petal topped cakes and cupcakes
I’m pretty obsessed with petal tips these days. No, not the ones you find outdoors. The ones Ateco and Wilton make. The ones that facilitate the flow of buttercream from a piping bag to your mouth the top of a cupcake. They are extremely versatile, and invaluable when it comes to piping ruffles and flowers of all sorts. They’ll make you win at cake.
Here’s a little tip for ya: I keep a container of practice buttercream in my freezer at all times. Whenever I have a little buttercream leftover from a project, I throw it in the container. It’s pretty ugly, but perfect for practicing. That’s the thing with piping – you’ve gotta practice a lot. So, when I’ve got a project looming or a little free time on my hands, I take the frosting out, bring it to room temperature, re-whip it, and then practice like a boss. That’s how you get good at stuff. I can’t emphasize that enough: you have to practice. And I don’t mean practicing on that cake you left until the last minute that’s making the insides of your elbows sweat. (What the deuce? Stop doing that.)
I practice on our countertops for the most part, but to practice piping cupcakes, I flip a drinking glass over, and practice on the bottom. (It’s very close to the size of a cupcake.) To practice piping on cakes, I flip a cake pan over and practice on that. I rarely try something on a cake/cupcake that I haven’t practiced on a random surface in our house. That’s why everything we own is so slippery…
For the cupcakes, I used a large Ateco 125 petal tip for the rounded petals, and an Ateco 60 petal tip for the ruffles. For the cake (it’s a six incher) I used an Ateco 127 petal tip (which is a bit bigger than the 125). You can get petal tips in a variety of sizes, from teeny-tiny to jumbo. They all work the same way – it just alters the size of your final petals.
Here’s the Wilton method of piping petals on cupcakes – it should help you get started. I practiced piping about 4.5 million flower petals before I found the look that I like. It’s all in the way you angle your piping bag, apply pressure, and rotate your wrist/baked good.
To help, I made you a video. I’m hoping it will assist you in piping your own wee petals atop cakes and cupcakes. You should know that I know nothing about shooting videos. I’m taking a class soon, but in the meantime you’re stuck with my press-record-and-wing-it system of videography. Also, I don’t know how to record voiceovers yet, so…
Martha Stewart also has a video on using petal tips. It’s way fancier than mine and she knows how to do voiceovers and stuff. So, if you prefer the work of a SuperWizard, you could check out her video too.
Now get out there and practice until you’ve got piping claw.
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Wow, just gorgeous! I need to start greasing up my counter tops ASAP!
Think of it as restoring your counters…
So much pretties! You know, for as much as I love piping things, I really should practice more… I’m pretty rubbish with a petal tip (although I did manage to do a “rose garden” of cupcakes for mother’s day one year, which involved practicing frantically the night before and then winging it the day of). Your video really was super helpful, and I’m kind of giddy excited that you’re taking a videography class because I know you’ll be amazing at it. Also also, seriously genius that you keep a tub of scrap buttercream in your freezer. I never would have thought to do that, because… leftover butercream = breakfast. That might have to change from now on. Must… not… eat… buttercream…
Just to be clear: some leftover buttercream doesn’t make it to the tub. I’d say it’s a 3:1 ratio in favour of my tummy…
Wow, I’m so impressed with your dedication to piping perfect petals (and with that video)!
Since Paula is more of the baker/decorator at my house, I’m going to send her this post, and then hope she starts making me buttercream and letting me eat the cupcakes she practices on more often… (I’m only a little hesitant to let her in on your tip to practice piping on non-edible surfaces, though, since then there will be less for me to practice eating!)
Pro tip: clean the counters first, practice piping, eat piping.
Win win!
I could do all that work or I could just stalk you, monitor your movements and then kidnap you in the middle of the night and install you, along with decorative chains, in my kitchen. Then you could do all my piping for me, simples!
After consulting with my lawyer I’ve been advised to say that I am just kidding! Of course! (I’m totally not kidding).
I’m a little nervous, but do find the idea of decorative chains rather appealing…
Thanks for the tip about collecting extra frosting, Movita. It’s brilliant! I always whine about how my frosting/decorating skills are non-existent but I don’t put in the time to practice. This post has kicked my butt into gear. I see a lot of slippery cake pans/glass cups in my future!
Sometimes – on very rare occasions – I have brilliant ideas. Frosting in the freezer might be my best one EVER.
You made a video. Your hands are officially famous. This is such a great post full of petal-making tips. Now I want to go whip up some buttercream so I can practice. Piping claw is for reals.
