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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Spring Cupcakes with Two-Color Swirl Icing Tutorial


My last post came about from my need for something 
bright and cheery to offer relief from the constant rainy gloom.  It must have worked because the sun finally came out!  However, it's still freezing outside, so I'm going to try and will the temperatures to rise with another spring inspired treat.  :)


Since experimenting with color swirl icing by painting the icing bag and layering several colors at once to the piping bag, I've been wanting to try a third method I'd read about - using several piping bags filled with different colors fitted into one bag with one tip.  Does that sound a little complex?  It's not.  Check it out:

In two separate piping bags, fill with the colors you've chosen, careful to leave plenty of empty space at the top, as shown above.  Snip the ends  off about an inch high.

In a third empty piping bag, fit with your piping tip.  Make sure you cut the bag high enough  that the entire tip design is outside of the bag.  Don't cut so far above the design tip that it will pop out from the pressure of piping.  You can also use a coupler.


Place the two bags filled with icing on top of each other.  Very gently press them flat, as shown in the photo above.  Make sure the icing reaches the snipped edge of the bag, but don't press so firmly the icing will squeeze out.   Also,  leave empty space in the top of the bag to allow for twisting of the bag once inside the empty bag.


Gently slide the icing filled bags into the empty bag fitted with the  piping tip.  Hold the  empty bag upright when sliding the icing bags in and slowly shake up and down until both icing bags are inside of the tip.  You may need to remove the icing bags and start over if both of them don't reach the tip.  Once the bags are both snuggly sitting inside the tip, twist the top of the bag tightly to prevent icing from coming out of the ends when piping onto your cupcakes or cake.

Once you have placed the icing bags into the piping bag fitted with the tip, test to make sure both colors  pipe out.  Do this by squeezing gently but firmly with consistent pressure.  If only one color pipes out, that means both bags are not inside the piping tip so only one color is able to pipe out.  You will need to repeat the process of placing the icing bags into the empty bag with the piping tip.
And that's all there is to it!  It actually takes longer to read the steps than to do them.  I only had two glitches in my first attempt:  Initially, I did not cut the tips of the bags high enough, so the tip was partially covered and the icing didn't squeeze out evenly since it was blocked.  Also, I didn't flatten the bags at first, which resulted in only one bag reaching the piping tip so only one color came out.  Because it was not coming out of the bottom, the pressure of squeezing the icing from the second bag squeezed out of the top and made a mess!  So, snip about and inch off of the color filled bags, and flatten them.  The rest is a breeze.  I am looking forward to mixing it up with more than two colors at a time.  Of the three methods of multi-colored icing, this is my favorite.  The colors don't change from mixing together and there is plenty of color, not mostly white.  Here are examples of all three for comparison:

Swirl achieved by painting piping bag.

Swirl achieved by layering several colors on top of eachother in one bag.

Swirl achieved by two separate bags of color placed in one bag.

I'm glad I gave each method a try.  I think they can all be used nicely in different situations.  I tend to be a person who likes the last thing I tried best, which could be the reason I'm so fond of #3 at the moment!  Actually, though, I think I like the clean look it offers.  With the pink/white icing in the second photo the color mix worked out nicely.  With several different colors not of the same shade, the mixing can really change the colors, as in this photo:

The original icing colors I used were neon green, neon yellow, neon blue and neon pink.

Whatever way you choose to create icing color swirls they will look great.  Isn't it nice to have options?!  Until next time, here are my photo offerings to spring, sun, and warmth - my baked good version of a rain dance!!





41 comments:

  1. Can you please tell me how you did the different shades of pink icing?

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    1. Hi! I mixed up some buttercream icing, divided it into four separate bowls. I dyed one red, one dark pink, one light pink, and left the last white. In a piping bag I layered the four colors, one on top of the other. As I piped onto the cupcakes, the colors mixed and came out as you see in the photo. It's easy, give it a try and have fun!

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  2. That's such a great tip! So much easier than doing it all in one bag. Pinning!

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    1. Thank you, Dorothy! The whole process was very easy and I love the way it turned out. :)

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  3. Fabulous cup cakes,looks so beautiful.

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    1. Thank you so much, Hemalata!! Thank you, also, for visiting Life Is Sweets - hope to see you again soon. :)

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  4. These cupcakes are amazingly beautiful
    I love coloring so I really like what you did it
    Wonderful job, and beautiful cupcakes

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    1. Thank you, Winnie! I am thrilled with the way this technique worked. I appreciate your sweet comments...come by again soon!

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  5. I love it! Genius! Thank you so much for linking up to Whimsy Wednesdays! I have a baby shower in a few weeks and I'm totally going to try this!

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    1. Thank you, Jenny! It's my pleasure to link up, thanks for hosting each week! I think these will be PERFECT for a baby shower!! I hope they turn out great and everyone loves them!!

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  6. Your cupcakes are so springy and fun! I just adore your cake stand!

    Also, good job on your tutorial and keep the sweets coming.

