Free Beginners Royal Icing Course: Learn Piping Skills Step by Step Cake Decorating and Baking Tutorial

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Overview
Free Beginners Royal Icing Course: Learn Piping Skills Step by Step
with Ceri Griffiths
Skill level: Easy Cake Decorating | Cakeflix - Beginner Level Courses
HD Lessons: 11
Decorating time: Technique Course
Now Playing
13:18

1. Royal Icing Ingredients and Recipes

In this lesson, Ceri shares his extensive knowledge of royal icing recipes including precautions to take when making royal icing (avoid grease contamination for starters!) along with his knowledge of instant recipes that are available. By the end of this lesson, you will know not only which ingredients are in a basic royal icing recipe but also what the better ingredients are. The amount of different ingredients/products to choose from can be intimidating but fear not – Ceri is here to give you lots of straight forward advice. Click here for Ceri’s royal icing recipes
Now Playing
18:28

2. Royal Icing Ingredients and Consistencies

So now we’re making royal icing and along the way, Ceri shares some knowledge about his preferred equipment, bowls and tools. This lesson is full of handy tips such as how to prevent that icing sugar cloud and some simple but useful practices that will make your life so much simpler. Ceri then shows us how to get the three most popular royal icing consistencies and explains their different uses.
Now Playing
03:58

3. Royal Icing Premixes

Ceri talks us through royal icing premixes and discusses their pros and cons. If convenience and speed is your priority then premixes are a good option, but just be wary of the water content suggested on the back. Ceri would recommend going for a little less water to avoid making it too runny and adding more as you go along. It can be quite expensive but you can be the judge of whether it’s worth it or not as it is extremely convenient.
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05:55

4. Colouring Royal Icing

Colouring royal icing can be a little tricky. Ceri demystifies this for us in a matter of minutes. First of all, he approaches paste colours and gel colours. The general consensus is – avoid them! Then it’s on to dust and liquid colours and Ceri covers the pros and cons of both and when is best to use either.
Now Playing
07:49

5. Piping Bags

In this lesson, Ceri addresses the various types of piping bags available and in true Ceri fashion, gives us the pros and cons of each bag. Ceri prefers plastic for bigger projects and paper bags for smaller projects. He then goes into the different types of paper used to make piping bags as well as the different techniques used to make them. There are certain ways to fold and cut your bag which will give it extra strength and accuracy and Ceri discusses his preferred technique – the “Wilton W”. If you are unfamiliar with this, then stay tuned to find out more.
Now Playing
12:50

6. Piping Nozzles/Tips

This lesson covers piping nozzles or tips, depending on what you prefer to call them. This is a whole new world and definitely not something you want to just guess at, so this lesson along with a little further research will make you an expert. First off, Ceri recommends Bekenal piping tips as they are the best quality he has come across second to the PME Super Nozzle. If you happen to be able to check piping nozzles hands-on and not online, see if you are able to squash them with your fingers and if you are…avoid them. Soft metal is your enemy! Ceri then goes on to teach us how to take care of our piping tips and goes onto discuss how to attach them to piping bags and the different attachments available.
Now Playing
03:58

7. Piping Bag Techniques

There are many different ways of hold a piping bag and it can get confusing. Ceri shows us what works for him to enable you to get your piping technique just right. Expect plenty of useful details including where in your hand to hold it, which muscles to use, folding techniques and so on. This lesson is packed full of easy practices that will make your life so much easier.
Now Playing
03:51

8. Using Finer Piping Nozzles

You may use these nozzles very infrequently, but it’s still useful to know what’s what. In this lesson, Ceri shows us what precautions to take when using royal icing with finer piping nozzles. We have one word for you – nylons.
Now Playing
04:34

9. The Angle at Which to Pipe

In this lesson, Ceri takes us through some basic technique musts when piping. Don’t worry if you are left-handed, you won’t be left out… Ceri thinks of everything! Just remember 45 degrees, a slightly damp paintbrush and gravity are your best friends.
Now Playing
03:15

10. Piping onto the Side of a Cake

Now it’s time to see some piping in action! Ceri shares some different techniques when piping onto the side of a cake. The general rule of thumb is to let the royal icing and gravity do the work. If you try and control its movement too much you will very quickly end up with uneven piping. It may seem unnatural at first but as your confidence grows, it will become instinctive.
Now Playing
11:20

11. Run-out Work

In this final lesson, Ceri demonstrates run-out or flow work. This is a type of piping work that consists of creating or filling in shapes as opposed to drawing lines and so on. It might sound simple but it can end up looking messy if it’s not done properly – rogue air bubbles, curved edges and all the other horrors. Ceri gives us some simple and straightforward tips to keep those nightmares at bay.

