Basic Piping Techniques Cake Decorating and Baking Tutorial

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Basic Piping Techniques
with Ceri Griffiths
Skill level: Easy
HD Lessons: 14
Decorating time: Half a Day
Now Playing
14:37

1. Making Royal Icing and Piping Bags

How do you get that perfect royal icing that is just a wonder to work with? Stay tuned to find out. In this lesson, Ceri shows us a simple and straightforward recipe and along the way shares his expert knowledge on various different equipment and brands that can be used, leaving you to develop your very own unique recipe. That’s not all! Ceri also shows us how to make a strong and accurate piping bag and again gives us some different options, leaving you to figure out what’s best for you. We recommend having some pen and paper to hand. Click here for Ceri’s royal icing recipes.
Now Playing
12:52

2. Preparing the Template and An Intro to Scratch Work

Have you ever heard of cake mapping? In this lesson Ceri shows us how to make a template that guides our royal icing work, a very clever and accurate trick. Ceri also takes us through simple but very important things such as filling the piping bag properly and then going on to some basic scratch work.
Now Playing
03:12

3. Scratch Work in Practise

In this lesson, Ceri shows us some scratch work and we’re sure you’ll be excited to try it out for yourself once you see how much free form it involves! It’s very therapeutic, but don’t be fooled as it requires some degree of accuracy.
Now Playing
06:30

4. Piping Shells and An Intro to Piped Border

Ceri demonstrates the basics of creating piped shells. You will be surprised by the many different variations and right and wrong ways of creating a shell, so pay attention to learn the correct techniques. We then learn where to correctly position the shells on the cake which is hugely important.
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03:52

5. Piping Shells and the Border onto the Cake

Now to add those shells to the cake! In this lesson Ceri shows us a great technique to get a neat and well spaced finished. It’s all starting to come together now.
Now Playing
18:00

6. Introduction to Flood and Runout Work

In this lesson, Ceri shows us the design process for creating a butterfly wing template and demonstrates piped run out work as well as flood work. He shares his knowledge on drying times with the use of lamps and dehydrators and then to finish it all off….well, you’ll need to watch and find out!
Now Playing
09:47

7. Colours and Various Nozzles and Their Purpose

This lesson is very informative and packed full of important information. Ceri talks to us about petal nozzles and the best ones for various purposes, to save tears of frustration. We’ve all been there…we also get some great tips on the types of colours to use and the different ways in which they can affect royal icing.
Now Playing
03:22

8. Piping a Five Petal Blossom

In this lesson, Ceri shows us how to create a simple but effective five petal blossom in a way that won’t hurt your back or your eyes. You’ll also get some great tips on saving yourself last minute rushed work and storage ideas. Organisation is the way forward and Ceri is an expert at this!
Now Playing
16:44

9. Building the Butterfly

Now it’s time to put the butterfly together and decorate it. You have complete creative license here. It is quite tricky so a steady hand and some good coordination will be required. Again, after watching this lesson you will have even more time management and storage wisdom at your finger tips, as well as transportation tips. We can never have enough of that!
Now Playing
02:52

10. Leaf Piping Techniques

Ceri now teaches us various leaf piping techniques that can be used in all sorts of different ways. A very valuable lesson which is nice and short and to the point. If you have ever found yourself repeatedly making a strange looking piped leaf then this is the lesson for you!
Now Playing
01:55

11. Piping Leaves onto the Cake

So now it’s time to apply those newly-learned leaf piping skills onto the cake! Ceri shows us how to do this in a tasteful way that is pleasing to the eye and allows the design to flow naturally. He makes it all look too easy!
Now Playing
09:35

12. Finishing Touches

It’s what we’ve all been waiting for! Lets take all those newly learned skills and add them to the cake. In this Lesson, Ceri brings the design together and shows us how to create a beautiful spray of leaves and blossoms. This along with the butterfly now attached onto the cake really brings it all to life.
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01:52

13. Other - Ideas

Looking for some more ideas? Well you have come to the right place! Cerri shares some further ideas about basic piping skills. We would love to see examples of your piping work – please share your snaps with us on our Facebook Page!
Now Playing
01:48

14. Pro Lesson

In this lesson, Ceri discusses decoration timing and pricing, as well as some marketing tips – essential watching for the professional cake designer!

Learn the essential basic piping techniques that will enable you to create classic and timeless cakes. This tutorial is taught by Ceri Griffiths, a master and leader in the field of piping techniques. Ceri also shares his royal icing recipes with us which can be accessed from the Ingredients tab above.

We would love to see examples of your piping work – please share your snaps with us on our Facebook Page!

Ceri Griffiths

Ceri Griffiths

Ceri DD Griffiths is an internationally recognised expert in his field of royal icing and as such travels extensively. From baker and confectioner to professional dancer, cake artist and much more, Ceri’s own eclectic style of cake design and flare is made up from the many varied elements of his life. As a widely travelled teacher and demonstrator, Ceri Griffiths firmly believes that sharing knowledge and skills is the only way in which cake decorating and design can grow.
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