Best icing for piping?

[anney]

DD wants to make cup cakes and pipe icing decorations onto them but don't know what icing and consistency I need for best results? Thanks

[Netix]

Any smooth icing that holds its shape will work. Cream cheese icing, buttercream, my French vanilla cream (see the ruby red velvet cake thread for recipe). You can practice piping onto a plate or anything, and just scrape the icing back into the bag to put onto the cupcakes. Even whipped cream (fairly stiffly beaten, not into butter though). You can even pipe rosettes of whipped cream (or any icing) onto baking paper on trays, place in the fridge to harden, then using a butter knife carefully place next to cakes or other desserts.

ETA; if you're into the hard sauces at Christmas (you know, like the brandy butters, etc) you can pipe them into the same rosettes for you Chrissie puddings, etc.

[LuluHB]

Ditto everything Netix says. And if you're really pushed for time, the Betty Crockery tubs of frosting/icing pipe really well and you can colour/flavour the vanilla one if you need to

[anney]

thanks ladies