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    1. Thank you so much, Robyn! The cake stand is great - it's 3 separate tiers so I can use them in so many different ways. I'm glad the tutorial was understandable - I hope you give it a try and have great success! Have a great week - please come by again soon!

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  7. would love it if you could share this on my link party

    Natasha xx

    www.serenityyou.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you so much for the invitation, Natasha! I attempted to link up, but I'm just a bit confused about where to link it up. If you have a second to let me know, I'll link up right away. :) Have a great week!!

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  8. Love the frosting! And what a great tutorial!
    Thanks for sharing on Cupcake Tuesday!
    ~Liz

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    1. Thank you for hosting your party each week! There's nothing I love more that a pretty cupcake. :) I hope you try this technique and have fun with it - I really did! Have a great week!!

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  9. Thank you so very much for posting that great tutorial AND the boo-boos too. I think that helps the rest of us not make the same mistakes. I, too, like the third option of piping two colors at one time. I saw your post over at "Creative Princess".

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    1. Thank you, Miss Kitty. :) I do always try to write about my mistakes and mishaps. The blogs I look at are intimidatingly perfect and I want to share with people that despite those occasions, baking is FUN, mistakes and all!! And, as you said, maybe I can help someone out there not repeat my errors. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting - hope to see you again soon!!

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  10. Wow! You definitely have an art for designing cupcakes! My kids would gobble those up in seconds! Thanks so much for sharing your beauties with Kelli and I at Kids in the Kitchen! We hope to see you again next week, with the new link up on Tuesday. Blessings! (Kids in the Kitchen via younglivingoillady.com and adventurzinchildrearing.com)

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    1. Thank you so much!! Thanks for hosting your party...I've linked up again this week. :)

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  11. Wow!! I love it, what a good thing, thanks for sharing your talents with us.

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    1. Thank you, Pam! I hope you give this a try and love it!!!

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  12. Love this!! Thank you for showing the results of different methods as well. Each would be great depending on the type of desired result. The spring cupcakes are so pretty!!
    Hollye

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    1. Thank you very much! I like having choices on how to ice a cupcake - it gives us all room to be creative - the best part of baking!! Thanks for stopping by...please visit again soon. :)

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  13. Thanks for teaching me a new trick! love it- thank you for linking up with kids in the kitchen! My boys will love this recipe & cool design trick!!! Awesome- hope to see ya next week again!

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    1. You are very welcome - thanks for hosting! I've linked up again, this week. :) I hope you have fun with this icing technique!!

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  14. Hi Debbie,
    I just love your tutorial, it really helps to see how to make these beautiful cupcakes! Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Happy St. Patrick's Day and Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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    1. As always, thank you Miz Helen!! :) I hope you have fun using this technique sometime. Have a great week!

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  15. These are so bright and cheery! Love 'em! Thank you for linking to Foodie Friday! Not Your Ordinary Recipes
    Not Your Ordinary Agent

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    1. It's my pleasure to link up to Foodie Friday - thanks for hosting each week. :)

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  16. Awesome tip with the icing this will help me sooooo much.

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    1. Hi, Sunny! I hope you give this easy technique a try - I really think you'll love it! Can't wait to see what you come up with!! Have a great week. :)

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  17. Hi these look great! I was wondering if you could quickly explain how to do the one where you paint the colors in the bag. Thanks!

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    1. Hello! I accidentally did not reply to your specific post, so I'm not sure you received my response (it's posted right under this one). Here it is:

      Hi, and thank you!! Here is a link to the post I did when painting the bag:

      http://debbiesweets.blogspot.com/2011/08/whats-at-end-of-rainbow-cupcake.html

      It describes the process I used. I hope this helps, if not, let me know and we'll figure it out! :) Thanks for stopping by, hope you come again!

      Sorry!!

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  18. Hi, and thank you!! Here is a link to the post I did when painting the bag:

    http://debbiesweets.blogspot.com/2011/08/whats-at-end-of-rainbow-cupcake.html

    It describes the process I used. I hope this helps, if not, let me know and we'll figure it out! :) Thanks for stopping by, hope you come again!

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  19. Wow I love your cupcakes!! Could you give me your receipe for the icing, I'm looking for a icing that wil stay up like yours! :) They are so pretty, you really did an amazing job!

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    1. Hello, and thank you so much!! You can find the Buttercream Icing recipe in this post:

      http://debbiesweets.blogspot.com/2012/03/mothers-day-flower-bouquet-cupcakes.html

      I hope you enjoy the icing and have fun designing with it!!

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  20. do you need to use colour paste in the bag to.do.just the.edges.or can you normal food colouring?

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  21. I like how clean the lines are when using the multiple pastry bag technique. I linked to your page on my site to show my readers your technique.

    My post is here: http://decadentdragonbakery.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/return-of-the-rainbow-cupcake/

    Thanks for the great tutorial!

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  22. Hi
    If you mix four colours of the same shade or different ones, if you layer one on top of the other, how do you get all four colours through at the same time?!
    Melanie

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  23. thankyou for the great tips. A great idea for a birthday party!

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