Pretty Pastels Cupcakes

How to make
Pretty Pastels
Cupcakes

Combining simple piping styles in different ways is an easy and effective way to develop multiple designs and interest within a particular color scheme. Choose 1 or two of these styles, try them all, or mix and match! These floral-inspired colors are popular for weddings, bridal showers, birthdays, Mothers Day celebrations, and more! It's also fun to try these piping styles in a single color.

What You Need

Find links for supplies and materials at the bottom of this page
Cupcake liners/wrappers
Cupcake pan
Recipes for your favorite cake and buttercream frosting (find all my recipes HERE), or mixes
Cookie scoop
Gel coloring - pink, green, brown (if desired to make dusty/muted tones)
Piping bags
Piping tips 1M or 2D or other large open star tip
Piping tip 103 (or other small petal tip)
Piping tips 199 or 18 or 21 or other small open star tip(s)
Rose gold, gold, white, or pink sprinkles, edible flakes, or other decor
Turntable or a plastic lazy susan will work too (optional)

Step 1: Baking Cupcakes

Mix up your favorite cupcake recipe (find all my recipes HERE) or as per package directions if using boxed mix.

Add cupcake liners to cupcake pan and scoop batter into liners 1/2 to 2/3 full.

Bake as directed by recipe or mix instructions. Cupcakes will be done once a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before decorating. May store in freezer in airtight container if decorating later.

Step 2: Making Buttercream Frosting

Mix your favorite buttercream frosting (find all my recipes HERE) in a stand mixer or hand mixer on low to medium speed, or use prepackaged frosting if desired.

Divide your buttercream into three bowls and add 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar to each to stiffen the consistency for piping. Color these as follows (or according to your color choices):
- First bowl: stir in 1-2 drops of pink gel coloring.
- Second bowl: stir in 1-2 drops of green gel coloring.
- Third bowl: leave white (no added gel coloring).

Optional: add a small amount (just a "dot" by a toothpick) of brown gel coloring to the pink and the green to mute the color if desired.

Colors will deepen with time, so buttercream may be made a day or two in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add coloring or make multiple buttercream colors if desired. Add 2 tsp powdered sugar to buttercream frosting to stiffen the consistency slightly.

If refrigerating, allow buttercream to warm up a bit at room temperature before using to make piping easier. Keep covered until ready to use. Stir well just prior to using to press out air bubbles.

Step 3: Preparing to Decorate

If you have multiple 1M/2D/large open star tips, place three of these each into a piping bag, and cut the tip of the bag off so the piping tip sticks through, but stays in place. If you are using a single 1M or similar tip with large couplers, remove the rings from the couplers, and place a coupler into each of the three bags instead of the tip itself. Add the tip to one of them for now, and screw the ring on over this. Fill one bag with white, one bag with pink, and one bag with green buttercream frosting.

Repeat this process with the small open star tip(s) and petal tip(s). Decide which buttercream color you would like each tip to pipe. I chose green for my 103 petal tip, pink for one of the small open star tips, and white for another small open star tip. You can use small couplers with these tips if you'd like to try the designs with each color.

Step 4: Piping the Buttercream Frosting

If any of these are new piping styles for you, it may be helpful to try some practice piping of each of these motions back into the buttercream bowl (you can stir this and use it after practicing).

Large cupcake rosette swirls

Choose one of the piping bags with the 1M or other large open star tip. Starting in the center of the cupcake, squeeze with medium pressure to attach the buttercream to the cupcake, and then spiral outward maintaining even pressure until the cupcake is covered. Gradually release pressure and pull away at the end.

Rosettes with ribbons and drop stars

Starting with the pink buttercream frosting (tip 1M or other large open star tip), pipe a small rosette on one side of the cupcake but squeezing with medium pressure and spiraling around this one time to keep it smaller than the large cupcake rosette. Release pressure at the end.

Switch to the green buttercream with the 103 (or other petal tip) tip. Hold this so the narrow end of the tip is upward and the wide end of the tip is down touching the cupcake. Maintaining even pressure, create a folded ribbon by moving your hand back and forth across one side of the cupcake.

Using the white buttercream frosting (199 tip or other small open star tip), pipe drop stars in the remaining open spaces on the cupcake by squeezing with medium pressure, then releasing entirely before pulling away, resembling a chocolate kiss shape.

Rosettes with drop stars

Starting with the pink buttercream and tip 1M, pipe a small rosette on one side of the cupcake just like in the previous design.

Repeat this with the other 1M tip or open star tip prepared with the green buttercream. The two rosettes can overlap. See video.

Using the white buttercream with the 199 tip, pipe drop stars in the remaining space on the cupcake just like in the previous design. Squeeze with medium pressure, and make sure to release fully before pulling away.

Spirals and rosettes

Starting with the pink buttercream and the small open star tip, squeeze with medium pressure and move your hand in very small circles to create a spiral or coil border around the edge of the cupcake. Pause as needed to reposition or fill with more buttercream frosting by pulling off toward inside of border (see video) and continue spiraling until the border is closed. Finish by gradually easing up and then stopping pressure at the end of the spiral. It is helpful to use a turntable to turn the cupcake if available, however the cupcake can be turned just in your hand or on the counter, too.

Using the green buttercream with the 1M or other large open star tip, pipe a small rosette swirl with medium pressure by starting in the center of the cupcake and piping around one time (see video), just like in the previous designs on this page. Again, finish by easing up pressure at the end.

Step 6: Adding Sprinkles, Edible Flakes, and other Decor

Choose a sprinkle mix, edible glitters, flakes, dragees, etc - both coordinating or contrasting colors will have fun, different looks! Add these to “tails” of swirls or wherever desired on your cupcakes.

Supplies and Materials Links

Recipes for cupcakes and buttercream frostings
Gel coloring: Chefmaster Liqua-Gel or Americolor Gel-Paste: Amazon Storefront
Cupcake pans: Wilton: Amazon Storefront
Cupcake liners: Mr Miracle: Amazon Storefront
Piping tips 1M, 103, 199, and others; large and small couplers: Wilton, Ateco: Amazon Storefront
Piping bags and other tips: Ateco, Wilton, and various brands: Amazon Storefront
Sprinkles: Sweets & Treats, SprinklePop, SimplySucre, Celebakes, NY Cake, and various brands: Amazon Storefront
Turntable: NY Cake, various brands: Amazon Storefront

I would love to see your cupcakes!
Tag me @erin.cakesandcupcakes on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!

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How to make Pretty PastelsCupcakes