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Having exhausted the internet but can only find people who will sell me these, not teach me how to make them... help?

I want to do about 20 cupcakes with buttercream icing and then decorate the tops with wands, crowns, knight shields etc etc. What do I need to do this? I have a piping bag but never used the thing, but I really want to make a go of it. Am happy doing simple sponge recipe for the cupcakes themselves, it's the icing and the decorations that have stumped me..

Am total newbie myself - but mine looked fab [smug emo]

Right

Buy pack cocktail sticks
Make tiny flags with your dd photo or icons as you please.
Stick them to sticks

Make up your butter icing (I do 2:1) and add some colouring or two lots of colouring to be flash

Do you have nozzle (not sure correct term!) for piping bag? A basic large star shape worked well for me

Pipe from outside in in spiral shape which seems to give pointy shape.

Put in fridge so icing is firm so you can pop in flags

NB this is for my idiot version

A simple buttercream icing is half fat to sugar so say 150g butter (better with real butter, I caution against spread) and 300g icing sugar. Sift the icing sugar

You can add colours, or melted chocolate.

Fill the piping bag and go mad!

Great stuff! How do I do things like crowns, and wands and stuff. Though, at this rate it will be flags.

Having just started 4 out of 10 thick cardboard shields. May lose the will to live.

You coudl put pics of shields etc on the flags