Advice Needed From Our Bakers - Icing Cupcakes

[Calamity Kris]

This was for a department "Flag Day" gathering at work.  I had to take these and show them to my co-workers, and hope they were consumed.......

 

I tried my hand at baking cakes and primarily cupcakes.  I have the actual baking part down but the decorating is a whole new dimension.  I watched a bunch of videos on the web and decided to try it.  I made a nice batch of cream cheese frosting and it went downhill from there.

 

I was able to add some food coloring to the frosting but the putting it in the piping bag was a whole different animal.  I ended up with blue frosting all over me, the stove, the counter, the piping bag and the cooling rack for the cupcakes.  I finally washed my hands, wiped the outside of the bag down and tried it again.  I found out really quickly Russian tips aren't for me.  My "flowers" were far less floral shaped and more closely resembled turbine fan blades.  I put together another piping bag and used a standard tip this time, or at least I tried to....  My icing came out more like stripes, with more decorating myself and the rest of the kitchen than the cupcakes. 

 

There has to be an easier way than piping bags.  Please enlighten me.

 

P.S.  The pièce de résistance was I decided to sprinkle a little iridescent glitter on top of the cupcakes to make them look a little more appealing.  That was going really well, until the air conditioning kicked in and blew the glitter EVERYWHERE.

 

My co-workers were less than impressed.  I ended up taking plates of cupcakes to the community break room in hopes that other departments would descend on them and take them away........

[Subdeacon Joe]

Using a piping bag takes LOTS of practice.   Even for something as "simple" as piping a straight line. 

 

It's an art that I'll never get the hang of. 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Forget the bags, use a ziploc and cut off a corner. For a tip, put the tip in first, fIll the bag, the cut the tip. There are disposable plastic piping bags that work the same way.

 

As for actually doing a nice job, I can’t help you there but the time to learn is all year, before you need it.

[Pat Riot]

My Aunt Peg used to make cakes for weddings and all kinds of events. She made very good money at it. I recall her saying it took her years to get “pretty good at it”. She was being modest, but it sure looked like hard work to me. 
 

She actually taught me the trick @Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 mentioned with the zip lock bag. 
 

I really don’t have any advice that can help. I just wanted to offer a little moral support. 
 

Almost forgot…

My aunt taught classes on cake decorating at a community college near her. Maybe there’s a course or class at a college near you? It might be worth looking into. 

 

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

I called the expert for advise...

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Simplify, Rectify, Overcome.  I don't make Bricks anymore (Bake).  I simply visit one of the local Bakeries that are close by and purchase the needed consumables.  Atz my Public Service Announcement!! 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

10 hours ago, Calamity Kris said:

This was for a department "Flag Day" gathering at work.  I had to take these and show them to my co-workers, and hope they were consumed.......

 

I tried my hand at baking cakes and primarily cupcakes.  I have the actual baking part down but the decorating is a whole new dimension.  I watched a bunch of videos on the web and decided to try it.  I made a nice batch of cream cheese frosting and it went downhill from there.

 

I was able to add some food coloring to the frosting but the putting it in the piping bag was a whole different animal.  I ended up with blue frosting all over me, the stove, the counter, the piping bag and the cooling rack for the cupcakes.  I finally washed my hands, wiped the outside of the bag down and tried it again.  I found out really quickly Russian tips aren't for me.  My "flowers" were far less floral shaped and more closely resembled turbine fan blades.  I put together another piping bag and used a standard tip this time, or at least I tried to....  My icing came out more like stripes, with more decorating myself and the rest of the kitchen than the cupcakes. 

 

There has to be an easier way than piping bags.  Please enlighten me.

 

P.S.  The pièce de résistance was I decided to sprinkle a little iridescent glitter on top of the cupcakes to make them look a little more appealing.  That was going really well, until the air conditioning kicked in and blew the glitter EVERYWHERE.

 

My co-workers were less than impressed.  I ended up taking plates of cupcakes to the community break room in hopes that other departments would descend on them and take them away........

A good neighborhood bakery would be my solution.  I'm  a mighty good baker, but I don't decorate worth a hoot.

 

I'll be happy to taste test your goods, though.  

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Were I able to time travel, one of my tasks would be finding the cretin who invented "glitter" and drown um inna river before the discovery you betcha.  That stuff is insidious and nasty.

[Eyesa Horg]

1 minute ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Were I able to time travel, one of my tasks would be finding the cretin who invented "glitter" and drown um inna river before the discovery you betcha.  That stuff is insidious and nasty.

As you would say "you betcha" 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

For a little diversion, google porch pirate glitter bombs. He got carried away developing better and better glitter bombs.

[J-BAR #18287]

Just like good ribs don't need sauce, good cupcakes don't need icing.

 

 I'm betting your cupcakes tasted fine as they came out of the oven.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pat Riot]

My daughter cheats. She ices her cupcakes then puts various flavors of chips on top; chocolate, semi-sweet, butterscotch, white chocolate, etc. Sometimes various colored sprinkles. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Sprinkles are righteous tasty.  Just don't get 'em on yer clothes.  They stain something awful.  Don't ask how I know this factoid 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Something that will get kudos from coworkers and is easier to do is a chocolate drizzle.

 

https://www.thekitchn.com/technique-how-t-32657

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

@Calamity Kris,

     Thanks for adding the Pic.