How to Pipe Carrots

I believe in cake mix.

I believe in store bought icing.

I believe in short cuts, as long as they don't skimp on taste or quality.

Some bakers would consider these statements blasphemy. That if you don't make a cake or icing from scratch you are breaking some kind of unspoken baker's code. 

I almost always use cake mixes. And every now and then, if a project doesn't call for a sturdy icing*, I use store bought. I work full time and have a toddler and husband to take care of, so some days I don't have time to make something totally from scratch. (I am sure you can relate.) It doesn't make the baking any less special. It still comes from the heart and it still has homemade touches. And I get just as many oooo's and ahhhh's in the end.

A friend of mine had a very special birthday and when I asked what kind of cake he would like, he requested carrot in a simple sheet form. I used Duncan Hines Decadent Classic Carrot Cake Mix.  It's not your normal bland carrot cake boxed mix. It comes with actual shredded carrots and raisins. It's most excellent.

Store bought icing can be a little thin, but for a sheet cake it works great. We all know cream cheese icing and carrot cake go together like Kathy Lee and Hoda. I am a fan of Pillsbury cream cheese icing. In fact, when I buy icing it's usually the one I choose. I have even had people request it saying, "Remember that cream cheese icing you used that time? I want that kind." (Take that, baker's code.)

Here's a trick when using store bought icing: whip it with an electric mixer for about a minute. It adds air to the icing which lightens it up, plus it almost doubles what you start with. It's a win win.

Since the cake and icing did not take as long as my usual endeavors, I wanted to do a bit of decorating. I had a carrot cupcake from Caramanda's a while back and there was a tiny carrot piped onto the top of it. It was adorable. I decided to try it out on this cake. 

I used two containers of icing for this cake, but reserved about a fourth of it for decorating. I tinted half of that reserved icing orange and the other half green.  I put a Wilton 67 leaf tip on the bag of green icing and a 12 tip on the orange. 

Wilton 67 Leaf Tip

Wilton 12 Round Tip

Let me preface all of this by saying, it is TREMENDOUSLY hard to photograph with one hand and pipe with the other. That is why there are not photographs of the whole process in action, AND why the pictures are not the best quality. My next step is to get a tripod and figure out the timer on my camera. I have a whole new appreciation for all my favorite food bloggers after this. You gals must have a third hand you're keeping under wraps.

So first, take the leaf tip and hold it at a 45 degree angle. Squeeze pretty hard and drag slowly so that you get a wide section of icing. Then, slow down the pressure to almost nothing and pull so that the icing forms into a point at the bottom.

Next, using the orange icing with the round tip, place the tip directly over the bottom pointed end of the leaf you just made. Again, apply a good amount of pressure and drag.

Once you get about that much orange icing, slow the pressure to almost nothing and slowly pull away to form the pointed end of the carrot.

It's that easy!! And what a cute addition to a carrot cake.

I piped that carrot at the wrong end of the leafy greens. The other carrots better not make fun of him.

Anyone on the receiving end of baked goods is going to feel extra special. He or she is not thinking about whether it took you 3 hours or  45 minutes to make that gift of food. They are simply thrilled that they were thought enough of for someone to go out of their way to cook for them. It really is the thought that counts. When you take the time to mix a batter, bake it and cover it with icing, you are telling someone that they are important and special to you. Ya know, cooking for others just may be the answer to world peace.

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*Because store bought icing is a bit on the creamier side, I usually make my own icing for cupcakes or goods where the icing needs to stand up and stay in place. However, I have had luck with pre-made icing for frosting cupcakes by mixing in some powdered sugar to stiffen up the icing a bit.

Cupcake Swirls

I had some leftover batter from the mini cupcakes  so I made 6 standard ones to practice piping on later. Specifically, I wanted to try swirls with an extra large star tip. I LOVE the results from a large tip. So exaggerated and pretty.

I just got some new tips from Amazon, as well as some disposable pastry bags which I HIGHLY recommend.

I didn't even need a coupler to attach the tip since I wasn't planning on switching it out for another one later.  I just snipped off about two inches of the pastry bag, dropped the tip inside and slid it down into the end nice and snug. (I'll share more on this in a future post.)

Large closed star tip

It is really quite easy to pipe a swirl. My aunt Joanna had filled me in on some tips, no pun intended, and I thought I would show you the results. I used a closed star tip (shown above) this time around.

The first is your typical swirl design. Remember those curly Q doodles you used to draw as a kid? It's basically the same thing. 

To start, place your tip at the edge of the cupcake. 

Squeeze the bag and swirl around until you get to the center. 

Stop applying pressure and lift your piping bag straight up in the air to get that small decorative star of icing.

 

Starting from the outside and working in.

The second one is a rose type of swirl. It's done in a reverse fashion. 

This time, start right in the middle and swirl  around until you reach the outer edge. 

So simple with such pretty results!

Starting from the inside and working out.

With just the right tip, a disposable bag and some icing, you can turn out some very pretty cupcakes with little effort!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Mmmm...aluminum with Crisco. My favorite.

My aunt, Joanna, has been decorating cakes for as long as I can remember. She is self taught and does beautiful work. It's always a treat to see her latest creation! I asked her last week if she would be willing to teach me some basics next time I am in town. In the meantime, she suggested a great way to practice piping: shortening and an inverted cake pan. So genius! (Apparently, that is how cake decorator newbies are trained.) It's ideal for four reasons:

1. The consistency of the shortening mimics that of icing.
2. The cake pan gives the feel of decorating on an actual cake.
3. Perfectly good buttercream doesn't go to waste.
4. Neither does the shortening. Just scrape it from the pan and use it over and over.

So last night, I gave it a go. I did as Joanna instructed and dove right in, piping away, changing  out tips and free-handing just to see what kind of shapes I could make. The picture above was my fourth attempt. (If you like this "masterpiece," you should have seen the three before it!) Each time, I just tried to fill up all the empty space on the pan to get in as much practice as possible, not concerning myself with the design as a whole. It was about learning how to hold and maneuver the bag while getting a feel for what designs each of the tips can produce.

This was my first experiment with a piping bag and I found it to be so much fun. I am a big fan of this practice method because I could just clean my "canvas" and start over many times without the commitment of a finished cake that I wasn't happy with. Decorating is definitely a skill that requires practice and patience. I am incredibly eager to learn all I can and I can't wait to have a finished cake to post for you guys. Until then, lots of other fun and tasty baked goods will be keeping you company.

Next up, Ten Cup Cookies!