Icing cupcakes for beginners

[Mumtothreeandadog]

I watched loads of YouTube videos but I am ham-fisted and every time I ice my cup cakes they look a 3 year old has done it.....HELP

Practice I'm afraid. Don't overfill the icing bag; use a decent tip & bag; make sure the icing is soft enough to pipe but not too soft it doesn't hold its shape. Put a clip on the bag end & twist against the the clip - I hold the top of the bag/twist in my right hand & pipe with my left even though I'm right-handed.
Then practice - scrape off any that doesn't work & try again.

I like using a thicker nozzle rather than a narrow one. Icing needs to be not too runny but not too thick either.

I ice round the outside edge of the cupcake first and then move towards the middle. One of these was a simple round nozzle and the other had slits

I dont use a clip. I just twist the top. I do end up with icing everywhere as well as on the cupcake!🧁

These are my favourite nozzles

Lovely dementedpixie I have nozzles from lakeland which includes a bag.

I tend to use the disposable bags. Reusable ones are a pain to clean

Make a batch of mashed potato and use it practise piping. You can pipe onto a plate, baking tray or paper, and when your done just scoop it back into the bag and do it again. Filling the bag with no air gaps, steady pressure and slow and steady movement all just need practise.

Stop icing your cupcakes! Cake is delicious. Icing is sickly-sweet disgustingness. Don't spoil your cakes! If you must have a topping just melt some chocolate over the top. Sorted!

I'm assuming the OP isn't making cakes for you, so not sure why your view on icing is relevant.

OP, it is about practice but also making sure the texture of the buttercream is right. Often American buttercream is thick, so doesn't come out of a piping bag very easily. Letting it down with some milk, or using Italian meringue buttercream instead, which I find so much tastier than standard buttercream and well worth the extra effort, will make the texture easier to pipe.

Sprinkles hide a multitude of sins!

Disposable bags. Soft enough icing. Smooth enough icing.

Mine look like a 7 year old have done them most of the time!

You know there are many types of icing right? Of varying levels of sweetness? And melted chocolate is your preference, not OPs?

I've just started watching some YouTube cupcakes being made,
All the best op

Don’t lift your hand away from the cake as you assume either.your almost “pushing” into the cake as you go

also suggest fiary cakes instead of you really find yourself in a bind.this is just cutting the top out and splitting that cut but in two to make the wings.into the whole goes buttercream.stick the wings back onto the buttercream and voila

If you want a smooth icing on a cupcake. Mix icing sugar with water and have it the consistency of a thick paste. Put a knife into a cup of boiling water. Use this knife to spread the icing on a cupcake like you were butting bread and keeping putting the knife in the hot water as it keeps the icing easy to spread.

To add sprinkles : Put sprinkles onto a saucer and dip iced cupcake into this before the icing dries. You can also stick on say a jelly tot or smarties before the icing dries.

To have non white icing:. Get a bottle of the food colour of your choice. Dip a metal skewer into the bottle once opened and add one dot of food colour from this into made up white icing. Stir this well. Food colour is very concentrated so a dot of it will darken white icing

If you need the icing darker do the same again. If the icing is to dark add more icing sugar, mix well and add more water and this will get it lighter.

If you want a smooth icing on a cupcake. Mix icing sugar with water and have it the consistency of a thick paste. Put a knife into a cup of boiling water. Use this knife to spread the icing on a cupcake like you were butting bread and keeping putting the knife in the hot water as it keeps the icing easy to spread.

To add sprinkles : Put sprinkles onto a saucer and dip iced cupcake into this before the icing dries. You can also stick on say a jelly tot or smarties before the icing dries.

To have non white icing:. Get a bottle of the food colour of your choice. Dip a metal skewer into the bottle once opened and add one dot of food colour from this into made up white icing. Stir this well. Food colour is very concentrated so a dot of it will darken white icing

If you need the icing darker do the same again. If the icing is to dark add more icing sugar, mix well and add more water and this will get it lighter.

The Cadburys chocolate sauce spread or even Nutella are lovely spread on a cupcake especially if you're in a hurry, warm it slightly on a cold day or leave the jar somewhere warm for a bit. Throw on some chocolate sprinkles and you they look great.

Thanks for your all your tips. Practice it is then

Given Christmas is approaching, you could make cupcakes with butter icing and cranberry jam/sauce. They look festive and kids like them.