Build Confidence in Royal Icing and Discover Its Creative Potential

Royal icing is often seen as one of the more challenging cake decorating techniques to master, but with the right guidance, it becomes an incredibly rewarding skill. This Free Beginners Royal Icing Course is designed to help you understand the foundations of working with royal icing while building confidence in handling piping tools and creating decorative finishes. With clear instruction from Paul Bradford, you’ll learn how to approach royal icing step by step without feeling overwhelmed.

The course begins with a detailed introduction to ingredients and recipes, helping you understand how to achieve the correct consistency for different decorating tasks. Getting the consistency right is essential, as it affects how icing flows and holds its shape. You’ll also learn about ready-made icing options, colouring methods, and the equipment used to produce clean and precise piping work.

As the lessons progress, you’ll develop practical piping skills that form the basis of many classic cake decorating designs. From learning how to handle piping bags to controlling the angle of your piping, each technique is demonstrated clearly to help you improve accuracy and consistency. The course also introduces run-out work, a technique that allows you to create detailed decorative designs with smooth finishes.

In this course, you will learn how to:

  • 🧁 Prepare royal icing using the correct ingredients and recipe
  • 📏 Understand different icing consistencies and their uses
  • 🎨 Colour icing evenly for consistent decorative results
  • 🎒 Use piping bags and select suitable nozzles
  • ✍️ Apply effective piping bag techniques
  • 🔍 Use finer piping nozzles with greater control
  • 📐 Find the best piping angle for neat designs
  • 🎂 Pipe onto the sides of cakes with confidence
  • 🎨 Create decorative run-out work

By completing this Free Beginners Royal Icing Course, you’ll gain valuable skills that allow you to produce beautifully detailed decorations and develop greater confidence in one of cake decorating’s most rewarding disciplines.

Share your questions with our amazing community on the  CakeFlix Family | Facebook Group.

Inspired and looking for a bigger challenge? Why not check out our huge tutorial library and learning paths.

For this tutorial, all you’ll need is a batch of royal icing.

Click here for Ceri’s royal icing recipes

For this tutorial, all you’ll need are piping bags and nozzles.

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.

Comments

  5. [email protected]

    Lol After 35 years of making flowers,Ceri has inspired me and i now want to be a royal icer, thank you Ceri

    Reply
  6. bakinqueen54

    Very informative. Thank you for the tips to know when its at the right mix. You explained it really well thank you Ceri xx

    Reply
  7. jafta003

    Thank you for this informative tutorial. Wish I had found it sooner especially colouring red and black. Will be getting out my dust colours in future!

    Reply
  8. irene321

    Hi Ceri! In lesson 2, the reaction between egg whites and acid it’s called denaturation. Egg whites are protein, and proteins can be denatured through exposure to heat, acids or chemicals. Denatured proteins lose their three dimensional structure and their function.

    Reply
  10. shirley.phillips

    Thank you, Ceri, for sharing your wealth of experience. So many great tips.
    Shirley Phillips, Canada

    Reply
  16. christineadamssky-com

    Brilliant Ceri, really good tutorial. May I ask which consistency I would use to stencil the side of a cake?
    Thank you

    Reply
  20. ReneBaterip

    Thank you so much for such wonderful teaching. I shall watch this time and time again, then perhaps I’ll
    have the confidence to really give it a try.

    Reply
  21. theoldschool3

    Thank you so very much your a great tutor made everything look easy and encouraged me not to give up on my royal icing, My icings in the past have been to hard or just to wet.

    Reply
  24. Suelizzy61

    Always been nervous of royal icing but I can’t wait to have a go now. Thanks so much.

    Reply
  25. Amenah

    Thank you Ceri. It was very informative and i’ll make the royal icing now and will share my experience. You have explained everything so well.

    Reply
  26. Yaels

    Ceri, that was a really excellent course. It covered all aspects and probable questions regarding royal icing.
    Cheers!

    Reply
  27. vanitha gowda

    Hi sir, what is the consistency of butter cream for piping does it need to be firm from the fridge or its okay to use the normal soft room temperature one to get the nice finishing of the designs? And any other techniques for butter cream icing to follow?
    TIA

    Reply
    • Paul Bradford

      Hi Vanitha, for the best results it’s better to use buttercream at room temperature. I note that you have asked on a royal icing course, but it’s also best used fresh.
      We are looking for buttercream artists to film tutorials for us so watch this space!

      Reply

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