How to pipe a pine cone | Fall buttercream tutorial 2021

For today’s easy fall piping tutorial I will teach you how to pipe a pine cone using buttercream frosting! Follow along with our short 2 minute step by step pine cone piping tutorial and learn how to pipe these easy buttercream decorations! These piped pine cones are the perfect decorations to add to autumn/fall themed cakes and cupcakes, and they’re super easy to make; perfect for beginner cake decorating!

Pine cone piping instructions:

Begin with a square of parchment attached to a flower nail. Using your coupler or a large round tip and a medium consistency brown buttercream (I used my chocolate buttercream - I'll include both recipes down below) you'll need to pipe a base. The height of this base will determine the height of your finished pine cone. Mine is about 1" in height. Using a number 81 tip with the rounded edge facing out, beginning at the top you will need to pipe small scales. To pipe these scales you're going to apply pressure pull back and then sharply pull away. Pipe 5-6 of these pine cone scales on the top of your base, fully covering the tip of the base. Once you've covered the tip we're going to work from top to bottom and we're just going to pipe these directly next to one another but not overlapping. Ensure that the rounded side of your 81 tip is facing out/down for these scales. To pipe each of these pine cone scales you're just going to apply pressure pull back and then sharply pull away. As you work down to the midway point you will need to start making these slightly longer. So just apply a little bit more pressure pull back slightly further before sharply pulling away. Continue piping around in a circle working your way towards the base of the flower nail. If you wanted to make a larger pine cone just start with a larger base and for small pine cones start with a medium-sized round tip to make your base and then you'll end up with a much smaller pine cone. When you get down to the bottom of the buttercream pinecone you'll need to pipe the final layer right onto the parchment paper to ensure that you get a nice full shape on our finished buttercream pinecone!

And that's how easy it is to pipe a pine cone! These can also be made with cream cheese frosting or royal icing.

Ingredients:
1 Cup room temperature butter
1/3 Cup cocoa powder (sifted)
3 Cups powdered Sugar
1-2 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer, cream butter until it is smooth a creamy. Add in sifted cocoa powder and mix until combined. Ensure that you are scraping down the sides of your bowl so that you have a nice smooth buttercream. Add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition. After adding all the powdered sugar ix for 2-4 minutes so that the frosting is nice and fluffy. Add milk until it reached your desired consistency. If using to pipe cake decorations use a spatula to press down on the buttercream to get rid of as many bubbles as possible!

Ingredients
1/2 Cup butter softened to room temperature 113g
2 Cups powdered sugar 200g
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract 4g
1-2 Tablespoons milk 15-30g

Directions:
In a large bowl if using a hand mixer or in the bowl of your stand mixer cream butter on medium low speed for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy and pale in colour. Add 1/2 of the powdered sugar and mix for 2 minutes. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix for another 2 minutes. Your buttercream should be fluffy, pale and thick at this point. Add vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix well. If the buttercream is still too thick/stiff add another tablespoon of milk and continue mixing. You will want a medium consistency buttercream to pipe your pine cones with! Add brown food colouring.

Fall buttercream tutorials:

Buttercream Flower Piping Tutorial Series:

[KingdomChild]

I watched this with my 4 year old son who loves cooking. He said, “A pine cone! OooOo, that’s a cute one!!” 😁

[debbieisom]

Thanks for sharing I’m so happy to learn how!

[debbieisom]

Thanks for sharing the tip size and going slow enough to see what you’re doing!

[DanijelaN.]

Great video and channel. Wish you all the best ☺️🤗♥️

[Gloriasplatter]

Wow you do it so easily 👏 I could only watch with my mouth open 😄well done 👍 thanks for sharing ❤️

[MannysMadeatHome]

Looks amazing! I find your videos so relaxing 🤗

[Maikoh]

Another awesome tutorial! Before even reading the title I was trying to figure out what in the thumbnail picture was made out of frosting, is it the pumpkin or the acorns? 🤔 Nope, the pine cones! Lol, they look great!

[LuckSpinner]

These are so precious! Very cute idea! Cheers! =)

[cherylnewman]

Difficult to watch from the top looking down.