It’s always interesting for me to see what kind of cake decorating tips people like to use best for baking. With over 150 Wilton icing tips there’s definitely a wide assortment to choose from. If you’re a beginner just getting started in the world of decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies the huge number of tips available can seem overwhelming.

It seems like when it comes to choosing a favorite tip, the answers depend a lot on personal preferences. Just like painters have different preferences for brushes and baseball players each have their own favorite kind of bat, the same holds true for bakers and their icing tips. However, it does seem that a few decorating tips do stand out from the rest. Here’s a short list of the most popular and commonly used Wilton tips used by bakers.

Wilton #1M

1. Open Star Tips: these tips seem to be very popular, especially with those bakers who like to decorate cupcakes. A very popular open star tip is #1M which is most commonly used to frost and decorate the top of cupcakes. The large star-shaped opening is very effective at creating large, puffy swirls. Even if you’re not an artist you can simply use the #1M tip on some of your creations to easily impress others!

You can also use this tip to create many other different shapes including borders, flowers, and roses. In addition, many people also use the #1M tip for more than just decorating cakes and cupcakes. It can also be used to fill deviled eggs, cream puffs, tartlets, and adding whipped cream to pies and other desserts. Fun! The Wilton #1M tip can be purchased separately or as part of Wilton’s 12 Piece Cupcake Decorating Set.

Other open star tips that seem to be very popular are #13-21. These tips can be used for creating a variety of borders as well as shells, rosettes, zigzags, reverse shells, and swirls. Star tip #21 gets a lot of rave reviews from both novice and expert cake decorators.

2. Round Tips: these tips are pretty much essential for anyone wishing to decorate cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. The round openings make them perfect for outlining, lacework, and scripting. Cookie decorators are quite fond of tip #3 which seems to be the perfect size for outlining shapes on cookies before filling them in. Tip #3 also seem to be just the right size for writing letters on cakes. Round tips come in many different sizes depending on your specific needs. This tip as well as many other round tips are included in Wilton’s Master Tip Set.

Wilton #233

3. Multi-Opening Tips: these tips are used to create rows and clusters of beads, stars, and strings. One of the most popular multi-opening tips is #233 which is commonly used for creating grass, hair, and fur on any creature you can imagine. The Triple Star tip is also very useful when you need to fill in large areas of colored frosting. Tip #233 can be purchased separately or as part of the 50 Piece Tool Caddy Decorating Set.

Sometimes the best way to learn about the different types of cake decorating tips is to experiment with a batch of practice frosting to see what they all can do. You may even come up with something that no else has thought of before! If you find you really enjoy the art of decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies it’s usually a good idea to invest in a cake decorating tip set to save money rather than purchasing each individual tip separately.

If you’re new to the art of cake decorating it can be confusing trying to figure out what all the different icing tips are used for. Cake decorating icing tips are numbered according to their size and shape. Typically, the smaller the number–the smaller the tip. However, this can still leave you baffled because when you look at all the different Wilton cake decorating tips the numbers sometimes seem to jump all over the place!

A small selection of the most common cake decorating tips
will get you far.

You may notice that some websites and books use certain descriptive terms to help illustrate what the different tips are used for. However, if you’re anything like me when I first started out some of these terms may only make you more confused! Really, the best way to get a feel for what all the different tips can do is to practice and experiment. Luckily, it doesn’t require much effort to whip up a batch of buttercream frosting and have at it.

For quick reference, here’s a list of some of the most common cake decorating techniques you may encounter as well as the most popular tips used to create the desired effect (the numbers included are those for both Wilton and Ateco cake decorating tips).

Borders: borders can be created with all different kinds of shapes including straight lines, stars, rosettes, and shells. Borders add that simple, finishing touch to cakes and are usually created along the top and bottom edges of the cake. Really, any type of cake decorating tip can be used to create borders.

Basket weaving: although not as popular as it used to be, this is a technique used to replicate in frosting the look of a woven basket. Most cake decorating tips used for basket weaving have a smooth side and a grooved site which help create added depth and dimension to the frosting. The most commonly used cake decorating tips for basketweaving include: #44, 45, 46, 46a, 47, 47a, 48, 48a, 789, 790, 895, 897, and 898.

