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How to Pipe Cake Borders With Buttercream Image of Various Designs and Labels.
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How to Pipe Cake Borders (Buttercream)

Learn how to pipe cake borders with easy buttercream frosting. Use various nozzles to make simple designs to cover edges (shells, ruffles, dots or pearls, ribbons, stars and more).
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Decorating time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 9 Slices
Calories: 421kcal
Author: Abeer Rizvi

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bake cake and allow it to cool completely.
  • While the cake is baking and cooling, prepare the icing.
  • Use a spatula to spread a thin coat of icing on top of the cake.
  • Fill a piping bag with icing and attach the coupler and relevant nozzle to pipe the design of your choice.
  • For leaf ruffles, use leaf tip (Tip 352 or 366). Hold the bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away to the right, leaving behind a single leaf. Pipe another leaf starting from the end of this leaf you just made. Continue doing this until you have a complete piped border. For vertical ruffles, use petal tip (Tip 103 or 104). Hold the bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to release and then glide your hand to the right while continuing to squeeze until you have a complete piped border. You can leave this single ruffle as is or pipe a few additional rows of ruffles on top of this one you just made to make a bigger impact.
  • Ribbon- Use petal tip (Tip 103 or 104). Hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to release and then do an "up and down" motion with your hands, while continuing to keep the same pressure on the icing bag. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Scallop- This specific design is made with a combination of the round tip (Tip 12, 1A) plus the back of a spoon. Hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away upwards. Use the back of a small spoon to press this dot and gently glide your hand to the right, leaving behind a single scallop design. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Dots or pearls- Use round tip (Tip 12 or 1A). Hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away upwards. This will leave behind a sharp point. Moisten your index finger with water and gently tap down that point. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Beads- Use round tip (Tip 12 or 1A). Hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away to the right, leaving behind a single bead. Pipe another bead starting from the end of this bead you just made. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • S-Shape- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). Hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle and pipe an "S" shape. Continue piping these "S" shapes until you have a complete border.
  • Rosette or Rose- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). For smaller rosettes, use the smaller star tips and for the larger roses, use the bigger star tips. Hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to release and then move your hand clockwise in a full continuous circle until you have a singe rose. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Braid- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). Hold piping bag at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull up. Squeeze bag again above this shell you made and do the same this but this time, gently pull down. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Swirls- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). Hold piping bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to release and then do an "up and down" motion with your hands, while continuing to keep the same pressure on the icing bag. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Stars- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). Hold the piping bag at a 90 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away upwards. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.
  • Shells- Use star tips (Tip 21, 32, 1M, 4B or 2D). Hold the piping bag at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze bag and allow the icing to heap up a bit and then and then gently pull away to the right, leaving behind a single shell. Pipe another shell starting from the end of this one you just made. Continue doing this until you have a complete border.

Video

Notes

  • I piped on top of a sheet cake just to make it easier for me to show you the various designs. You can easily apply these skills to a round cake. 
  • Make sure your icing has a medium consistency. 
  • Use gel food colors instead of liquid food colors to tint icing. 
  • Practice piping on a sheet of wax paper first before piping on the cake. 
  • Read additional tips and variations above.

Nutrition

Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 57g | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 1mg