I’ve always wanted to be a hand model.
DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE!
Oh my goodness, so perfect. I’m inspired. I need to quit doing that last minute pray that it works out routine! And thanks for being so nice about my rose cookies =)
The piping on your cookies was gorgeous! AND the colour was perfection…
[…] is a very handy tutorial on petal topped cakes and cupcakes and the nozzles you’ll […]
You make it look so easy! But I know that’s because you have practiced so much. I have just looked through my Wilton toolbox to discover that I own no fewer than five petal tips, which have presumably never been used for their intended purpose since I didn’t even know they were petal tips. How sad is that? I will get practicing now!
FIVE PETAL TIPS!! I can’t believe Wilton hasn’t reclaimed them. Get piping, lady!!
Now we know why the bees are disappearing. Mystery solved.
Look, it’s not my fault if bees like buttercream.
Oooh love this! I’ve always wondered how to do these….but of course have never had my shit together enough to, you know, YouTube it or something…..
Also, you should know that there are approximately 5 million dozen of your oatmeal coconut chocolate chip cookies sitting on my counter right now. I’m supposed to be taking them to a training I’m doing over the weekend, but they might not make it….damn, they’re good.
Aaaaaaand now I want cookies…
What a perfectionist you are and your cakes and cupcakes are very happy, I’m sure. 🙂
You make it seem so easy! That video is just lovely, no need for commentary 🙂
These look so delicious… not to mention beautiful!! So nice!! 🙂
Thanks, sweet lady!
Love the vid! I need to break away from the star tip! I also want cats to appear in your next vid…too much to ask?
You are absolutely right – cats NEED to appear in my next video! Why did I thwart niles’ attempts? I’m such a fool…
Ok – that was actually quite inspiring. I’m thinking it would take maybe 2 hours to do 24 cupcakes but what better way to spend two hours (I’m serious). I’m going to make a cake this weekend. I’ll let you know how it goes. Between you and me, as much piping as I’ve done- I have never used the petal tips- wish me luck.
PS- nice hands you have.
wt
2.0 says my hands are weird, and perhaps stolen from a bird. I will refer to this comment the next time he says: but your fingers are so… crooked and stuff.
Go forth and pipe, woman! There’s nothing wrong with spending… several hours on a cake. Nope. Nothing at all.
piping claw!!! haha… i just laughed out loud… rachael, love your blog! so much goodness! i totally piping wrist but now i’m going to refer to it as piping claw… xo
How can I say this? I’VE BEEN READING YOUR BLOG FOREVER AND YOU ARE MY CUTENESS IDOL. There it is… just yell it.
aww! that is so sweet! thank you! so nice to connect with other canadian bloggers!! xo
Forget Martha.. I’ll watch your videos any day!! Can’t wait til you learn to do voice overs! I was looking into that myself.. it’s a bit tricky I think?? If I figure it out I’ll let you know:D Love, love your petal cakes, Movita, they’re brilliant!!
This is crazy. awesome. Love it so much — thanks so much for that fantastic video! If I ever get up the courage to try piping (this is a large caveat) I’ll be trying this petal fantastic-ness first thing.
Your petal topped cake is SO PRETTY!!! It’s funny, as artistic as I am, I never think to do much to decorate a cake once I’ve frosted it. I guess baking three layers, making frosting and assembling kind of wears me out. Now you have me wanting to experiment though 🙂 Wish I could watch your video at work…will have to try to remember when I get home.
reading this made me realize how long it’s been since i’ve tried to do anything which even remotely resembles professional baking. I don’t even remember the last time there was a cake in this house, much less one i decorated with any sort of finesse.
Well okay: so i’ve never actually decorated with “finesse” but i’ve tried…it’s been a long time since i’ve TRIED.
I need to get on that. because i want to make petals like this SO. BADLY.
This is gorgeous! I never thought about practicing it any other surface other than on the cakes/cupcakes. Great idea :p
I am LOVING this post SO SO MUCH. Gorgeous photos, wonderful video, and useful links. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing. So glad I found your blog 🙂
[…] my baking compadres around the web, I searched for pretty chocolate cakes and found this beautiful petal topped cake and even more exciting, I started reading the creator’s blog, Movita […]
[…] Topped Cakes + Cupcakes Make a “wow” addition to any holiday gathering with Petal Topped Cakes + Cupcakes from Rachael Dyer at Movita […]
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