Cupcakes and smiles go hand in hand. Like any good outfit, they can be dressed up or down. Simple or elaborate. For the purpose of today’s blog, we’re sticking to the basics. I wanted to put together some information on the tips and the other tools that are used to frost a simple cupcake. This is a how-to on frosting cupcakes.
In the picture above, there are 4 different tips that can be used for frosting cupcakes. I will give you the tip numbers but keep in mind that different companies number them differently, so sometimes you’ll have to go off the look of the tip. The top left is a 6st, a large open star. The top right is an 8B. As you can see, it has many more prongs. The bottom left is a 2D. It is a star shape as well, but the prongs are closed to create the ruffle. Then, the bottom right is a 2A. It is a standard smooth frost tip.
In the photo, I also have a couple of 12″ plastic decorating bags and one large 18″ decorating bag, along with a jumbo coupler. The coupler has two different size rings to fit the larger tips. The only time the coupler is necessary is when you want to change designs and use the same decorating bag. Otherwise, you can put the tip right down in the decorating bag. I will show both ways.
Prepping the bags.
In this set of pictures, I put the tip directly into the bag. The new bag comes to a point and will need to be trimmed to fit. The second picture shows the trimmed bag. You’ll want to make sure you trim it closer to the opening of the tip. If you cut the plastic too low, you will risk the tip shooting out when you start pipping. The third picture shows an easy way to fill the bag with frosting by opening it around a tall skinny glass. As you become more experienced, you might find it quicker to use your hand instead of the glass.
In the first picture of the set, I trimmed the 18″ bag and inserted the jumbo coupler. If this were a reusable bag made from cloth, then it would forever be cut to fit the larger tips. There are three different size tips I can use with this coupler, and I have lined them up by size and placed the corresponding collar in front. I use the large open star tip first and placed it on the tip of the coupler, then screwed the collar into place over the tip. Now the bag is ready to fill with frosting.
The How-to
The next step is to frost the cupcakes. I have taught this step many times over the years, and some people get it right away, and some need practice. The best way to practice is to pipe onto wax paper. Draw a circle about the size of a cupcake onto paper and tape it down, then cover it with wax paper. Scrape the frosting back into your bowl when you’re done and try again.
For piping a swirl, start on the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe around until you have reached where you started. Then, lift up and closer to the center, following the original line. You will most likely get two full circles. It should look similar to soft-serve ice cream. The key is to squeeze the frosting bag with even pressure as you move in the circle. Then once you’ve reached the top, release the squeeze before pulling away from the cupcake.
Frosting the Cupcakes
Before frosting the cupcake, twist the bag just behind the frosting, as you see at the beginning of this video. It is a natural place to fit the palm of your hand. Place the twist between your thumb and pointer finger. The tighter you keep the twist, the more pressure it builds up and the less your hand has to work. Another trick is to not overfill the bag, making it easier to pipe. If you have to squeeze the bag to death, then your frosting may be too thick. Squeezing too hard makes your hand shake and can mess up your design. Just squeeze it all out into your bowl and thin it a little with whatever liquid your recipe calls for. Then refill the bag.
This video shows the style of each tip. They are all very different, but the piping motion is the same. When using a crusting buttercream, it’s best to add sprinkles immediately. Once it crusts, the sprinkles will not sick and end up on the counter, so don’t frost them all, then go back and sprinkle them. It won’t work.
Once you get the hang of it, frosting cupcakes can be lots of fun. Remember to be patient with yourself when learning something new. Good luck and happy frosting!
