How To: Do four different cupcaking icing techniques

In the confectionary world the way you ice or present a cupcake is just as important as how good a cupcake tastes. Thanks to cupcake bakeries like Magnolia Bakery in NYC and Sprinkles in L.A., the age of the yummy and chicly decorated cupcake has officially been ushered in. Make your own cupcakes that much more in line with the times by watching this cupcake decorating tutorial.

Master baker Xanthe Milton will guide you through four different techniques of icing a cupcake:

1. Basic swirl
2. Iced gem effect
3. Rose
4. Variation on the iced gem technique