How to use Piping Tips

Ready to upskill your cake decorating? We’re here to teach you about all the different piping tips and which ones to use to create different piping styles.

Here are our helpful tips on how to use piping tips for your next cake masterpiece! 

Understanding Piping Tips

Piping tips are essential for decorating cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods with frosting. They come in various shapes and sizes, each producing different designs.

Piping tips are made from either plastic or metal; both serve the same purpose but have some differences in durability, ease of use, and the designs they can create.

Plastic Piping Tips are less durable than metal tips and may break over time, especially if exposed to high heat. However, they are generally more affordable. 

Metal Piping tips, whilst they are more durable and longer lasting, they generally cost more. Metal tips can be cleaned a lot more easily by running them under hot water and watching the buttercream melt off; however, ensuring they are properly dry is very important to avoid early rusting. 

Types of Piping Tips

Hundreds of different types of piping tips are available in the market and new ones are constantly being introduced. However here is a list of the most common tips and what they’re best used for:

1. Round Tip (or Plain Tip):
   • Creates smooth lines, dots, and outlines.
   • Use it for piping borders, writing, drop lines or simple decorations.
2. Petal Tip (or French Tip):
   • Creates petals, ruffles, and drapes.
   • Ideal for making flowers, like roses and tulips, and for adding texture.
3. Leaf Tip:
   • Creates leaves and other foliage.
   • Use it to pipe realistic-looking leaves for floral decorations.
4. Closed Star Tip:
   • Similar to the star tip but creates more defined lines and textures.
   • Suitable for making rosettes, stars, shells, and borders.
5. Open Star Tip:
   • Similar to the closed star tip but creates a more open, airy design.
   • Ideal for making stars, rosettes, shells, and borders.
6. Basketweave Tip:
   • Creates a woven texture resembling a basket.
   • Use it for piping basket weave patterns on the sides of cakes or using the flat side as a cake icer. 
7. Grass Tip:
   • Creates grass, fur, or hair textures.
   • Great for adding realistic details to animal and monster-themed cakes or for creating grassy surfaces.
8. Ruffle Tip:
   • Creates ruffled or frilled designs.
   • Perfect for adding texture to cakes or creating ruffled borders.

Choosing the Right Piping Tip for Your Cake

Choosing the right piping tip depends on the desired design of your cake. 

There are two common sizes of piping tips to take into consideration. For larger cakes, larger tips should be used, this will mean your icing decorations will be in better proportion to the cake size.

However, if you want to create multiple designs on one cupcake, you should use the smaller tips. This is a really effective way to have multiple piping designs on one cupcake and a great way to practise all the different piping techniques in one go.  

Preparing for Piping 

When using piping tips, it's important to consider the consistency of your frosting. Thicker frosting holds its shape better for more intricate designs, while thinner frosting is better for smooth finishes and writing. 

Additionally, the angle and pressure at which you hold the piping bag will affect the design you create. 

How to Use a Piping Bag

There are two ways to use piping bags :
Without a Coupler - When using just one piping tip per piping bag.

• Cut the bag by trimming the tip using scissors. The hole should be just large enough to fit the piping tip but not too big that it slips through. Start small; you can always cut more if needed. 
• Push the piping tip into the bag from the inside, pressing it firmly into the cut end so that the narrow end of the tip sticks out of the bag. Make sure the tip is snug and secure.

With a Coupler - when using multiple icing tips for the same icing. 

• Unscrew the coupler ring and place the base of the coupler inside the piping bag, pushing it down to the bottom of the bag. 
• Mark the point where the threads of the coupler base are. 
• Remove the base and cut the bag at the marked point. The hole should allow the coupler base to protrude through it.
• Place the base of the coupler back into the piping bag, pushing it through the hole so that the threads are on the outside. 
• Place the piping tip on the coupler from the outside and secure it on with the coupler ring. 
• Now you can change the piping tip from the outside whilst keeping your frosting securely within the bag and avoiding air bubbles.

How to Fill Piping Bags

• Fold the top over your hand or a large glass to create a cuff. This will make filling the bag easier and less messy. 
• Use a spatula or a spoon to scoop in your icing til about two-thirds full - be careful not to overfill. 
• Push your icing as far down the bag as possible and massage it lightly to get rid of any air gaps - air gaps will cause bursts of icing as you pipe.
• Unfold the cuff and twist the top of the bag to close it, pushing the filling down towards the tip. As you start piping, be sure to take breaks and reset your bag by twisting the top tighter again to push the icing down towards the tip. Keeping a nice pressure will ensure your frosting pipes are out in a nice, even consistency.
• If you using reusable piping bags, wash them out with warm water and an organic cleaner, then leave them to air dry.

Beginner Piping Patterns

When starting to learn how to pipe it’s a great idea to print off pattern sheets that can be found online. Place a piece of parchment paper on top and use the pattern sheet as a guide. Below are some beginner piping patterns that you can try:

1. Straight Lines and Zigzags

• Straight Lines: Practice piping straight lines on a flat surface. Hold the piping bag at a 45-degree angle and apply steady pressure while moving your hand in a straight line.
• Zigzags: Once you're comfortable with straight lines, try zigzags. Move the piping bag back and forth in a continuous motion.

2. Dots

• Basic Dots: Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the surface. Apply a small amount of pressure to pipe a dot, then stop squeezing before lifting the bag.
• Raised Dots: To create raised dots, apply more pressure to create a taller dot before releasing pressure and lifting the bag.

