I don’t know if the universe has it out for me or what, but I swear to you all, the second I start making a conscious effort to eat healthy, I’m suddenly inspired to make all sorts of naughty treats. And not just inspired, like, “Oh, I really, really, really want to make some caramel corn,” but my brain suddenly starts putting together evil ideas for things I’ve never even made. I guess deprivation is great for inspiration, right?
I’m posting my scandalous little treat on Friday, but for today, I want to share a really cool tutorial. I kind of thought I was a genius until I told Sara what I was posting and she told me that she already has a tutorial all photographed. It’s kind of rough sharing a brain sometimes.
Not only is this super impressive (my 6-year-old told me that he thought the way my cupcakes were “designed” was awesome), but it’s a fun and easy way to implement different colors when you’re decorating cupcakes. Like for these Colorburst Cupcakes that Sara posted this last spring during March Madness.
For this tutorial, I’m just using two colors of icing, but you could easily use three (or even four if you’re feeling wild) different colors for a really cool rainbow effect. You can also play around with flavors, using different types of icing or adding different flavors to a something like our Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling. Chocolate and caramel, chocolate and peanut butter, chocolate and orange, orange and lemon, vanilla and almond, vanilla and peppermint, peppermint and chocolate…you’ve pretty much got unlimited options.
You’ll need icing, disposable decorating bags (one for each color and then one more to fit them all into), and a large decorating tip (like this, this, or this) and a large coupler.
The most basic thing to remember is that no matter how many different colors you’re using, you don’t want the final bag to be too full. So if I’m using two colors, I’ll fill each color bag a little less than 1/2 full with icing. If I were using 3, I’d fill them a little less than 1/3 full, and for 4, a little less than 1/4 full. Make sense?
After you’ve filled your bags, flatten them out and stack them on top of each other…
and then trim 1/2 inch or so off the tip of each bag and slip them into the bag fitted with the decorating tip.
Firmly squeeze the bag until you’re getting equal parts of each icing from the tip. I will say that it’s a little trickier if you’re using two different types of icing (like I am here) than if you use different colors of the same icing (like Sara did). If you do use two different types of icing, try to make sure they’re roughly the same consistency before icing your cupcakes, even if it means popping a softer icing into the freezer for a few minutes.
To ice your cupcakes, hold the tip close to the top of the cupcake. Using firm, steady pressure, squeeze the icing bag, starting in the center of the cupcake and moving around the edges of the cupcake and then one more swirl on top, moving back towards the center. I actually had a video tutorial of this at one point, but Dropshots spontaneously deleted all my pictures and videos (yes, Dropshots, I’m totally calling you out, jerks!), so I’ll try and get another one up today because it’s not nearly as complicated as it sounds.
Prepare yourself for oohs and aahs. And perhaps squealing. Also, your kids (and your spouse…and his/her co-workers…) will think you’re a rock star.
Questions & Reviews
Brilliant. Thanks for the pro tip! I’m definitely doing this the next time I need to ice some cupcakes.
Love this and quite impressed – can’t say I would ever think to do something like this. Thanks for sharing!
this is genius.
Thank you so much! I will definitely be trying this – something I would never have thought of and now will never forget!
Oh My gosh! I LOVE this thank you!
2 bags, 1 coupler, how how how did I ever not know this? Thank you!! This is genius. I posted a link on my other site, too, ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com 🙂
I always love stopping by and am so glad I did today. My grandson loves anything peanut butter. i can’t wait to make these for him.
Thanks for the new favorite,
Debbie
These are incredible! And fairly easy. Thank you for sharing!!
Can you share with us the size tip you used? The swirls are perfect and rather than experiment and take a chance of cursing, pleez, just tell us…what size tip?
It’s a Wilton 1M star tip, which you can find here:
http://astore.amazon.com/oubebi-20/detail/B000NBNHT2
I seriously want to send you so much hate mail for posting all of these amazing desserts. But, I cannot because you two girls are so amazing… and although you aren’t helping me decrease my waistline, you have the best recipes in the whole wide world!!! 🙂 I look forward to every single post!
brilliant.
Genius!! Thanks, that is so cool!
you posted this just in time!! my little boy is one today and i am SO going to do this! you guys are awesome
Love a great tutorial
Awesome! What a great skill to have! Thanks for sharing!
Well, the universe must be conspiring against the both of us because I literally just thought the same thing the other day…yet I found myself in the kitchen whipping up something else because i want just one “bite” of something sweet 🙂
That’s so awesome! Tonights dinner…cupcakes!
Shut the front door! So easy and yet so completely out of my range of thinking. Thank you for sharing. My backside doesn’t need one more cupcake, but I have to try this!!
BRILLIANT! I would never have thought of that! Thanks!!! You guys ROCK!!!
Awesome! You can also make swirls by running lines of gel food coloring on the inside of your decorator’s bag and using the same tip you mentioned in the original. The colors are very bright (at the first) and start to fade but last through the whole bag of icing.
Just wondering which frosting recipe you used for the two color frosting? I know when you add color gel to the cooked frosting it doesn’t work well (did it once and it didn’t look pretty, tasted good though). Was it your Swiss Buttercream? Which I might add is fabulous with blueberry puree. Thanks so much! Love your blog by the way, visit everyday!
I’ve mixed 2 icing colours in 1 bag before, but this is genius!
This is so totally awesome! Thanks for the tip!! Now my husband and kids will think I rock when I make these for the bake sales at the middle school and high school! Thank you ahead of time for making me look like one of the “cool” moms! 🙂
Oh yeah! Rock on! I’m dieting too right now, so I won’t be able to actually eat any of this stuff until my “baking season” kicks of in October. But man are we gonna have an awesome holiday season thanks to y’all!
Oh, you’ve read my mind! I was just going to look this up somewhere and I didn’t even have to. Thank you!
Alli, I’m dead serious, we’re mind readers… 🙂
Hmm…. maybe I’ll make cupcakes for my birthday this year? I’m gonna be turning 34 and I can have what I want, right?! LOL Oh wait, yea…. it’s DH’s bday too and he’ll want a cake made from his Aunt Marla. I guess cupcakes will have to be made next week for something else then.
Seriously love this tutorial – was wondering how to do this!
I always wondered how people did that…and it’s so easy! Thanks for the great tutorial!!
SHUT UP! I seriously cannot believe how easy this will be!!!! I am very excited to do this! You two are making me into a culinary genius! Thanks!
Two separate bags! Why have I never thought of this? I made such a disastrous mess with less-than-desired results trying to put them in the same bag last year that I swore to never do it again. Now I can actually make swirled frosting!
You have made this awesome technique so simple! So may people tell you to just put two different colors in the same bag and do you best to get one on each side, it’s a genius idea to just use two piping bags! I need to try this!