Quick video: how to ice cupcakes

Step by step: how to ice cupcakes

1. Fill your piping bag with icing and add a shaped nozzle to the end – we like using a star nozzle.
2. Hold the piping bag at the top with your writing hand. You’ll use your other hand to guide the nozzle around the cupcake.
3. Working from the outside in, pipe the icing around the edge of the cupcake, working your way towards the middle. Make sure the icing rings overlap – you don’t want gaps!
4. When you reach the centre of the cupcake, bring your hand up sharply to make a little peak.
5. Why not use your newfound skill in the recipe below?

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA CUPCAKES

40 minutes, makes 24, easy

butter 100g, at room temperature

caster sugar 100g

eggs 2

self-raising flour 100g

cocoa powder 2 tbsp

vanilla essence a few drops

white chocolate 200g, melted

dark chocolate 200g, melted

silver balls to decorate

step 1

Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs and flour. Divide the mix into 2 and add the cocoa to one half and the vanilla to the other. Add a drop of milk to the chocolate mix if it is too stiff.

step 2

Spoon into mini muffin tins lined with paper cases, making some chocolate and some vanilla. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

step 3

Dip the vanilla cakes in dark chocolate and the chocolate ones in white chocolate. Decorate with buttons or sprinkles.