Ever since I was a pre-teen, I have loved to decorate cakes. I wasn't great at it at first, but I just loved the image that came out as you added different color icings. Here is the picture of my very first cake using a Wilton Cabbage Patch Doll cake pan!
After I became a mom, I decided that I wanted to learn more about cake decorating so that I could make birthday cakes for my son. I took an online class and learned how to make different cakes and use different Wilton tips for various designs.
Using the decorating tips always seemed natural to me because I have decorated cakes for years; however, I realized that many people don't have decorating tips handy when they need to decorate a few cupcakes for a class party or birthday party.
I did some research online and found some ideas and together with my knowledge of decorating tip openings, I was able to replicate the tips using ONLY a Ziploc bag. However, I will warn you that these designs are not as pristine as they would be using a metal tip that has a factory made opening, but for a once in awhile project, using a Ziploc bag is the perfect solution.
Supplies needed:
Ziploc Bags
Tape
Scissors
Icing (homemade or store-bought)
Food Coloring (optional)
Decorations (optional)
Preparation:
Take a 1" piece of tape and wrap it around the corner of the Ziploc bag that you will be using to decorate. This keeps this portion of the bag sturdier for better control of the icing when decorating.
Swirl Design
Cut one slit through the middle of the taped corner. Open the bag and re-fold it to cut
another slit. Once both slits are cut the taped corner should be cut into a “X”
Carefully spoon your icing into the bag and work it down in the corner of the bag.
Starting at the outer edge of the cupcake, start circling around the cupcake forming a
peak as you go. You can do as small or as big of a peak as you would like.
You can then decorate this with sprinkles, candies, chocolate chips or whatever else you would desire. Or you can leave it as is.
Rose
Cut your Ziploc bag the same way as you would for the swirl. Start at the middle of the
cupcake and form circles until you reach the outside of the cupcake circle. (Keep the
circling flat on the cupcake!)
Open Swirl
Cut the corner off of your taped corner of the bag. The larger the cut, the larger the
swirl.
Starting at the outer edge of the cupcake, make circles on top of each other to make a
peak.
Decorate with toppings.
Sunflower/Leaves
Cut out a small triangle at the taped tip of the bag.
Holding the tip in the same direction as pictured below.
To make a sunflower, continue this in a circle around the cupcake. Make 2 circles of
sunflower petals. The middle can be an Oreo cookie, chocolate chips, or fill it in with
brown icing using the open tip cut.
To make leaves, squeeze the icing with more pressure as you pull the tip away from the
cake, release when you are ready to make the tip of the leaf.
Again, if you are looking for a more precise shape of the icing this technique would not be ideal, however, if your kids want to decorate cakes or you just need a quick icing bag for one project, this would be perfect.
Click here for a printable version.
Blessings,
Jennifer
