Figure piping is an interesting subject normally looked upon as being advanced and difficult work. Two reasons the novice encounters so much difficulty in figure piping are: Improper consistency of the icings. Following incorrect procedures.  In training over 4000 cake decorators, we have developed a new  and simple way of figure piping. By following the simple steps, you can do a good job in a short time.

There are two distinct methods of figure piping. The fill-in method and the
pressure formation method. The fill-in method is accomplished by drawing an outline of the subject and then filling in with icing. The pressure formation method is a technique of pressure control. By squeezing and relaxing pressure as the cone is moved along, almost any formation in icings can be obtained.

For best results, boiled icing, royal icing, or piping jelly is used. In using icings it is imperative that the icings be whipped thoroughly and then thinned down slightly. When it is squeezed through the cone, it flows out smoothly and does not roll. If it is too thin, the icing will not hold its shape. After the proper steps are known, your only mistake will be in your pressure control.

We will start with the very simple type of figure piping and gradually work up to the more intricate figures.

BABY BOOTIES

Either boiled or royal icing must be used for the figure piping of the bootie. If you desire, the bootie may be piped in royal icing on waxed paper and used at a later date. Insert a No. 4 tube in a cone filled with icing. Holding the cone straight up, apply pressure keeping the tube 1/8" off the surface. As the icing builds up, step 1, continue to lift the cone until it is about 1/2" off the pan. Keep applying pressure and move back as you squeeze until a mound of icing approximately 11/2" long and 1/2 " high is formed as illustrated. Circular movements are used to form the open portion or the top of the bootie. The bootie is then trimmed using a No. 3 tube in a contrasting color. To obtain the ruffled effect, the tube is moved in a series of up and down motions while squeezing. The tying of the bow is done by a small figure 8 with two streamers,

LARGE KNITTED BABY BOOTIE

To complete this large bootie, a slightly stiffer icing must be used in order to hold its shape. After filling a large cone, cut the tip off to a 3/16" opening. The same procedure is followed as in the construction of the smaller bootie  except that as the pressure is applied, lift the cone up to a height of about 11/4". The higher the cone is lifted, the higher the baby bootie   will be. After the bootie is formed, the entire outside is given a knitted effect. This is accomplished with a small star tube stripped in pink icing.   Moving the tube back and forth will give the bootie a knitted effect as illustrated. The bootie is then trimmed with a ribbon using a No. 104 tube. Starting at the upper back edge, ruffle the tube as the pressure is applied, Repeat the operation on the other side. If the bootie is made in royal icing, pipe on waxed paper and place on the cake after drying,

STORK

Two cones are used for the piping of a stork. Fill a small cone with white icing using a No. 4 tube. Fill another small cone with pastel pink icing using a No. 3 tube. In figure piping the head use the No. 4 tube. After a round dot is formed two long lines are piped in with a No. 3 tube, completing the bill. The neck is made in the same manner as in the swan although not so curved.

The body is tear-drop shaped and slanted down at a 45 degree angle. The feathers are worked into the body with a No. 4 tube as illustrated. The legs are made with the pastel pink icing and the No. 3 tube. To make the upper parts of the legs thicker, apply pressure and move the cone very slowly. As the line builds up, relax pressure slightly and continue moving down. At the knuckle joint of the stork, apply slightly more pressure. As the joint builds, relax pressure again and continue moving down until the end of the leg is reached. The claws are a series of three or four small movements. The diaper is placed under the storks bill by squeezing strongly at the base and relaxing pressure as you move up forming the diaper. The small baby in pink may be piped into the diaper, if desired. For a cake top, the stork may be completed by working a few green leaves and stems around and using a small cone of brown icing to pipe in the cattails.

BIRD  IN  FLIGHT

With a No. 3 tube, make a small cone.  Strip the cone in pink or blue using the brush method.  Fill the cone with  a  slightly  thinned  down  icing or piping jelly. Hold the cone just off the surface and make a curved           line for the outer edge of the wing as illustrated. The next line is made smaller still  following the same curve as the first line until the wing is completed. The tail is piped next in much the same way as the wing, however, the lines are straight as illustrated. The body is made by holding the tube at a 45 degree angle starting about half way back from the tail. As pressure is increased, move the cone forward and continue adding pressure until the breast is built up. The  head  is  formed by easing off on pressure and drawing out a small string of icing. The string is then brought around in a circular motion and by touching the string to the head and squeezing slightly the bill is formed. The inner wing is put on next. Start from the inside making a small curve, and then continue moving out with back and forward strokes until the completed wing is obtained.

