What piping tip do you use for hydrangea cupcakes?

A Wilton 2D tip. Its closed-star shape pipes a full, ruffled flower in a single squeeze, which is what gives these cupcakes their look. A 1M tip would be a decent substitution but will give a slightly different shape.

How do I get the pink and purple hydrangea colors without food dye?

Finely grind freeze-dried blueberries (for purple) and freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries (for pink). Add the powders directly into your buttercream. They tint the frosting naturally and add a subtle berry flavor. If you can't get your hands on freeze-dried fruit or want to explore other colors, a few drops of food gel coloring work great, too.

Can I use store-bought frosting or cupcakes?

Yes to both. For frosting, whip it with an electric mixer for a few minutes to lighten its texture. Tint it with food gel or freeze-dried fruit powder. Generally, a stiffer butter-based buttercream holds the petal shape best, so you may need to beat in a little extra powdered sugar. Store-bought cupcakes or cupcakes from a box mix work, too.

Can I decorate these ahead of time?

Yes. You can pipe the cupcakes a day or two ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature about an hour before serving so the buttercream softens. Unfrosted cupcakes also freeze well for up to three months.

Hydrangea Cupcakes (Easy Buttercream Piping Tutorial)

Description

Made with just one piping tip, these hydrangea cupcakes are topped with "blooms" of pink, purple, and white buttercream, naturally dyed with freeze-dried fruit.

Ingredients

Scale

Strawberry Cupcakes

Use 100 grams of your favorite strawberry jam or preserves OR make it at home yourself with below ingredients!
½ cup (120 grams) strawberries, fresh or frozen (7-8 medium-sized strawberries)
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice, bottled or fresh
Pinch of salt

Cake Batter

½ cup (110 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (70 grams) canola oil
2 eggs, room temperature
¾ teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup (100 grams) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (60 grams) buttermilk, room temperature
Optional: Pink food gel (cake will still be somewhat pink without it, just more muted in color)

Hydrangea Buttercream

10 tablespoons (140 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups (520 grams) powdered sugar
3 tablespoon heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of fine salt
Freeze-dried blueberries, finely ground (10 grams)
Freeze-dried raspberries or strawberries, finely ground (10 grams)
Or food gel in the colors of your choice (think hydrangeas: pink, purple, and blue are most common)

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Instructions

Make the strawberry puree (skip if using 100g jam). Cook strawberries with a little sugar and a splash of lemon juice over medium heat until thick and jam-like (about 5 min for fresh, 10–15 for frozen). Cool, then blend smooth.
Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a cupcake tin.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, canola oil, eggs, and the vanilla and almond extracts. Whisk in the cooled strawberry puree (and pink gel, if using).
Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Bake. Divide batter among the liners and bake ~19–21 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before decorating.
Make buttercream. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine your unsalted butter, powdered sugar, extracts, heavy cream, and salt. Start mixing on a low setting in short spurts to incorporate and avoid powder flying everywhere. Then increase speed and beat for another 5 minutes.
Tint the buttercream. Divide one batch of buttercream into the number of bowls that corresponds with the number of colors you plan to use for your blooms. Use a spatula to fold the finely ground freeze-dried fruit (or food gel) into each to create your pink and purple shades.
Load the bag. Fit a piping bag with a Wilton 2D tip, hold it open over a tall glass, and spoon in a mix of colors.
Pipe the hydrangeas. Touch the tip to the cupcake, apply gentle pressure until the buttercream fans into a flower, release, and lift. Repeat, clustering blooms until the top is covered.

Notes

If you have any leftover frosting, it will store well in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw before next use.
The nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredient brands and measurements.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Buttercream and Cupcake Assembly: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 484
Sugar: 62 g
Sodium: 281 mg
Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 73 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 74 mg