Multicolored Buttercream Takes Cupcakes To The Next Level

Let's be honest, without frosting, a cupcake is just a muffin. Okay, maybe that's not the real difference between muffins and cupcakes, but our point stands. That thick mountain of sugary goodness takes a miniature cake from a boring breakfast pastry to a mouthwatering treat and provides a delightful contrast to the cake in both texture and taste. While each person may have their own opinion about how much frosting belongs on top of the dessert, there's no doubt that a perfect buttercream swirl adds some serious visual appeal — especially when you throw a complex color scheme into the mix.

Before you doubt your abilities, this next-level cupcake decorating method is much easier to pull off than you might think. After preparing your star-tipped piping bag (try this hack that makes frosting cupcakes a breeze), halve your American buttercream — the best frosting to use for piping — and color each half your desired shade with food coloring.

Once the colors are properly mixed, add both to a piping bag, alternating colors with each scoop. Don't fill the bag up all the way or frosting may spill out. After your cupcakes cool down, pipe your buttercream in the standard swirl pattern. The result will be a stunning, two-toned frosting layer that's sure to impress anyone digging into your desserts.

Two-toned buttercream is a great way to take your homemade cupcakes to the next level, but if that's not enough, you can bring even more color to your desserts. Whether you're going for a patriotic red, white, and blue color scheme on the Fourth of July or want to make homemade rainbow cupcakes featuring all of Roy G. Biv's trademark shades, you can use the same alternating technique when filling your piping bag to add as many colors as you like and create the dessert of your dreams.

As if multiple colors weren't impressive enough, you can also use the same method to top your treats with multiple flavors of frosting. Peanut butter and chocolate make a tried-and-true combo, or you can pair a classic buttercream frosting with strawberry and chocolate to create Neapolitan cupcakes. Between all the various colors and flavors at your disposal, the decorating possibilities are endless.