DOVE

Insert a No. 3 tube into a small cone and fill with slightly thinned down icing. To make the tail, hold the tube slightly above and perpendicular to the surface. With a series of back and forth motions and a slight amount of pressure, the lines are formed for the   tail as illustrated. To make the body, stick the tube into the icing and hold it at a 45 degree angle. Apply pressure and move forward slightly. When the body      builds up, relax pressure and continue moving up until the body is formed as illustrated. Bring the string around in a circular motion to form the head. Touch the string against the body, pull out and relax pressure forming the bill. Using the same tube, the two wings are formed by sticking the tube into the body, squeezing heavily and moving away. This will form a base that is over-piped to form the wing.

PIPING A SWAN
 
Place a No. 3 tube in a small cone filled with icing or piping jelly.

Step No. 1 is the piping of the head. Holding the cone tip 1/16" off the surface, make a round dot by applying pressure and stopping. After making the dot, ease off the pressure as you move out to the tip of the bill. This will break the bill off to a point as illustrated.

Step No. 2 is the neck — With one smooth motion starting with the tube inside the head, come down to form a smooth question mark. The tube is still held off the surface.

Step No. 3 is the body — Begin at the lower curve of the neck holding the tube about 1/4" off the surface in a stationary position and squeeze. The icing will flow out evenly forming a circle. As it begins to build up, lift the tube 1/4" higher as you squeeze and then start easing off on pressure slowly and bring the tube back to the surface or the cake top. Stop squeezing at the end of the tail and continue moving the tube out to bring the tail to a point.

Step No. 4 is the wing — Place the tube in the body and squeeze while moving at a 45 degree angle away from the body easing off the pressure as you go. With a little practice, this figure will be easy to form. Once made properly, any size can be piped simply by using a larger or smaller tip and applying pressure proportionately.

THE TROPICAL BIRD

The Tropical Bird is completed in much the same manner as the Bird in Right. Using a No. 3 tube, strip the tube with the brush method in two bright paste colors. Fill the cone with a slightly thinned down boiled icing or piping jelly. After the wing is formed, the tail is brought down to an angle giving the body an elongated look. The body is formed in the same manner as the Bird in Flight. After completing the head, the tuft of feathers on the head is obtained by squeezing and pulling away slightly from the head. Use a combination of bright colors for your stripping. A beautiful effect in colors gives this bird an unusual tropical appearance.

THE WITCH

Place a No. 4 tube in a small cone and fill with a slightly thinned down icing. Holding the cone perpendicular to the pan (for practice) and about 1/16" off the pan, make the nose by squeezing strongly, then lightly, moving the tube in a hook motion as illustrated in Step 1. The chin is made in the same manner, starting at the base of the nose and moving down. Ease off on pressure and return in a circular motion to the starting point forming the chin. For the forehead, start above the nose and with one movement come down to meet the chin. Next, the hair is filled in. The hat is then piped on and the brim is piped over the hair as illustrated.

Once the head is completed the body is simple. In piping it, a much greater pressure must be used and the tube must be held 1/4" to 1/2" away from the pan. Starting from the chin, move down at an angle, squeezing very strongly, completing the trunk, continue out to complete the leg. The second leg is then piped on. The next step is to pipe the inside arm. After this is completed the broom is piped in. The outside arm is piped on next. The dress is filled in last. After a little practice, you should be able to pipe the witch on a cake top in approximately two minutes. The worse looking the witch's face is, the more realistic she becomes.

REINDEER

Place a No. 3 tube in a small cone and fill with white icing. The upper portion of the mouth and head are piped first, then the lower jaw. The antlers and neck are piped on. Move down in an arch and complete the body. The rear right leg is piped on, then the left leg and last the two front legs are piped on.

THE CLOWN

Floral and border designs might not appeal especially to children, but the clown is ideal for attracting and holding their attention. Insert a No 4 tube into a large cone and fill with icing. To figure pipe the clown, we will begin by making the head. Make a large round dot by squeezing and gradually lifting 1/2" off the surface. After forming the dot, ease off pressure and cut through the dot back down to the surface as illustrated. Another dot is then made directly below the first, continue to squeeze until the second dot overlaps the lower portion of the first dot. The nose is made by placing the tube inside the head and squeezing slightly. The ears are made and placed on by appropriately shaped dots of icing. The hat is started at the crown of the head. Using heavy pressure, move upward and relax pressure. The ruffled brim of the hat is merely a weaving string of icing in a contrasting color. The body is piped by squeezing heavily and holding the tube 1/2" off the surface. As the icing builds up, move slowly down as illustrated. The legs are formed starting at the waist by using a heavy pressure and moving in the direction illustrated. The arms are formed in the same manner starting inside the body. After piping in the feet, the suit is trimmed with ruffles at the neck and waist in a contrasting color. The clown may be made in many different positions. Another method of making this clown is to pipe it in royal icing on waxed paper. After it is completely piped out, bend the waxed paper at the waist in a sitting position. When the royal icing drys the waxed paper may be peeled off and the clown will be in a sitting position and may be placed on the cake.

