If you’ve made a batch of perfect cupcakes, the fun part is now here. Time to decorate!
Whether you have baked them for a birthday party, a bake sale or just to enjoy with family and friends, it’s always fun coming up with new ways to make them look great.
I’ve decorated a lot of cupcakes over the years and here are some of my favorite ways to do it. They look awesome, taste great and are always well received.
Number 1 – Fill Them Up
You can’t see the filling from the outside but adding a filling to cupcakes always adds that extra wow. It’s a nice surprise when you bite in and can add some yummy flavor.
To fill cupcakes use a decorator bag and a long, round decorating tip (the Wilton 230 is an ideal size). Simply inject the tip in the middle of the cupcake at a 90 degree angle and fill until the tip starts to come out of the cupcake. Stop filling and remove the tip.
Some ideas for filling include mousse, icing, cream, jam or custard.
Number 2 – Easy Icing Flowers
These flowers are so easy to make, anyone can give them a try. No need for any advanced decorating course to do these.
As a starting point, here’s how to make the ones in the photo above. You can use any colors to make the icing, these are just suggestions. From there you can experiment with your own designs.
Blue Flowers:
- With the darker blue icing, use a Wilton 12 tip to make a mound in the center of your cupcake.
- Still using the darker blue icing, use a Wilton 16 tip to make a small cluster of long star shapes straight up from the top.
- Switch to lighter blue icing and start around the bottom middle with a Wilton tip 18 to make the petals.
- Continue working around in a circle and then make another row above until you come to the top.
Shaggy Pink Flowers
- Make your leaf shapes with a leaf tip (Wilton 352 will do).
- Then use a multi-opening tip (Wilton 233) to make the shaggy petals. To make each petal, start from the outside and ice to the center. Continue around in a circle.
- For the next layer, do the same on top of the first layer but start further in.
- Continue like this until the whole cupcake is filled.
Pink and Blue Flowers
- To start, add a few leaves.
- Then, use a star tip to create small blue flowers around the edge of the cupcake.
- Use the slightly larger star tip to make a cluster of pink flowers in the center.
- Lastly, use a small round decorator tip to add a dot to the center of all the flowers (Wilton 3).
Number 3 – Real Flowers
Simple, elegant and beautiful. Use just a bit of icing and then top each cupcake with a flower. Make sure the flowers are food safe and aren’t treated with any harmful chemicals before adding them to your cupcakes.
Number 4 – Shaped Fondant
If you’re looking for very specific designs and shapes, you can choose a fondant icing. Use pre-made fondant or make your own.
Using fondant allows you to cut out specific shapes, make the colors you want and more.
Number 5 – A Little Glaze
Simple and delicious, a little bit of warm glaze placed on a cupcake creates a beautiful and tasty masterpiece.
Glazes are easy to make. Sift a small amount of icing sugar into a bowl. Add a very small amount of butter and milk to make it flow. Add some flavoring like vanilla or one of your other favorites.
Number 6 – Creative Candy
The sky’s the limit when it comes to cupcakes and candy. You can make a batch that is all the same or each cupcake can be totally different.
Ice the cupcakes then decorate with you choice of candy.
Number 7 – Simple Sprinkles
Like candy, there is no limit when it comes to sprinkles. Some ideas include coconut, chopped nuts, cracker crumbs, seeds, chocolate shavings, colored sprinkles, colored sugar and crushed meringue.
Number 8 – Creative Color
Instead of worrying about fancy designs, why not use color as your creative flair? You can color your icing or use an icing spray to get the colors you want.
Number 9 – Cupcakes That Don’t Look Like Cupcakes!
This is a lot of fun and you can get so creative with it.
One idea is cupcakes that look like turkey, mashed potatoes and veggies! These cupcakes are made from ideas in the cookbook, “Hello, Cupcake!” by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. You can find it here.
As you can see, there are so many options when it comes to cupcakes. The important thing is to just have fun with it. Anything you create will be delicious.
