Horizontal Ruffles

1. Position the petal decorating tip so the wide end is just slightly up from the cake surface, and the narrow end faces out away from the cake surface. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle with the cake surface.

2. Squeeze the decorating bag with medium pressure to create a steady stream of frosting in a horizontal band around the cake. Move the tip up and down slightly, working from side to side as though you're drawing the humps of a cursive letter "m" to encourage ruffle formation. If the frosting stream breaks or you must cut off flow to reposition the cake, press down on the end of the frosting ruffle and begin applying the rest of the ruffle directly over the end. If needed, practice on the side of a glass until you master the technique.

3. Reposition the decorating tip at the center of the first ribbon of ruffles. Pipe a second ring of ruffles around the cake. Repeat this process until you cover the cake or achieve the desired number of ruffles. For example, you might leave the center of a cake top without ruffles so you can place candles or a cake topper.

Vertical Ruffles

1. Position the decorating tip at the bottom of the cake with the narrow end facing out away from the cake, and the wide end barely hovering over the cake plate and the side of the cake. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle with the side of the cake and the cake plate.

2. Squeeze the bag with medium pressure. As you work your way from top to bottom, move the tip subtly as if to make small humps or a series of connecting numeral "3"s. Stop squeezing and pull the tip away from the cake when you reach the top.

3. Reposition the frosting tip so it overlaps about half of the first vertical ruffle. Squeeze out the second ruffle. Repeat this process all the way around the cake.