THE PEACOCK

Using the No. 3, the No. 4 and the No. 16 tubes, fill three small cones with icing. Starting at the tail, draw a small fan-shaped oblong, as illustrated, with a No. 16 tube. The fan is then filled in with icing starting very small at the tip of the tail and building up as you come toward the body.

The eyes or half circles to simulate the feathers are piped in using the No. 16 tube. The body is then built up with a No. 4 tube. Stick the tube directly into the tail and squeeze very strongly. As the body builds up, move the tube up and relax the pressure slightly forming the upper part of the neck. As you come up to the head, relax pressure and get a string from the icing. Stop squeezing and bring the string around in a circular motion and touch. Bring the string out, discontinue pressure and pull away forming the bill. The wings are then worked into the body with a No. 16 tube and overpiped with a No. 4 tube. The tiny feathers around the base of the tail are worked in with a No. 3 tube. After the bird is complete the vivid coloring effect may be obtained by spraying with an atomizer.

THE FILL-IN METHOD OF  FIGURE  PIPING

The Wiltons have devised this method of figure piping making it possible for the beginner to pipe almost any type of figure he desires. Here are a few of the numerous figures that can be piped out simply by following a pattern as we have illustrated. The patterns used should be side views and not over 2 to 4 inches high. A large pattern would be difficult to fill in. For the fill-in method you must use royal icing.

BALLET DANCERS

To figure pipe the ballet dancers, three small cones were used. A No. 4 tube with pink icing, a No. 3 tube with pink icing and a No. 4 tube with purple icing. To perform the fill in method properly, first obtain a small picture of a ballerina figure as illustrated. Using a thin piece of parchment paper trace the ballerina figure on the paper. Cut out a small piece of waxed paper and lay it over the traced ballerina figure. Using the original figure as a guide begin to fill in on your traced ballerina. The face is made first with a No. 3 tube. The hair is then filled in, followed by the ballerina skirt with the No. 4 tube in purple. The arms and legs are in pink. When coming to a small portion such as the hand, use the No. 3 tube.

ROCKET SHIP AND SPACE MAN

The Rocket Ship is made following the same Fill-in procedure as for the Ballet Dancer but is easier to make because it has no fine features. It is made in a deep red and blue by using two small cones and a No. 4 tube — one cone filled with red and one with blue Royal Icing. Start at the base, or heavy end of the Rocket Ship and move your cone slowly towards the point applying heavy pressure to obtain the desired diameter. As you come to the point of the Rocket Ship relax pressure until the tip is completed. The Space Man is made following the same fill-in procedure as used for the Ballet Dancer. The head is filled in with a No. 3 tube using pink Royal Icing. The hair is made with a No. 3 tube using yellow icing. The space suit is made with a No. 4 tube using a deep blue icing. The suit is trimmed in yellow using a No. 3 tube.

LAMBS

Use a No. 4 tube to pipe the lambs, start filling in at the head and working down to the body, the hind legs and the front legs.

A piece of waxed paper is placed over your outline and you pipe directly on top of the waxed paper following the outline that shows through. When the icing hardens, the waxed paper is peeled off the figure.

RABBIT AND WAGON

The rabbit was piped in brilliant colors using the No. 4 tube. The wagon was piped in a contrasting color with many vivid colors in the flowers.

DOG

The dog was piped in brown icing with a No. 4 tube.

CAMEL

To pipe the camel, a No. 4 tube is used. Starting at the head, work down to the neck and then around the two humps to the back. The back right leg is piped first and then the left leg. The front right leg is then piped and then the left leg.

GIRAFFE

For the giraffe a No. 4 tube is also used, starting at the head, work up to the neck and come around to the left hind leg. The two front legs are piped next and then the right hind leg is piped on.

MONKEY

For the monkey, we use a No. 4 tube, starting with the head, then the body, followed by the legs and last the arms. The monkey was put into deep green foliage with tiny yellow flowers worked around for the color effect.

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