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Welcome to my blog post about my favourite piping tips I use when I am decorating all of my bakes! 

I love baking, that’s obvious… I run a baking blog! But I thought it was high time I posted a blog post about all the different piping tips I use on my bakes so it’s easier for you guys to find them and buy them too! 

I have a variety of piping tips below that I have used over the years and would recommend! Piping tips can come from different brands, they can come in different sizes, so make sure to read which ones I use – as I don’t want you to end up buying the wrong ones!

Investing in piping tips (and piping bags) is always best in my opinion – especially if you want really beautiful bakes!! I have linked these below for you. Generally, I do not use reusable piping bags due to cross-contamination, but you can buy biodegradable ones now which are really good. 

I often find that the piping tips you can buy in a supermarket do not work – they are too small! They are more designed for mini cupcakes, or maybe fairy cakes, as they are easy and cheap! What you want for the best results is a cake decorator-style piping tip, that is medium or large size! 

Please note that these links are affiliate links so I will earn a commission from any sales through the links. 

2D Closed Star Piping Tip

One of my most used piping tips ever is the 2D closed star piping tip… I just utterly adore the swirl it creates, and it is just so satisfying every time! I tend to use this piping tip on my cheesecakes when piping whipped cream, or on most of my cupcakes these days! 

You can see from the pictures what it looks like when it’s one layer of buttercream, and then if you swirl the buttercream up they are just stunning! The closed part of the tip creates a slightly more swirly pipe compared to an open star. 

1M Open Star Piping Tip

Another absolutely classic piping tip in the baking world is the 1M open star piping tip – this is probably the piping tip I used most when I started blogging, and I still utterly love it now! The open star part of the tip means you get slightly less swirl on the edges of what you are piping, but you can still get a beautiful swirl overall. 

Just like the 2D closed star piping tip above, this 1M open star piping tip creates a beautiful pattern whether it is flat to the cupcake, or swirls up more like ice cream – they’re so popular and amazing for so many bakes! 

French Piping Tip

The french piping tip is one that I loved using on my Christmas traybake cake, and when I am having fun with patterns – because it creates so many lines when you swirl onto a bake with it! I tend to use the jumbo-sized french piping tip as I much prefer it. 

Round Piping Tip

Whenever I pipe with my round piping tip, I always make the joke that it looks like little ‘poops’ on whatever I have piped – especially a layer cake! Obviously, it’s not, but often just using a round tip can look so good, and so satisfying! 

You can swirl a jumbo round piping tip-up really easily, or if you use a large enough one as I do, you can pipe one large blob of buttercream, to make it easier to top with something – as I do in my ferrero rocher cupcakes! 

Petal Piping Tip 

Petal piping tip are beautiful, and create the most amazing effects when used on bakes – especially a cupcake! I use them for swirls sometimes as it’s easy, but often it’s to make some sort of flower! I love the medium-sized petal piping tip the most, but even the smaller one can be handy! 

Straight Twist Piping Tip

Twist piping tips are amazing – they create such a beautiful look, and they are soo simple! I get why these can look a little intense, but it is worth a go with them! You point the piping tip directly down, and then twist slightly left and right, and it creates a wonderful pattern!

These are often sold in a set of two, and I tend to use the large of the two sizes as I adore it – but imagine using either when decorating a cake – they are perfect! 

Serrated Twist Piping Tip

Just like the straight twist piping tip above, this version is also beautiful – the slightly serrated edge creates a wonderful and gorgeous pattern on any bake that you use them on! 

Instant Flower Piping Tips

Instant flower tips have become increasingly popular over the years because they can create such wonderful patterns, and with such ease! You have to make sure you get the correct consistency of buttercream when using them as the patterns are so intricate, but you also don’t want the buttercream to be too soft, so you lose the shape of the design after piping. 

I love using the rose one the most, but there are so many designs – they are great when baking cupcake flower bouquets, or even using on a piping cake like my Christmas traybake cake. 

Leaf Piping Tip

The leaf piping tip can be so useful for so many things, such as leaves… obviously… or even just creating some really pretty patterns! I use it for cake decorating sometimes on a loaf cake, I have used it to create a cactus once out of buttercream, and I have used it to add a leaf effect to a cake – it’s just amazing! 

Piping Tip Couplers

When I was making this post, I realised that I haven’t mentioned piping tip couplers enough on this blog. They are so useful, especially if you want to use the same colour buttercream, but with multiple piping tips. They do come in sizes, and I used my medium-sized piping tip coupler the most! 

Piping Bags

One very important part about getting your piping right is making sure you use the correct type of piping bags – when I am using buttercream I much prefer to use larger savoy style piping bags. The size means you can fit all of the buttercream in at once, and also have control when actually piping. 

If you are decorating smaller amounts then I use these smaller piping bags because they have never failed me! These are also useful for chocolate, caramel and icing drizzles onto bakes! 

If you are after biodegradable ones, these are good – they are slightly smaller, but it’s still handy that they are biodegradable!! 

As mentioned further up in the blog post, I used biodegradable/disposable piping bags because of cross-contamination – as reusable ones are often fabric it is a risk to guarantee they are washed perfectly – but that is up to you!

Summary

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J x

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9 Comments

  1. Mandy on May 14, 2023 at 10:39 am

    I’d love you to show us which nozzle give wot pattern and how we actually do it please new to this many thanks x

  2. Mabel on June 10, 2022 at 8:14 am

    Hi Jane, I’m ten years old and got your book for Christmas, but haven’t made many of your cakes. I’m not really meant to use a piping bag because my mum says you loose loads of icing, is this true?

    • Jane's Patisserie on June 10, 2022 at 12:14 pm

      Hiya! No this is not true! I use piping bags all the time, as you get the best results! Hope this helps – happy baking! x



  3. Sharon on April 17, 2022 at 9:17 am

    It would be great to have how to pipe videos. I’ve never been confident at piping. I tend to use half the amount of buttercream and spread on with a pallet knife.

  4. Beata on February 3, 2022 at 7:01 pm

    This is great. I’d love to see a video on how to pipe well! My technique is rubbish.

  5. stef on January 30, 2022 at 12:18 pm

    Hi Jane
    Thanks for the tips. I can never seem to get my consistency right with buttercream in order for piping to turn out well and keep its shape/pattern. any tips for rations of butter/icing sugar?
    Thanks
    Stef

    • Jane's Patisserie on January 30, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      Hiya! It’s worth looking at all of my cake recipes which have buttercream on as that is what I use! x



  6. Ruth on January 26, 2022 at 6:49 pm

    Is there any chance that you could do a YouTube video showing an example of all of those piping tips and how to use them please. I’m just starting with the piping and it would be very helpful thanks x

  7. Vicki Mara-Collard on January 26, 2022 at 12:56 pm

    Hi Jane

    I love your recipes and I have your book. However any chance of a darker print in your blog. I find it difficult to see especially when the sun is shining

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