Drop flowers: you probably won’t create very realistic-looking flowers using this technique but many drop flowers all in a row can create a nice visual pattern and there are a variety of tips to choose from if you simply need to create a simple, quick flower. Some of the most popular tips used for creating drop flowers include: 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 129, 131, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 146, 171, 177, 190, 191, 193, 194, 217, 220, 223, 224, and 225.

Filling In: if you have instructions to “fill in” a certain area of your design this means you more or less have to color your cake like a coloring book, much like the paint-by-number technique. You can fill in areas using lines, stars, dots or whatever pattern you choose, as long as it covers up the frosting in the background. The most commonly used tips for filling in cakes include: #00, 000, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 32, 172, 199, 260, 262, 362, 363, 364, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, and 869.

Fleur-de-lis: this is the fancy lily flower that is most widely known for its association with the French monarchy. It often produces dramatic results when used in repeated patterns. Cake decorating tips most often used to produce this pretty cake adornment are: #13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 262, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, and 829.

Garlands and swags: stands of icing can be used to create frosting that resembles ribbons, vines, or banners that swing in the wind. Garlands and swags are often used to circle around the circumference of the cake. Commonly used tips include: #41, 42, 43, 59, 59a, 60, 61, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 94, 95, 97, 101, 102, 103, 104, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 133, 134, 155, 159, 160, 161, 162, 180, 221, 243, 263, 264, 349, 350, 352, 889, and 2010.

Lace: this technique is especially popular on shower and wedding cakes. tight, skinny lines and curls of frosting are used to create this look. Because of the intricate level of detail involved with piping lace–small, round cake decorating tips are most commonly used. These include: #00, 000, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 260, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, and 809. In addition, open star tips can also be used to create lace including: #13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 262, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, and 829.

Lattice work: similar to basket weaving but produces a wider space between piped lines. Tips commonly used for lattice work include: #00, 000, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 44, 45, 46, 46a, 47, 47a, 48, 48a, 260, 789, 790, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 895, 897, and 898.

Lettering and scripting: if you need to create script, words, block letters, etc. the best tips to use are basic, round cake decorating tips. These include: #00, 000, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 260, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, and 809.

Outlines: this technique is used to set off a part of your design from the rest of the cake. Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, it may be better to use a thin, or thick outline of icing. However, a dark color usually works best. Some tips which work well for this are: #00, 000, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 32, 172, 199, 260, 362, 363, 364, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, and 869.

Rosettes: like drop flowers, rosettes are not meant to be realistic but add a pretty addition to the cake. These mini-roses can be added to a cake’s top, base, or sides. Tips commonly used to produce rosettes include: #13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 132, 172, 195, 199, 232, 233, 262, 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, and 869.

Shells: plain or embellished shells can also be used for borders. Grooved marks in the tip create marks and indentations like you’d see on a seashell. The most popular cake decorating tips used for creating shells include: #23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 132, 172, 195, 199, 232, 233, 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, and 869.

Stars: this decoration fits in with many different themes and is super-simple to pipe, making it extremely popular with beginners. You can pipe rows and rows of stars to fill in large sections of a design quickly and easily. Wilton even created a unique tip called the Triple Star which is designed to fill-in large areas even more quickly than if you were using a tip with a single opening. Other cake decorating icing tips used for creating stars include: #13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 172, 195, 199, 232, 233, 262, 501, 502, 504, 506, 508, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, and 869.

As you can see, one cake decorating tip can have many different functions. While you certainly don’t need to own every single tip ever created, it helps to have several different types on hand which are appropriate for a range of techniques. Rather than purchase individual tips separately, many people prefer to buy cake decorating tip sets, which include many of the essential tips.

Two of the most popular metal cake decorating tip sets are Wilton’s Master Tip Set and Ateco’s Cake and Food Decorating Set.

Wilton cake decorating tips are numbered according to their size, shape, and function. Like paintbrushes, different tips produce different effects. You can even produce unique results from the same tip just by changing the position of your hands. The possibilities are endless!

The Wilton Master Tip Set contains 52 of the
most commonly used cake decorating tips.
(Click Image to Enlarge.)

Currently there are approximately 150 Wilton tips to choose from. Do you need all of them? Probably not. Many people prefer to purchase a set which includes the most commonly used cake decorating tips.