3. Stars

• Star Shapes: Use a Closed star tip (e.g., Mondo #30). Hold the bag at a 90-degree angle, squeeze out icing, then stop and lift straight up to create a star shape.
• Rosette Stars: Apply steady pressure while moving the bag in a small circular motion to create a rosette.

4. Shells

• Basic Shells: Use a star tip. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle, apply pressure to form the base, then pull away while releasing pressure to create the tail of the shell.
• Rope Border: Pipe shells in a continuous chain to create a rope-like border.

5. Leaves

• Simple Leaves: Use a leaf tip (e.g., Mondo #352 or #112). Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle with the pointed end up. Squeeze to create the base of the leaf, then release pressure and pull away to form the tip.
• Ruffled Leaves: Apply more pressure and use a wavy motion while pulling away to create ruffled edges.

6. Writing

• Basic Writing: Use a small round tip (e.g., Mondo #2 or #3). Practice writing letters and numbers. Keep the piping bag at a 45-degree angle and use a consistent, gentle pressure.

7. Swirls

• Cupcake Swirls: Use a large round or star tip. Start at the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe in a spiral towards the centre.
• Rosette Swirls: Use a star tip and pipe in a circular motion, starting from the centre and spiralling outwards.

By starting with these basic patterns and techniques, you'll build up your skill level and try more advanced piping and cake decorating skills!

Cake Decorating Techniques

There are endless design options to decorate your cakes with piping techniques, whether it be just a simple border around the top and bottom edge, a vintage style heart cake or a full coverage cake in multiple piping styles. The options are endless and forever evolving!

Outlining and Writing

Outlining and writing is probably the hardest technique to perfect as you have to have incredibly steady hands. Remember, the more you practise, the better you'll get. With time and patience, you can easily pipe beautiful writing onto your cakes!

Here are our top tips on making piping writing and outlining easier:

• Practice on Parchment Paper: Before piping directly onto the cake, practise your writing on a piece of parchment paper. This will help you get a feel for the pressure needed to control the icing flow.
• Keep your distance: hold your piping tip a good 1-2 cm above the cake and let the frosting drop onto the cake rather than dragging it across. It will also give you a better view of where you're headed. 
• Consistency is Key: Make sure your frosting is the right consistency for writing. It should be thick enough to hold its shape but not too stiff. If it's too stiff, it will be difficult to pipe smoothly.
• Use a Writing Tip: A small, round writing tip (such as tip #3 or #4) is best for writing on cakes. These tips allow for more precise control and thinner wording.
• Plan Ahead: Before piping, plan what you will write. You can lightly trace the letters onto the cake with a toothpick or a small food-safe marker to use as a guide.
• Keep it Simple: Start with short words or phrases until you get more comfortable with piping. Block letters are easier to pipe than cursive. 
• Practice Pressure Control: Apply even pressure to the piping bag as you write. Squeeze the bag gently and consistently to ensure a smooth flow of icing.
• Write Slowly and Steadily: Take your time when piping the letters. Write slowly and steadily to maintain control over the flow of icing.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: Like any skill, piping writing takes practice. Don't be discouraged if your first few attempts aren't perfect. Keep practising, and you'll improve over time.

Creating Borders

Using any of the different styles of piping techniques mentioned above, you can create amazing borders for your cake. Placing a border around the bottom of the cake can help hide any imperfections in your smoothed icing or pesky little gaps and finish off the cake.

The best way to create a continuous border is to use a turntable to rotate the cake as you pipe the border smoothly. 

Adding Flowers and Rosettes

There are some great sets of Piping tips available, including Russian Flower Tips, Moreish Ruffle Tips, Easy Bloom Flower Tips and Russian Ruffle Ball Tips - these create fabulous-looking flowers and full ruffle flower designs that are perfect for icing cupcakes and flower cakes and take a lot less time to achieve. 

Another great way to pipe beautiful flowers is to use a Flower nail. Flower nails can be easily rotated in just one hand, which means you can pipe all kinds of flowers ahead of time and set them in the fridge to cool. 

Use leaf tips and green icing to accent your flowers with realistic-looking leaves to finish off your flowers.

Piping Tips Maintenance

Maintaining your piping tips is essential to ensure they remain in great condition and continue producing beautiful decorations for your cakes and baked goods.

Cleaning Piping Tips

Making sure your piping tips are left clean after every use will ensure you have them essentially forever. It is best to clean them in warm soapy water immediately after use to prevent any icing from drying and hardening inside the tips.

You can soak them in a small bowl of hot soapy water if necessary and use a small soft bristled brush to help remove any stubborn spots especially in those with small openings and deep points. 

You should avoid using any harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners that can damage the metal or plastic. 

Storage Tips

Once they are properly clean and free from any residue, ensure they are completely dry before storing them in a clean dry container. Most professional bakers or hobby bakers with an extensive collection often will store their piping tip in a piping tip organiser, this will store them upright and prevent them from being damaged or bent. 

Avoiding Clogs and Bursts

Your buttercream, filling or whipped ganache must be consistent and free from air gaps. If your filling is too thick it will not be able to pass through the piping tip with only a small amount of pressure, this will cause the bag to split and burst at the sides.

Also ensuring your buttercream is at room temperature is key. Cold hard icing will not pass through your piping tips with ease.