Figure Piped Cornucopia
by Diane Shavkin

 
 

Figure-Piping is the method used for piping figures such as bodies of clowns and the cornucopia.  Controlling the amount of pressure as the item is "figured piped" will determine the size of the item being formed.  Fill a decorating bag with brown buttercream frosting.  Picture, in your mind, exactly where the cornucopia is to be placed.  At the point where the back of the cornucopia will be, place your #22 cake decorating tip.  Gently squeeze out some frosting through the #22 tip.  As you squeeze, begin to make a circular motion with your wrists going upward and downward as you apply more pressure while forming the shape of the cornucopia.  Note:  As the pressure increases, make a wider circular motion and begin to bring the frosting toward the "front" of the cornucopia as it is being created.  While you are squeezing the frosting out of the decorating bag, note the shape of the cornucopia as it is being formed and let it "flare" toward the point of destination where the front of the cornucopia will end up.  (You might have to stop the creation of the cornucopia more than once to refill your cake decorating bag.)  When the cornucopia has reached the place where the cornucopia is to be, take the tip of the #22 tube and place it into the front of the cornucopia and squeeze to "open up" the front of the cornucopia as well as give it "strength", height and substance.  Remove the #22 tip from the front of  the cornucopia.

Decorating the Cornucopia

Make butter fondant fruits and vegetables.   Picture a spray of fruits and vegetables inside the cornucopia and flowing out of the cornucopia onto the top of the cake.  Keep this picture in the mind as you place the fruit and vegetables to "fill in" the picture that you have created in your mind.  Fall leaves can be placed as fillers.   The "circle" that is the front of the cornucopia can be covered with a shell border, a rope border or drop stars using a #18 tip.


 
 
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