Most tips can be used with standard bags and couplers while others require a large coupler. Wilton tips are constructed of nickel-plated brass. Some tips, like the Giant Rose #127D and the Cake Icer #789 do not work with a coupler due to their enormous size. These tips should only be used with parchment paper or uncut bags. In addition, the Cake Icer Tip should only be used with bags 14 inches or larger.

Wilton cake decorating tips can be divided into eleven different categories:

Round Tips
#1-12, 1A, 2A, 55, 57, 301

These tips are most commonly used for outlines, lettering, dots, balls, beads, stems, stringwork, lattice, and lacework. Tips #1A and 2A require a large coupler and tip #230 which is most commonly used for filling eclairs and bismarcks does not work with a coupler.

Petal Tips
#59, 59s, 60-62, 64, 97, 101, 101s, 102-104, 116, 121-127, 127D, 150

These tips can be used to produce realistic flower petals, ruffles, drapes, swags, and bows. Tip #116 is often used to create large Wilton roses. Tips #116, 121, 123, 124, 125, 126, and 127 require a large coupler and #127D (the Giant Rose) does not work with a coupler.

Drop Flower Tips
#106-109, 129, 131, 140, 190-191, 193-195, 224-225, 1B-1C, 1E-1G, 2C-2F

These tips are divided into three categories: small (106-225), medium (131-194) and large (195, 2C-1G). These drop flower tips often contain a thin round piece attached to the center inside of the tip to product a flower effect. The larger tips are also great to use with cookie dough. Tips #1B, 1C, 1E, 1F, 1G, 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F require a large coupler. Tips #108, 109, 190, 194, and 195 do not work with a coupler.

Basketweave Tips
#44-48, 1D, 2B, 789

Basketweave tips typically have one smooth side and one serrated side to produce ribbed stripes. The Cake Icer #789 can be used to produce either a smooth or striped effect depending on which way you hold it. Tip #2B requires a large coupler and tips #1D and 789 do not work with a coupler. In addition, tip #789 should only be used with bags 14 inches in size or larger.

Multi-Opening Tips
#42, 89, 134, 233-235, Triple Star

These tips are used to create rows and clusters of strings, beads, hair and stars. Tip #233 is commonly used to create grass. The Triple Star tip is used to fill in large areas more quickly. Tip #134 does not work with a coupler and tips #234, 235, as well as the Triple Star tip require a large coupler.

Open Star Tips
#13-22, 32, 172, 199, 362-364, 1M, 4B, 6B, 8B

These tips can be used to create star techniques and drop flowers. In addition, you can create decorations with many ridges using the finely cut teeth of tips #199-364. Tip #1M requires a large coupler while tips #172, 4B, 6B, and 8B do not work with a coupler.

Specialty Tips
#77-81, 83, 95-96, 98, 105, 136, 250, 252, 347

These tips can be used to create shells, ropes, hearts, Christmas trees, and whatever else your imagination comes up with. Tips #250 and 252 require a large coupler.

Closed Star Tips
#24, 26-31, 33, 35, 54, 133

These tips create deep groves which can be used to produce shells, stars and fleurs-de-lis (a stylized version of the iris flower which makes a dramatic repeated design). All closed star tips can be used with standard bags and couplers.

Leaf Tips
#65, 65s, 66-70, 73-75, 112-113, 115, 326, 349, 352, 352s, 366

As their name implies, these tips are used to create realistic looking leaves. However, they can also be used to create shell-motion borders. Tip #366 can be used to make leaves for large flowers. Tips #112, 113, 115, and 366 require a large coupler.

Ruffle Tips
#86-88, 100, 340, 353, 401-403, 406

Use these tips to create simple, fluted, shell-borders, and special effects. Tips #402 and 406 require a large coupler and tip #403 does not work with a coupler.

Left-Handed Tip Sets

Wilton created two tip sets to make life easier for left-handed cake decorators. These include the Drop Flower Set which includes tips #106L and #107L as well as the Petal Set which includes tips #59sL, 97L, and 116L.

For those new to the craft of cake decorating it can seem intimidating when you look at all the many different cake decorating tips available. When you first learn about cake decorating you’ll probably start out with a few common tips while you get comfortable. However, the more you learn and practice you’ll most likely want to branch out and experiment with different types of tips.

