DIY FROSTING

WRITTEN BY STACIA KONOWILLUSTRATIONS BY ABBEY PIATT PRICE

Spring has sprung, which means it’s time for flowers, picnics, and finally getting to bake with the windows open once more. One of my favorite ways to bring spring into your kitchen is with frosting! The floral decorations and bright pastel hues instantly enliven any dessert and all those whom you get to share your creations with. Even small frosting details can make a cake look extra special, and they can help to cover any imperfections in the cake itself. However, piping perfect violets and chrysanthemums onto cupcakes for a spring birthday party is no easy feat. Here are some tips and tricks to help you become a frosting pro.

tip #1: know your piping tips

Every frosting kit comes with different types of frosting tips— each creating a different piping design and texture. The most common tips are open star, closed star, petal or ruffle tips, and round tips. Open star tips look like stars and create ridges in the frosting. When you picture a perfectly frosted cupcake, this is likely the tip the baker decorated it with. Open star tips create the classic mountain swirls of frosting on top of cupcakes, but they can also be used to make ebbed borders on cakes or grass-like decorations. Closed star tips are similar, but the points of the stars are bent inward slightly, giving the frosting an even more defined edge. They add a beautiful floral touch to frosting swirls. Petal tips, sometimes called ruffle tips, are best for making petals. It is important to make sure the fatter side of the tip is faced down, especially when you are trying to add finer details to your cake. Finally, there are round tips– simple circular tips that create smooth lines of frosting. These are best for piping lettering, dots or intricate outlines and details. Picture a cookie with fine outlining or illustrations. While these effects can be achieved by cutting different sized holes into the corner of a plastic bag, metal tips are much more precise and provide greater control when frosting.

tip #2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF FROSTING

As much as the appearance of frosting is important, you want to use a frosting that suits the cake in terms of flavor. There are many different types of frosting, so you should definitely explore to pick the best one for your project. Here is a quick rundown of some of the most dependable frostings. Buttercream is a classic frosting and for good reason. It is easy to make and add coloring to, it holds its shape, and it goes with basically anything. However, it can just as easily be overmixed to a grainy consistency and is almost guaranteed to melt in any setting warmer than room temperature. Another common frosting popular in bakeries is royal icing. It is made of powdered sugar, egg whites, and either milk or water. It’s very liquidy at first, but sets almost instantly, making it a good choice for detailed frosting. Lastly, cream cheese frosting is well known as it is a popular choice for red velvet and carrot cakes, especially. However, it is usually more challenging to work with than buttercream because it is prone to melting and must be refrigerated. It can still be used to create beautiful designs and can make for the perfect bite because of its unique flavor.

tip #3: PARCHMENT PAPER IS YOUR FRIEND

Parchment paper can be especially helpful for frosting because it minimizes messes and can help you make more precise designs off of the cake itself. One tip is to lay down a few strips of parchment paper between the cake and cake stand to prevent any excess frosting from getting on the stand. You can also cut shapes out of parchment paper and use them as a stencil on your cake. If you have another handy device called a frosting nail, you can use that and a small square of parchment to pipe flowers. The nail has a large head that individual petals can be piped onto. It provides a flat, stable surface that you can move much more easily than an entire cake, which creates precise designs. Additionally, if you make a mistake, you haven’t piped your mistake directly onto the cake. However, you must refrigerate your design before attempting to transfer it from the paper to your cake or else it will smear.

While frosting may just be thought of as a simple topping for cake, it can be so much more. It elevates the flavor of even the best-baked cake by adding a new texture and moisture to the bite. The colors and designs elevate the presentation of your cake and complements the festive atmosphere of any event that you celebrate this spring.

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