Instructions

1. Pick a star-shaped tip for your decorating bag to make stars or star-shaped flowers. Hold the bag upright at a 90-degree angle, with the tip of the bag 1/4 inch above the surface of the cake. Squeeze the decorating bag downward to form a star, stop, and then pull the tip straight up and away. Add a dot to the center of the star shape if you're making flowers.

2. Use green icing and a leaf tip to add leaves to the flowers. Draw small leaves with the pointy side of the leaf tip facing down. Lift the tip of the decorating bag so that the leaf tip sticks up. This will give a more realistic look to the leaves on the cake.

3. Replace the narrow, V-shaped end of the decorating bag with a leaf-shaped tip. You will need to replace the featherweight bag with green icing. If you are using the parchment or disposable bag, discard them and fill a new bag with green icing.

4. Add decorative piping or garlands to your cake by using the star tip (for a roping effect) or the leaf tip (for overlapping leaves) to apply colored icing or whipped cream to the edges of the cake. Match the top and bottom edges for a finished look.

5. Choose a writing tip for your decorating bag to add a message to your cake. Hold the decorating bag at a 45-degree angle with the tip lightly touching the cake. Moving your whole arm, not just your wrist, use steady, even pressure to write "Happy Birthday" or another message with one string of frosting per word. When you finish a word, stop squeezing and lift the tip straight up from the cake surface.

6. Edible flowers are also a popular way to decorate a cake. Grow them organically in your garden or buy them from the produce section of the grocery store. Simply scatter the flowers on top of or on the sides of your cake. Pansies, violets and rose petals are good choices because they are sweet.

7. Instead of decorating your cake with frosting or whipped cream, try using marzipan. This is an almond confection that can be found in most grocery stores or gourmet shops. You can form shapes, paint with food coloring or use cookie cutters to create designs for your cake.

8. Dusting adds a distinctive touch to your cake. Use ground nuts, unsweetened cocoa powder, powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. Dust the cake by using a sifter or spooning the topping onto the cake through a sieve.