Wilton Master Tip Set

There are a staggering number of decorating options to choose from and you are limited only by your imagination. In addition, it’s good to keep in mind that these tips can be used for more than just decorating cakes. You can also use them to decorate cookies, cupcakes, petit fours, and yes, even cake balls! You can think of cake decorating tips like paint brushes. A master artist requires many different types of brushes while creating a work of art!

Single cake decorating tips can cost anywhere between $1 and $5 each so after a while it makes sense to invest in a set. If you’re a beginner there are sets available that contain as little as 10 tips while the more professional sets contain 50 or more tips. If you opt to purchase a small set in the beginning you certainly have the option to add more tips over time. However, most people agree that it’s a good idea to invest in a large set in the beginning, otherwise you will probably be buying all the individual tips later and wishing you had just gotten them all at once!

One of the most popular cake decorating tip sets on the market today is the Wilton Master Tip Set. This set contains 52 metal cake decorating tips, two standard couplers, and two #9 1.25 inche flower nails. The Wilton Master Tip Set includes the following cake decorating tips: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 22, 24, 27, 30, 31, 32, 42, 45, 46, 47, 48, 54, 59, 61, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 73, 74, 78, 96, 97, 98, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 108, 109, 123, 124, 129, 134, 136, 195, 199 and 2C.

A smaller version of the Wilton Master Tip Set is the Deluxe Tip Set which includes 26 metal decorating tips including: 2, 4, 7, 13, 16, 17, 18, 30, 42, 46, 47, 61, 65, 66, 67, 74, 78, 97, 98, 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, and 199. The Deluxe Tip Set also includes one #9 1.25 inch flower nail and one standard coupler.

Another cake decorating set which may be worth considering is the Ateco Cake and Food Decorating Set. This set contains 55 stainless steel cake decorating tips, two flower nails, and a standard coupler. Although not as popular as Wilton, some people prefer Ateco cake decorating tips because of their added strength and durability.

Some cake decorating tips and supplies are essential for those new to the craft while others can be added slowly to your cake decorating kit over time. Cake decorating tips are considered essential items by many professional cake decorators regardless of your current skill level.

Metal cake decorating tips are
better than plastic.

Fancy cake decorations and trimmings including stars, flowers, vines, and frills are all created using a variety of cake decorating tips. There are literally dozens of cake decorating tips to choose from. You definitely want to buy nickel-plated or metal tips—not the plastic ones.

Each tip is assigned a number according to its size and the type of design it creates. An assortment of round tips in a variety of sizes is good for starters. These round tips will help you with a variety of projects including dots, balls, beads, lace, strings, outlining shapes and writing letters. These round cake decorating tips are #1-10, 1 being the smallest size and 10 the largest.

The following cake decorating tips are also essential for beginners:

Star Tips: 16, 18, 21, 32
Basket Weaving: 48
Leaf Tips: 67, 352
Petal Tips: 102, 103, 104, 125

Instead of buying each tip individually, you can also purchase sets that include an assortment of tips. Most cake decorating tips cost in the neighborhood of $1. So if you start with a smaller tip set you can always add more tips later.

Wilton offers a deluxe tip set which contains 26 metal decorating tips and a master tip set which contains 52 cake decorating tips.

An important investment that only costs $1.00 is a tip cleaning brush. You’ll save yourself from going crazy trying to clean every little bit of frosting from the tip using only running water. You can also buy a mesh dishwasher bag for super-easy cleaning.

I like to think of fondant as edible Play-Doh used for cake decorating. You’ve probably seen or eaten a cake with fondant and not even realized it. Because of its consistency you can roll out fondant and drape it over cakes to produce a smooth, silky covering. Fondant gives the cake a finished, polished look and is often easier to work with than frosting.

You can purchase pre-made fondant at the store but certain brands definitely taste better than others. Some pre-made fondant is available in different colors which can definitely save you a lot of time. However, most cake decorators agree that if you’re just making a small cake, it’s usually best to make your own fondant at home. When it comes to larger cakes though, pre-made fondant is usually the best way to go, but you want to make sure you purchase a brand that has a reputation for tasting good. Wilton has some good products but pre-made fondant isn’t one of them. If you only plan on using the fondant for decorative purposes Wilton is probably fine, but don’t expect people to eat it!! Satin Ice rolled fondant seems to be popular with many professional cake decorators, including Buddy from Cake Boss.

