Please help how do I decorate?

[FarOverTheRainbow]

I'm making some cupcakes for my DDs birthday party. I can make a nice vanilla sponge but I'm rubbish at decorating and I don't want them to look a mess but pretty. I enjoy baking so I want to do them
Myself so can some one please help me, what type of icing shall I use? Do I buy or make myself? How should I pipe it on so it is swirly??

Someone pleaseeee help me

Far, probaly best to use buttercream,.beat butter and icing sugar together till light and fluffy, if you're not used to buying piping bags then best start with disposible bags,and a big nozzle, practise first on some.greasproof paper,.pipe a swirl on top and put whatever decorations on.

Far, probaly best to use buttercream,.beat butter and icing sugar together till light and fluffy, if you're not used to buying piping bags then best start with disposible bags,and a big nozzle, practise first on some.greasproof paper,.pipe a swirl on top and put whatever decorations on.

Thank you nanny cook, I've brought a cheap piping bag from morrisons with different nozzles do you think that will be any good? Ill practice tomorrow that's a great idea thank you!

I found it easier to do lots of little swirls rather than one big one... it gave kind of a hedehoggy look but was easier to control than one big swirl :)

Hundreds and thousands and toppings are your friend

Smear on icing and coat with goodies

I do roll out icing cut into flowers or similar with cookie cutters (Lakeland have v good ones) and stuck on with regular icing. I don't like the taste of swirly buttercream.

Far how did you cake decs go? One you get the hang of piping a swirl its so easy and looks professional, even colour your buttercream once you gain confidence. Buttercream is very nice if you make it nice, i buy willow bitter and beat it in my mixer for about 10 mins, its light and fluffy and looks like double cream.

Or just give the girls pots of icing and millions of sprinkles and let them do it themselves? Big hit at DDs party!

The first lot didn't turn out to good, how do you get it thick enough?

Far, you mean buttercream? I usually use a packet of willow,250 grms, and just over half box of a icing sugar( the bigger box of icing sugar).

Just keep adding icing sugar! Also if you add a spoonful of cream of tartar it will make the icing a bit stiffer. Start swirling on the outside edge and move in to the middle, press down slightly and then lift off. If it still looks crap sprinkle with hundreds and thousands.