Have you ever been stuck trying to pick just one color for your frosting? And let's be honest, who said you could only pick one? Christmas means red and green, Halloween is orange and black, and good old Fourth of July is the red, white, and blue. So how can you make your cupcakes just as festive as the holidays you celebrate? Swirled frosting!
The photo above shows the technique I swear by. I used home made maple cream cheese frosting and Wilton gel colors in pink, teal, and violet for Easter. Here's an easy step by step guide to multicolored, swirled frosting which will keep your colors from mixing together into an unsavory "baby poop green" sort of color.
Swirled Frosting
What you'll need: Light colored frosting of choice
At least two colors of food coloring
Separate bowls and spatulas for each color
One long piece of saran wrap
A clip, bread tie, or the ability to tie a knot
Your choice of piping bag and tip
Getting started: Start by dividing up your frosting evenly according to the number of colors you have. If you are going to do multiple layers of the same color to give a different swirl pattern, tint your frosting to that color in one batch. Give yourself plenty of room to work. Lay out your saran wrap (remember, one long piece!) so that it is not too close to the edge of your counter or table top and so that it can't get snagged on anything. Anchor one edge of your frosting down. This anchored side is your end which will be twisted up and clipped to prevent your frosting from oozing out the back as you pipe. Naturally, the opposite edge left free will be your opening. Have your piping bag within reach of your saran wrap.
Step 1: Color your frosting. Use as little or as much coloring to achieve the shade of color you desire. Use the spatula to mix the coloring in by hand, scraping down the sides of the bowl and moving the outer frosting to the middle of the bowl.
Step 2: Starting with your darkest color first, carefully transfer your frosting to the saran wrap forming the frosting in a long, narrow line. Be careful not to spread the frosting too wide. Try to get your frosting close to the edge of the opening and keep end your frosting rectangle farther away from your end.
Step 3: Repeat with each additional color, from darkest to lightest, one on top of the other. Don't worry if some colors go over the edge of your frosting "pile", or if you can't spread a thick even layer across the length of your frosting run. Just be sure that the end that is going to be your "opening" is evenly colored.
Step 4: Once all of your colors are layered in a rectangle on your saran wrap sheet, bring the sides of the saran wrap up to touch each other (hot dog style). Carefully roll the ends together, forming a saran wrap tube of frosting.
Step 5: Your end should be long enough to do one of three things: clip, twist and tie, or tie into a knot. Twist the left over saran wrap at the end until the twist meets the back end of your frosting. It is important to somehow secure the saran wrap so that your frosting can only go one way: forward. I prefer tying the saran wrap, but it takes some patients and good coordination to keep the frosting from going all over your counter top or even worse, rolling off of it completely.
Step 6: Slide your tube, opening first, into your piping bag. Try to mold the saran wrap tube as best you can to the shape of the bag, sending the tube deeper into the bag and preventing air pockets. My favorite technique, though I should warn should really only be used if you are using a coupler and decorative tip, is to position my tube opening first at the edge of my counter. I place my piping bag's opening at the lip of the counter against the cabinet. I then push the tube forward to sort of free fall/launch into my bag and take the shape of the bag with the help of gravity. Be careful though! Sometimes this will result in a little frosting on your foot.
I use this technique for so much more than just a few holidays here and there. Birthdays, baby showers, and all sorts of gatherings are the perfect open invitation to give your frosting a swirl of color that friends, family, coworkers, guests, and clients are sure to "ooh" and "ahh" over.
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