If you decide to make your own fondant at home you can use one of many recipes available such as those that use gelatin and glycerin or those that use marshmallows. Either way, you’re going to need a lot of confectioners’ sugar. Once you have your fondant prepared you can use it immediately or store it in an airtight container.

Your cake will need to be covered in a layer of buttercream, royal icing, or glaze before being covered in rolled fondant. This gives the fondant something to stick to, otherwise it will just slide and slip off your cake. Once your cake is ready you’ll need to dust your work area with a layer of cornstarch or confectioner’s sugar. I also like to rub a little bit of shortening on my rolling pin to keep the fondant from sticking. Roll the fondant out in a circle, slightly larger than the size of your cake including the top and sides. A thickness of ¼ inch is usually good. Once you do it couple times, you’ll acquire a feeling for what’s too thick and what’s too thin,

Once your fondant is the right size and thickness, gently roll half of it onto your rolling pin. Lift the fondant up and then in one single motion let it drape down one side of the cake as you roll the pin away from the side you started on. Using light pressure you can adjust the fondant so it sticks to the cake. You’ll need to cut away the excess with a pizza spatula and a sharp knife. You can also use the back edge of an icing spatula to press and flatten the fondant against the sides and base of the cake. A cake smoother also works well for smoothing out any wrinkles, crinkles, and fingerprints.

Working with fondant can seem a bit intimidating at first but chances are, once you work with it a few times you’ll want to decorate all your cakes with fondant instead of frosting!

Have you seen Cake Boss yet? I just started watching this show on TLC and I’m kinda hooked! Even if you’re not into the (possibly staged?) family drama it’s definitely a good way to learn about cake decorating!

Episode 3: Robots, Rollerskates, and Relatives

Buddy’s first task of this episode is to construct a Robot Cake for a local “hacker” club. This is ironic because Buddy and his brother-in-law Mauro end up hacking two remote-control trucks to use as the base of their movable robot cake. Buddy and the rest of the bakery staff act, talk, and move like robots while they construct the cake to remind themselves of the task at hand. The robot cake is painted with silver petal dust and LED flashlights are used to make the robot light up. When Buddy brings in the robot for everyone at the hacker party, they all chant, “Robot Cake! Robot Cake!” It was pretty funny to see a bunch of self-proclaimed geeks get excited about a cake.

The second cake of the show is requested by Buddy’s niece Tessie (Teresa) for her 8th birthday party which is being held at a rollerskating rink. Tessie requests a Tie-Dye Cake and wants Buddy to deliver the cake on rollerskates! Despite skepticism, Buddy delivers the cake unharmed thanks to his previous experience playing roller hockey.

Buddy talks about the recent demands placed upon him during the past week–a movable cake and delivering a cake on rollerskates. He asks, “What’s next? . . . It gets harder every week. I dunno what I’m gonna do!” Buddy’s nephew Buddy (son of Mauro and his sister Madeline) tags along with cousin Anthony and drives him crazy while he delivers cakes.

Episode 4: Painters, Pool, and Pink!

At the beginning of this episode Buddy is approached by New York Giants player, Justin Tuck, to create a specialty cake for a fundraiser raising money for Tuck’s R.U.S.H for Literacy organization. The cake is shaped like a pool table which ties in with the celebrity pool tournament. In addition to building the cake, Buddy is presented with another challenge when Tuck asks him to participate in the tournament alongside New York Jets player, Kerry Rhodes. Despite snickers from his employees, Buddy does pretty well in the tournament and ends up making it to the semi-finals. He says, “the Hoboken hussler is in da house!” The Pool Table Cake, made with red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting, is also a big hit.

Buddy is also approached by two painters who’d like a “paint-themed cake” constructed for their business mentor. However, they don’t have a lot of money so Buddy and the painters agree to exchange services. Buddy asks the painters to paint the workroom upstairs in red and gold colors to mimic Caesar’s Palace. But Buddy’s sister Mary has other plans when she convinces the painters behind his back to paint the workroom pink–which they do. After Buddy has a fit, the painters eventually come up with a compromise that makes everyone happy and they receive their Painter’s Cake which Buddy purposely decorates with a pink theme. We also get introduced to Sunshine, one of Buddy’s favorite and most trusted decorators, who was also the first female to work upstairs with the boys.