Wowza.
After the number of messages I received this past week asking how I frost my cupcakes, you’d think the fate of the economy hangs in the balance. It doesn’t.
My frosting method isn’t a secret — it’s simple because I’m lazy. I’d rather spend 45 minutes eating cupcakes than laboring over intricate frosting techniques. Different people have different approaches. You might laugh at how I pile frosting onto my cupcakes, but this is really it. If you want more elaborate, decorative, and stunning frosting ideas, check out the blogs of Amanda and Bridget — they do beautiful work and their tutorials are inspirational.
Anyhow, here’s what I do.
I always use a #12 Wilton tip. Always.
This is my sixth #12 because I managed to destroy five others in the garbage disposal. I have other tips, but using them makes me nervous.
I let my cupcakes cool completely before frosting — a test of patience, especially for someone with the impulse control of a hungry toddler.
I use disposable piping bags because cleaning a large reusable pastry bag is more than I want to deal with. If I were more dedicated to decorating, I’d invest in one. For now, disposables keep things quick and simple.
Apologies for any blurry photos — photographing with one hand while squeezing frosting with the other is not my forte.
I begin in the center of the cupcake…
…and simply squeeze the frosting out into the center.
I continue adding frosting until it forms a large, poofy blob on top of the cupcake.
Depending on the frosting’s consistency, I’ll sometimes make small circles with the tip in the center to coax the frosting toward the edges. It takes a bit of experimentation to get the look you like.
When you’re done, it looks like this:
That’s it. No secret technique — just a quick, relaxed way to frost cupcakes. I’m lazy, and I’m hungry.
I can’t wait to tell you about these cupcakes — I’m doing my best to keep my hands off them. Sinfully good.