How to Frost Cupcakes 6 Ways with Tip 1M - Curly Girl Kitchen

In today’s easy photo tutorial, I’ll show you how to frost cupcakes in six pretty styles, using just tip 1M. If you’re an occasional baker who doesn’t own a lot of piping tips, tip 1M is the one tip you should always know how to use, because it’s just so versatile. We’ll be talking about how to frost rosette cupcakes, hydrangea cupcakes, a classic cupcake swirl, and more! Improve your cupcake decorating with these simple steps for making your cupcakes as lovely as they are delicious.

You might also love these tutorials on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.

Pink frosted cupcakes using tip 1M.

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Why You’ll Love Today’s Post

Easy to Master. All six of the techniques I’m sharing today, are simple enough for a beginner cupcake decorator to quickly learn with a few minutes of practice.

Only 1 Piping Tip. I totally understand that not everyone wants to keep an arsenal of piping tips on hand. Especially if you don’t bake that often. But you can still decorate a beautiful variety of cupcakes with just tip 1M.

Cupcakes with pink buttercream frosted 6 ways with tip 1 M.

Ingredients and Tools

Cupcakes, any flavor. For today’s post, I used the vanilla cupcakes from my orange creamsicle cupcakes recipe. It’s a wonderful, easy to make vanilla cupcake with a soft, fluffy texture and delicious flavor. It’s great with any flavor of frosting or buttercream.
Buttercream. You’ll need a fluffy buttercream that holds its shape well for piping. I recommend my perfect American buttercream recipe.
16-inch Piping Bag. I recommend a 16 inch piping bag for frosting your cupcakes. 12 inch bags are too small and don’t hold enough frosting, so you’ll have to refill it too frequently, which gets messy.
Tip 1M. You can find tip 1M on the baking aisle at your local craft stores, such as Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Joanne’s, or buy it online here. Tip 1M is also known as a large “open star tip”.

Cupcakes frosted 6 ways with tip 1M.

Instructions

Bake and cool the cupcakes, then prepare the buttercream.
For the swirled colors shown in today’s post, tint half the buttercream pale pink, and half the buttercream dark pink. Fit a 16-inch piping bag with tip 1M, and fill the bag randomly with the two colors, letting them blend together.

Classic Cupcake Swirl

To frost cupcakes with a classic cupcake swirl, start at the outer edge of the cupcake, piping a swirl towards the center, letting the frosting pile up into a mound on the cupcake. Finish by pulling the tip up and away at the top center of the mount of frosting.

A cupcake with a classic swirl of pink frosting.

Rosette Cupcakes

To frost cupcakes with a rosette, start at the center of the cupcake. Hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake, and pipe a swirl from the center, towards the outer edge. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.

Hydrangea Cupcakes

To frost hydrangea cupcakes, hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake. Pipe a “drop flower” in the center of the cupcake, by piping a star shape and pulling straight up as you release pressure. Repeat with 7 more flowers around the center flower.

Ruffled Cupcakes

To frost cupcakes with a ruffle, hold the bag so that the tip is at a 45 degree angle to the cupcake. Starting at one side, pipe back and forth across the cupcake, to create a “ruffle” across the top of the cupcake. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.

Filled Cupcakes with a Buttercream Ring

To frost cupcakes with a ring for a filling in the center, simply pipe a swirl of frosting around the edge of the cupcake, leaving the center open. Spoon jam, lemon curd or chocolate ganache into the hole in the center. This technique also works well with cupcakes that you’ve removed the center with a cupcake corer, to fill with even more filling.

Cupcakes with Rosettes and Drop Flowers

To frost cupcakes with a combination of rosettes and drop flowers, start by piping a small rosette off-center. Pipe a second rosette that slightly overlaps the first one. Pipe several drop flowers around the rosettes.

A cupcake with a bite taken.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sprinkles did you use?

I used this rose gold sprinkle mix, as well as some silver sanding sugar, which adds really nice dimension to the piped buttercream designs.

Do you have tips on how to use and fill piping bags?

Yes, I do! See this post on how to use piping bags, tips and couplers.

Pink frosted cupcakes.

White Velvet Cupcakes
Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes
Funfetti Cupcakes
Lemon Cupcakes

Favorite Products

Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

Pink frosted cupcakes using tip 1M.

How to Frost Cupcakes with Tip 1M

Heather Smoke

How to frost cupcakes in six pretty styles using just tip 1M.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

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Prep Time

mins

Cook Time

mins

Total Time

mins

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

American

Servings

Equipment

16-inch Piping Bag
Tip 1M

Ingredients

1

recipe

vanilla cupcakes
2 ½

cups

buttercream, any flavor

(2x recipe)

Instructions

Bake and cool the cupcakes, then prepare the buttercream.
For the swirled colors shown in today’s post, tint half the buttercream pale pink, and half the buttercream dark pink. Fit a 16-inch piping bag with tip 1M, and fill the bag randomly with the two colors, letting them blend together.
To frost cupcakes with a classic cupcake swirl, start at the outer edge of the cupcake, piping a swirl towards the center, letting the frosting pile up into a mound on the cupcake. Finish by pulling the tip up and away at the top center of the mount of frosting.
To frost cupcakes with a rosette, start at the center of the cupcake. Hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake, and pipe a swirl from the center, towards the outer edge. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.
To frost hydrangea cupcakes, hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake. Pipe a “drop flower” in the center of the cupcake, by piping a star shape and pulling straight up as you release pressure. Repeat with 7 more flowers around the center flower.
To frost cupcakes with a ruffle, hold the bag so that the tip is at a 45 degree angle to the cupcake. Starting at one side, pipe back and forth across the cupcake, to create a “ruffle” across the top of the cupcake. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.
To frost cupcakes with a ring for a filling in the center, simply pipe a swirl of frosting around the edge of the cupcake, leaving the center open. Spoon jam, lemon curd or chocolate ganache into the hole in the center.
To frost cupcakes with a combination of rosettes and drop flowers, start by piping a small rosette off-center. Pipe a second rosette that slightly overlaps the first one. Pipe several drop flowers around the rosettes.