Browse Decorating Techniques

Bowler

Difficulty: Somewhat Easy

The bowler is right up your alley if you want an easy-to-do figure piped decoration. Build the body with basic mound and ball piping, then add the arms and a bowling ball candle.

Dog

Difficulty: Somewhat Easy

A dog is also a decorator’s best friend—it’s so easy to figure pipe on a cupcake or cake. A series of balls and oblong shapes, topped off with pull-out dot fur, is all you need to pipe this pup.

Reindeer

Difficulty: Somewhat Difficult

Decorating a figure in motion is one reason our Reindeer is so much fun. If you make Santa’s whole team, you can vary the fur color or accents—even add names to the cake.

Cow Heads

Difficulty: Somewhat Easy

Figure pipe cow heads using a variety of basic techniques, including shell motion head and petal motion ears, dot features and pull-out hair.

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.

Climbing Leaf Border

Difficulty: Easy

Update the classic leaf border with added lushness. Build rows of graceful foliage from the bottom of your cake, leading to a row of your favorite flowers.

Fleurs de lis Vase

Difficulty: No reviews

Using classic fleurs de lis as a topiary for tiny drop flowers is an elegant and creative touch that will help your cake stand apart.

Ghosts

Difficulty: Easy

Ghosts are a frightfully fast way to add spirit to Halloween cupcakes, cookies and brownies. With a ball head and pull-out body, it's an accent anyone can perfect.

Chicken

Difficulty: Easy

Chickens provide perfect practice for building up figure piped bodies and heads. You’ll then add a tapered tail and bead-motion wings, for a nicely-detailed bird. These playful chickens can be make ahead of time using Royal Icing as shown below, but they can also be done directly on your cake or cupcakes using Buttercream Icing, just omit the feet.

Cactus

Difficulty: Easy

The cactus is a must-have for western themed cakes, and it couldn’t be easier. Elongated shells come together, topped by pull-out needles. We used tip 199 for great texture.

Teddy Bear Head

Difficulty: Easy

This 3-dimensional bear adds so much excitement to your cake. Creating it is simple and fun!

Combing a Cake

Difficulty: Easy

Create a textured surface on the cake sides.

1M Swirl

Difficulty: Easy

Here is another quick way to decorate your cupcakes or cakes. It just takes minutes to pipe a fancy iced swirl and add colorful sprinkles.

Cornelli Lace

Difficulty: Somewhat Easy

The perfect look for formal presentations, such as wedding and anniversary cupcakes. The precise, lacy design of this freehand technique depends on the continuous curving strings that do not overlap or touch.

Flute

Difficulty: Easy

Decorators love adding elegant Flutes to accent a row of shells—it’s so easy! Add a bit more spacing between shells to prevent flutes from crushing the shells’ delicate ridges.

Outline

Difficulty: Easy

Characters or designs are often outlined first, then piped in with stars or zigzags. Outlines can also be used for facial features.