Browse Decorating Techniques

Bluebell

Difficulty: Medium

Bluebells are a smaller, slightly shallower version of the lily, made in the smaller 1 1/4 in. lily nail. Pipe them in white, pink yellow or the traditional blue.

Chicks Sitting

Difficulty: Medium

This fun fowl is easy to figure pipe directly on your cake using stiff buttercream. Or, you can make them in advance using stiff royal icing on a waxed paper-covered cake board. If made in advance, be sure to store them away from bright or fluorescent light to prevent colors from fading.

Chrysanthemum (Mum)

Difficulty: Medium

The Chrysanthemum is a fall classic that’s easier to pipe than you would think. The secret to success--the curved opening of specialty tip #81 used with a simple leaf-making motion.

Cow

Difficulty: Medium

Your piped animals can be as lifelike or cartoonish as you want them to be. Begin with a base and add familiar shapes such as dots, balls and strings that give your figure personality.

Fondant Kids on Inner Tubes

Difficulty: Medium

Make a splash at the next pool party with our Fondant Kids on Inner Tubes! Have fun creating various positions and matching the faces and hair-do’s to your guests!

Lamb Standing

Difficulty: Medium

Add a figure piped lamb to cupcakes for Easter or a farm-themed party. His stand-up shape will get everyone’s attention!

Lilac

Difficulty: Medium

For a life-like Lilac, tiny blossoms are attached in clusters over an elongated shell-shaped base. Arrange them on a cake top to create a memorable springtime treat!

Lily

Difficulty: Medium

The Lily looks best when petals are more pointed. If petals split while piping, slightly widen tip with a thin spatula. Or, add a teaspoon of piping gel to 1 cup stiff royal icing.

Lily of the Valley

Difficulty: Medium

Lily of the Valley boasts charming tiny blossoms descending from a broad curving leaf. The bell-shaped flowers and curved leaf each require attention to pressure control.

Marigold

Difficulty: Medium

The sunny Marigold builds its puffy texture with row upon row of tiny petals. Practice the back and forth motion to gain perfect control.

Marking with Food Writers

Difficulty: Medium

Use these edible color markers as you would an ink marker. Write messages, draw designs and add colorful details to fondant cut-outs.

Mice

Difficulty: Medium

To figure pipe mice with an oval shaped body, you will simply pull out the end of a dot. These quick and easy characters can be piped directly on your cake or cupcakes.

Monkey

Difficulty: Medium

To make the Monkey, you’ll need two copies of our pattern. Use one for piping on a board, covered with waxed paper. Use the second as reference while piping.

Morning Glory

Difficulty: Medium

The Morning Glory starts with overpiped white cup center, topped by a colorful ruffled edge. Smooth together with a slightly damp brush—touch brush to your hand before applying.

Piping a Flower on a Cupcake

Difficulty: Medium

A cupcake top is the perfect spot to plant a flower! Think of the circular surface as a flower nail on which you can pipe petals for a larger-than-life blossom. This technique will work for larger petal tips, such as tip 125 used here. Try your favorite petal shapes to create your own fantasy flower.

Reverse Shell

Difficulty: Medium

Reverse shells look spectacular as top and bottom borders and as framed areas on your cake.