Lifestyle

4 Easy Ways to Make Cupcakes Look Fancy AF

By Beth LeValley at Drake University

Frosting cupcakes can be difficult if you’ve never done it before. Luckily, the Spoon team at Drake University has you covered with these easy tricks to make you look like you’ve been frosting cupcakes for years.

Simple Frosting

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 1 cupcake
  • Easy
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup buttercream frosting
  • 1 bare cupcake
  • 1 piping bag
  • 1 large circle tip (or cut a large hole in the bag)

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 1

Start by slowly putting pressure on the bag, then continue with the bag in the same place.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 2

This simple trick is used often in bakeries, and it’s great for piling on lots of sprinkles and toppings (like Oreos).

Photo by Beth LeValley

Rose-Frosted Cupcake

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 1 cupcake
  • Easy
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup buttercream frosting
  • 1 bare cupcake
  • 1 piping bag
  • 1 large star tip

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 1

Put one large mound of frosting in the middle of the cupcake.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 2

Gently circle around the mound of frosting in the middle, until it creates the image of a rose.

#Spoontip: I like to add small pearl sprinkles to create a more elegant cupcake.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Chrysanthemum-Frosted Cupcake

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 1 cupcake
  • Easy
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup buttercream frosting
  • 1 bare cupcake
  • 1 piping bag
  • 1 small petal tip

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 1

Start by putting a base layer on the cupcake. This doesn’t have to be pretty.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 2

With the curve of the petal tip facing up, create small petals from the outside. Do this by putting pressure on at first, then releasing the pressure to make the petal stand up.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 3

Continue making small petals around the entire cupcake.

#Spoontip: This is easier to do with stiffer frosting, so add a little more powdered sugar to the buttercream than usual.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Classic Cupcake

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Servings: 1 cupcake
  • Easy
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup buttercream frosting
  • 1 bare cupcake
  • 1 piping bag
  • 1 large star tip

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 1

Start with a mound of frosting in the middle of the cupcake, much like the rose-frosted cupcake.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Step 2

Continue around the cupcake with the same amount of pressure on the bag. Unlike the rose-frosted cupcake, continue upwards as the frosting builds.

Photo by Beth LeValley

Need to treat yourself to more cupcakes? Look at these articles: