The Bakelings Blog

Understanding piping tips transforms your decorating from guesswork to precision. This guide demystifies tip selection for consistent, professional results.

Understanding Tip Numbers and Shapes

Piping tips are categorized by shape and size. The number indicates the opening diameter, while the shape determines the design you'll create. Larger numbers mean bigger openings and thicker lines.

Round Tips (Tips 1-12)

These versatile tips create dots, lines, beads, and writing. Small round tips (1-3) are perfect for delicate details, fine writing, and intricate piping work. Medium rounds (4-6) handle general outlining and standard writing. Large rounds (7-12) create bold borders, large dots, and are ideal for filling operations.

Best Uses: Cookie outlining, lettering, dots, beads, stems, vines, and filling pastries.

Star Tips (Tips 13-22 and larger)

Star tips create textured, ridged designs. Small stars work for delicate shell borders and small rosettes. Medium stars are your go-to for classic rosettes, stars, and general borders. Large stars create impressive swirls on cupcakes and dramatic borders on large cakes.

Best Uses: Classic cupcake swirls, shell borders, rosettes, drop flowers, and zigzag patterns.

Open Star Tips (Tips 1M, 2D, etc.)

These create deeply grooved, dramatic designs with pronounced ridges. The 1M tip is possibly the most popular cupcake decorating tip worldwide, creating those picture-perfect swirls you see on professional cupcakes.

Best Uses: Cupcake frosting, dramatic rosettes, textured borders, and statement decorations.

Petal Tips (Tips 101-104)

Petal tips have a teardrop-shaped opening—one end wider than the other. These specialized tips create realistic flowers, ruffles, and ribbon effects. The wider end creates the base of petals while the narrow end forms delicate edges.

Best Uses: Roses, ruffles, bows, ribbons, and realistic flower petals.

Leaf Tips (Tips 65-70)

V-shaped openings create realistic leaves with central veins. Different sizes accommodate everything from tiny herb leaves to dramatic tropical foliage.

Best Uses: Leaves, foliage, decorative borders, and nature-themed designs.

Specialty Tips

Grass Tips: Create realistic grass, fur, or hair effects Basket Weave Tips: Produce woven patterns and textured surfaces Multi-Opening Tips: Pipe multiple strands simultaneously for grass or special effects

Choosing Tips for Specific Projects

Birthday Cakes: Round tips for writing, large star tips for borders, flower tips for decorative elements

Wedding Cakes: Small round tips for delicate piping, petal tips for elegant flowers, small star tips for refined borders

Cupcakes: Large open star tips (1M, 2D) for classic swirls, round tips for simple domes

Cookies: Small round tips (2-4) for outlining and flooding, tiny rounds (1-2) for detail work

Building Your Collection

Start with these essential tips: round 2, 3, and 4; star 16 and 21; open star 1M; petal 104. This basic set handles 90% of common decorating tasks. Expand your collection as you develop specific interests in particular techniques.

Pro Tip: Always clean tips immediately after use. Dried frosting in small openings is difficult to remove and can affect future performance. A small brush specifically for piping tips makes cleaning more efficient.