How To Frost Cupcakes Like A Pro

If you’ve ever wondered how to frost a cupcake, then these easy tips we’ve put together will have you frosting your baked goods like a professional in no time! Actually frosting cupcakes is easier to do than people think. With the right technique and tools, you can be an expert in decorating your own cupcakes using smooth and creamy frosting in no time.

Learn How To Frost Cupcakes Like A Professional

Today I’ll be sharing with you how to frost cupcakes the easy way. Before you know it, you will be making cupcakes for any occasion and wowing not only your family but yourself at what you can do. There is no limit as to what you will be able to create with these simple tips.

One tip to remember is that you have to have a good buttercream recipe that is extremely easy and always turns out perfectly. If your buttercream doesn’t turn out, the decorations won’t either. Your buttercream is your base. Without that, your decorations won’t turn out.

Expert Tips, Ingredient List and Suggestions for Recipe Success

• Buttercream – Some bakers will swear by Italian buttercream. However, I think that the American buttercream recipe is easier to make and less time-consuming so for this tutorial, we will use the recipe for the American buttercream; which you will find at the bottom of this post.
• After you make your frosting, lay out your piping bags and tips. Then prepare your piping bag. To do this, you need to cut the end of the bag by using scissors and insert the piping tip down into the bag. Always remember to snip off the end of the bag just enough for the piping tips to get through it. I made a lot of mistakes in doing this before. I used to cut big holes at the end of the piping bag that got too much of the frosting out, and the outcome was a mess! There’s no fun in that I assure you.
• In filling your bag with frosting, the easiest way is to place your piping bag in a large cup or drinking glass, then fill the bag no more than 2/3 full of frosting then lift it out of the cup. At this point, you need to push down the frosting all the way to the bottom of the bag and then twist the top of the bag where the frosting ends and use a twist tie or bag ties to prevent the frosting from coming out when you start to squeeze it for piping.
• Also, when piping always holds the bag straight with a 90-degree angle. Leave about a 1 cm gap between the tip to cupcake then pipe from inside out to make a rose, for example, or reverse way from outside to the middle with a plain tip to design your cupcakes. There are many ways you can play with buttercream frosting.

Key Supplies You Will Need

There are some key supplies that you will need. The great thing about tips is that they aren’t expensive so you can build up your stash quickly. My suggestion is to get a few of each size so you can make up multiple bags of frosting so you don’t have to stop while you are decorating to make up a new bag or clean out one bag/tip to fill a new bag.

The ones that I use the most are the 6 wing-star nozzles (Ateco 825, 848, 863) and a plain tip Ateco 807.

Can You Pipe Frosting Using a Ziploc Bag?

Yes, you can. However, you can’t use a tip and you may not get the results you want. So while it’s doable, it’s better to just make the small investment in a lot of pastry bags.

Can I Frost Them the Day Before I Need Them?

Yes, you can. However, it’s best to enjoy your cupcakes within 48 hours after making them.

How Do You Store Them If You Make Them The Night Before

In an air-tight container on the counter.

High Star Swirl

I used the Ateco 848 closed star tip on this.

Instructions

Step 1: I start by piping a dollop at the center of the cupcake. You can do this by holding the bag in a vertical angle to the cupcake.

Step 2: Put some pressure on the piping bag to allow a little frosting to come out, then pull up the bag and away from the cupcake then release the pressure. The dollop will be your guide for the next step, and it will also assist the additional frosting on top not crumble in the center.

Step 3: Moving around the dollop in the center, you can begin frosting the cupcake around the edge.

Step 4: When you finished a full circle, you can create the next rotation by moving the bag in an inward position then continue piping inwardly until you reach three full rotations then finish off by adding a small circle on top.

Step 5: Once you’re on top, release the pressure and gently pull the bag away.

Rosette look – A flat rose

I used the Ateco 825 open star tip for this.

The great thing about making this look is that it’s actually a lot more comfortable then the style above.

Instructions

Step 1: Start by piping a dot in the center of the cupcake then continue piping around the dot until you have covered the top of the cupcake.

Step 2: Once you reached and covered the edge of the cupcake completely with frosting, release the pressure from the bag and gently lifted it away.

High Plain Swirl Circle

For this look, I used the Ateco 807 piping tip.

Instructions

Step 1: Hold the bag in a vertical position to the cupcake.

Step 2: You will start by piping a full circle at the outer edge of the cupcake.

Step 3: Then as you complete the first rotation, place the piping bag slightly inward to create another circle then continue piping until you reached three full circle rotations plus a small one on top.

Step 4: Release the pressure on the and lift the bag gently away from the cupcake.

What Is An Offset Spatula and How to Use It

If you’ve never used an offset spatula before, this is a tool that you must add to your kitchen!

Instructions

Step 1: To begin, hold the cupcake in your left hand and the spatula in your right. This will give you a good view of the cupcake so you can spread the frosting evenly over the entire surface.

Step 2: Scoop out the icing using the spatula knife and place it in the center of the cupcake. Spread outward, smoothing the surface with the edge of the spatula.

Decorating a Thick Flat Top Cupcake

To do this decoration, you will need the Ateco 807 plus an offset spatula.

I think this is a really unique style. Not only is it a combination of two techniques; piping and spreading, it also provides a perfect, yet straightforward cupcake decoration.

Instructions

Step 1: Use the plain tip to make the dome onto the cupcake.

Step 2: Using the With the offset spatula, flatten the top of the frosting and spread it towards the center of the cupcake.

Mini Circle Stars Swirling

For this decoration, I used the Ateco piping tip # 863.

Instructions

Step 1: This is really a very easy decoration to do. It’s just an on-going piping swirl method that you keep repeating. That’s it.

Expert Tips, Ingredient List and Suggestions for Recipe Success When Making American Buttercream

• 16oz confectioners sugar or powdered sugar; sifted well
• 8oz unsalted butter; room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Step by Step Directions

• In a large mixing bowl, add in the butter and start at the slow speed for about 2 minutes.
• Next, add in half of the powdered sugar, keep mixing at slow speed, then add remaining sugar.
• Keep mixing at slow speed, then turn speed up to high, mix for another 3-4 minutes.
• Next add the heavy cream then keep mixing until the color of buttercream becomes light, fluffy, and doubled in volume.

Related Recipes

• How to Make Buttercream Flowers
• Russian Flowers Piping Tips Tutorial
• Buttercream Succulent Cupcakes Tutorial

This tutorial was original on The Sweet House of Misato. After we purchased the site, we transferred all of the posts and videos over to Fun Country Life.