Frosting Skills: Beautiful Rose Petal Cupcakes

Step 1: Gather your ingredients and equipment. First things first, bake up some cupcakes, and make a reliable buttercream frosting. It’s important that the frosting is cold and that the cupcakes are completely cooled off.

You’ll need:

• A butter knife or off-set spatula
• a pastry bag and coupler
• a rubber spatula (for adding frosting to the piping bag)
• a mug to set the piping bag in to stabilize it as you fill it

2 specific pastry tips (#10 and # 104), which can be purchased at most baking or craft stores or online.

Step 2: Here’s a close-up picture of the two tips. #10 is a small round tip, which makes the center bud of the rose, and #104 is called a rose tip (and makes the petals).

Step 3: Frost a thick layer of frosting on the domes of the cupcakes. Work all the way to the edge. This will be your base.

Step 4: Fit your piping bag with the coupler, and then fill your pastry bag halfway with frosting. Twist the top so no frosting will leak out. Fit the pastry bag with the #10 tip. Place the tip in the center of the cupcake, give a squeeze, and slowly pull the bag up. This will be the center of the rose, or the bud.

Step 5: Switch from the #10 tip to the #104.

Step 6: Now it’s time to start making the petals. Start by placing the wider end of the tip down and the thinner end up. Firmly squeeze the bag and pipe a small arched petal around the base of the bud.

Step 7: Turn the cupcake just slightly and pipe another arched petal, overlapping the first.

Step 8: Turn the cupcake again and make another overlapping petal.

Step 9: Continue turning and piping petals, overlapping petals making the outer petals longer as you get farther away from the center bud.

Step 10: Voila! Your cupcakes are coming up roses!

Helpful hints:

• If it’s a hot day, and your frosting is starting to melt, pop the cupcakes and piping bag into the fridge for a few minutes to firm it up.
• We find it’s easiest to pipe when the bag is not filled to the top.
• If you mess up, just wipe away the rose and start again!
• Take your time and have fun!