How to Frost Cupcakes
Learn How to Frost Cupcakes with our step-by-step instructions (including a video) that will show you how to create a beautiful frosting swirl on a cupcake.
We love doing the fancy swirls on cupcakes – it takes a cupcake from boring to WOW!! But it wasn’t too long ago when we didn’t know how to do it. We didn’t go to culinary school. We aren’t professional pastry chefs. We were just two sisters who made a lot of cupcakes. So we decided to teach ourselves how to make a pretty frosting swirl. We discovered that with the right tools and little practice anybody can learn How to Frost Cupcakes. It might seem daunting at first, but it is really pretty easy and the more you practice the better you get.
First things first, make a batch of our yummy, creamy The Best Buttercream Frosting! We have all the step-by-step directions you’ll need to make this delicious homemade frosting right here. And if you want your frosting to be a pretty color, check out our Frosting Color Guide that features our tried and true food coloring formulas to make bright and beautiful frosting in all the colors of the rainbow.
To decorate a cupcake with a piping bag you will need three things: (1) a decorating bag; (2) a frosting tip; and (3) frosting. I know some people use Ziplock bags to pipe on frosting, but that has never worked for me. I use them if I am doing a quick squiggle, but for something that requires more precision, I always opt for a Decorating Bag. There are reusable and disposable bags. Pick whichever works best for you. (Note: disposable bags are recyclable.)
Pick your frosting tip: My favorites are the Wilton 1M Decorating Tip and the Wilton 2D Decorating Tip. The 2D is a closed star tip, so the frosting has to be extra smooth to go through it. The 1M is pretty much no fail.
Slip the frosting tip into the decorating bag. Cut off the tip of the bag.
The opening of the bag should sit below the opening of the frosting tip.
Fold down the top of the decorating bag. I have seen people set the bag in a glass and fold the bag over the sides of the glass to fill. I have found that it is just as easy to fold the sides over my hand.
Hold bag and start spooning in your frosting. You can usually get a whole batch of frosting into a bag, but it makes it a little harder to use. Just fill it up halfway until you get the hang of creating the swirl.
Once filled, unfold the top of the decorating bag and gather the edges together.
Push frosting down toward the tip. Make sure you get out any air pockets.
Tie off the end. This is an important step because if you aren’t paying attention the frosting can squish out the end. I bought these wonderful clips at Ikea. They are perfect. They also sell these Ikea Sealing Clips on Amazon.
The Best Way to Pipe Frosting on Cupcakes
Place the frosting tip at the outside edge of the cupcake. Move the frosting tip along the outside edge of the cupcake in a counter clockwise motion. Once you make a complete circle start your next circle on top of the one you have already done, making each circle smaller as you go up. End with a small flourish at the top of the cupcake. If you still need some help below you will find a short video where we show you How to Frost Cupcakes.
Cupcake Decorating How-To Video
How to Frost Cupcakes
Learn How to Frost Cupcakes with our step-by-step instructions (including a video) that will show you how to create a beautiful frosting swirl on a cupcake.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Make a batch of our The Best Buttercream Frosting
- Grab a open star decorating tip - we use the Wilton 1M tip.
- Slip the frosting tip into the decorating bag.
- Cut off the tip of the bag. (The opening of the bag should sit below the opening of the frosting tip.)
- Fold down the top of the decorating bag.
- Hold bag and start spooning in your frosting.
- Once filled, unfold the top of the decorating bag and gather the edges together.
- Push frosting down toward the tip. Make sure you get out any air pockets.
- Tie off the end.
- Place the frosting tip at the outside edge of the cupcake.
- Move the frosting tip along the outside edge of the cupcake in a counter clockwise motion.
- Once you make a complete circle start your next circle on top of the one you have already done, making each circle smaller as you go up.
- End with a small flourish at the top of the cupcake.
Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!
