cute look too.
I absolutely love love your blog!! I have been looking for someone to show me how easy piping can be, just got tips and bags from Micheals and I am ready to roll!! Thanks!!!
http://www.elliecartebaking.blogspot.com
Hey Megan, Thanks for stopping by Yummy Supper so that I could find your blog! I am drooling over the cream filled cupcakes!
-E
Nice tips, Megan. I'm always so jealous of the beautifully decorated cakes and cupcakes!
Great decorating tips, always appreciate all the help I can get.
I just bought a 1M for my churros a few days back. I absolutely love that tip! Great post Megan!
great tips, megan. i'll definitely have to revisit this in the future. 🙂
Yours look so great! You make it look easy, thanks for the tip!