Learn how to frost cupcakes with this simple step-by-step tutorial. You’ll become a piping pro in no time with these easy cupcake frosting tips!
Table of Contents
Frosting Cupcakes the Right Way
Piping frosting on cupcakes and cakes may seem intimidating, but it’s not at all! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll end up with amazing desserts that look like they came from a local bakery. These tips and tricks below are an easy guide for decorating cupcakes for beginners.
Last week I shared my favorite buttercream frosting and best chocolate cupcake recipe and got quite a few e-mails and questions on what tips I used and how I frosted the cupcakes. So today I thought I would show you a quick and easy way to frost cupcakes using my favorite 1M tip.
I learned this trick at a cake decorating class I took a few years ago and never realized just how easy it was. You just need a few simple tools to get started, then you’ll be frosting pretty cupcakes in no time!
Supplies Needed
- 1M frosting tip (can be found on amazon or your local craft/baking store)
- Large coupler
- Disposable decorating bags
- Frosting and cupcakes of course ;)
Decorating Cupcakes for Beginners
To get started, you’ll need to choose which frosting and cupcake recipe you want to use. Below are a few delicious recipes you can practice with. :) My all-time favorite combination is my chocolate cupcake recipe with classic buttercream frosting.
Frosting
- Classic buttercream frosting
- Chocolate buttercream frosting
- Strawberry buttercream frosting
- Peanut butter frosting
- Cream cheese frosting
Cupcakes
- Chocolate cupcakes from scratch
- Vanilla cupcakes
- Rainbow cupcakes
- Churro cupcakes
- Chocolate peanut butter cupcakes
- Carrot cake cupcakes
- Apple pie cupcakes
- Pumpkin spice cupcakes
- Lemon poppyseed cupcakes
- Pink velvet cupcakes
Scroll Down for the Printable Tutorial
- Cut off the tip of the bag and place the frosting tip and the base of the coupler inside. Screw on the top of the coupler on the outside of the bag.
- Fill the bag with frosting about half way and place a rubberband on top to hold the bag in place.
- Hold the tip above the middle of the cupcake and squeeze out the icing to form a star.
- Raise tip slightly and form a tight circle around the star.
- After completing the first circle, move the tip back toward the center and go around to make a second circle around the inside edge of the first circle.
- Slowly pull the tip away at the center of the cupcake.
More Helpful Tips
- Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely! You don’t want your frosting to melt when piping it on top.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a large freezer bag. Simply cut the corner off one of the ends and then add your tip/coupler.
- I also like to use a 2A frosting tip. It’s easy to pipe with and holds a smooth shape with no ridges (see picture below).
- Before piping, make sure your frosting is thick enough to hold a point.
- If piping with cream cheese frosting, add 1-2 extra cups of powdered sugar so that it will hold it’s shape. Also, make sure not to soften the butter or cream cheese too much.
- If adding fruit to your buttercream, use freeze dried fruit instead of fresh (it stiffens up better). Simply pulse the freeze dried fruit in a blender before adding to your frosting.
More Delicious Frosting Ideas
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How to Frost Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups frosting
- 12 cupcakes
Instructions
- Cut off the tip of the bag and place the frosting tip and the base of the coupler inside. Screw on the top of the coupler on the outside of the bag.
- Fill the bag with frosting about half way and place a rubberband on top to hold the bag in place.
- Hold the tip above the middle of the cupcake and squeeze out the icing to form a star.
- Raise tip slightly and form a tight circle around the star.
- After completing the first circle, move the tip back toward the center and go around to make a second circle around the inside edge of the first circle.
- Slowly pull the tip away at the center of the cupcake.
Notes
- Make sure the cupcakes have cooled completely! You don’t want your frosting to melt when piping it on top.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, you can use a large freezer bag. Simply cut the corner off one of the ends and then add your tip/coupler.
- I also like to use a 2A frosting tip. It’s easy to pipe with and holds a smooth shape with no ridges (see picture below).
- Before piping, make sure your frosting is thick enough to hold a point.
- If piping with cream cheese frosting, add 1-2 extra cups of powdered sugar so that it will hold it’s shape. Also, make sure not to soften the butter or cream cheese too much.
- If adding fruit to your buttercream, use freeze dried fruit instead of fresh (it stiffens up better). Simply pulse the freeze dried fruit in a blender before adding to your frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Cake + Cupcakes, Desserts
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Amazing creation I love it…
Thank you for sharing that. Now I want to make cupcakes so I can practice.
De repente vemos como quedan los cupcake y decimos no lo podemos hacer pero con las recetas y las instrucciones nos damos cuenta que sí podemos, Gracias porque es fabuloso, me quedo horas pegada a la computadora y no me canso de ver recetas, Gracias nuevamente.
GREAT post, Jamielyn! I am never consistent when I frost my cupcakes, so they always look different. Thanks!
Thanks Lynne! The 1M frosting tip really helps me to keep my frosting even! :)
Your awesome, thanks
I love the baking tips and recipes! THANK YOU for sharing! YOU are Appreciated
You are so welcome Sadie! Thanks for stopping by! :)
Can’t wait to try this icing technique.
It’s a lot of fun and they always turn out beautiful! Hope you enjoy it!
Hi! Is it to make the frosting without using a paddle attachment of a mixer?
Hi Dessa! You can make this with just regular beaters as well! :)
Can’t wait to try this!
Have fun with it! After a little practice, you will have perfect cupcakes every time! :)
What an awesome tutorial, Jamielyn! My frosting technique has always been hit or miss, so this is very helpful. Pinning for my other frosting-impaired friends out there! ;)
I guess I don’t have a favorite way to frost cupcakes. I usually use a butter knive. *holds head in shame* haha! I definitely need to get me some bags and tips. They look so much yummier. :)
No shame Melissa! I still frost cupcakes with a butter knife all the time, but I am in love with this way of frosting! It’s so beautiful. :)
It’s probably a lot faster than using a butter knive too. At least once you got the hang of squeezing the bag just right.
Cant wait to join
I have the Pampered Chef decorating thingy (I can’t remember what it is called). I call it my cheater method for making things look good, but I would really like to give this a try and learn how to use a decorating bag and tips. Thanks for the tutorial.
KC
They look great! Can’t wait to try this technique! Thanks! XO
I needed this. Yours turned out pretty!
Thanks Esther! It is easier than it looks! :)
I made sure to star the cupcake post for the next time I went to the store. I came home with everything I need to try these over the weekend. Now all I have to go is get my hubby to wrap his mind around sour cream in cupcakes. Thanks for the recipe and for the icing tip. I typically use the small spreader from Pampered Chef to ice with but my hubby gave me one of the icing guns for my birthday. Now I need to try this technique! :D
Thank you for sharing this technique with us and the recipes. The cupcakes look so pretty. I am going to try this the next time I make cupcakes.
I’ve always wondered how people make them look so pretty. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! I made these amazing cupcakes and equally amazing frosting for my family and friends last week for Valentine’s Day and everyone raved about how yummy they were! My frosting looked a little wonky, however, so I’ll try this technique next time. :). Thanks so much for sharing!