How to Pipe a Chrysanthemum (Mum)

The Chrysanthemum is a fall classic but can be seen on cakes year-round in many seasonal colors. And it’s easier to pipe than you would think. The secret to success--the curved opening of specialty tip 81 used with a simple leaf-making motion.

Skill LevelBeginner

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

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Tint medium consistency royal icing with petal color. Fit decorating bag with coupler and round decorating tip 5; fill 1/2 full or less with tinted icing.
Using a dot of icing, attach icing flower square to flower nail.
Hold the decorating bag straight up and down with the tip 1/4 in. (0.6 cm) above the surface. Squeeze the decorating bag applying a steady, even pressure, holding the tip point slightly in the icing to pipe a dot 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) in diameter to form the base. Stop squeezing, pull tip up and to the side, circling the dot to eliminate any point. The size of the icing dot will determine the size of the flower.
Place specialty tip 81 on decorating bag. Hold the decorating bag at an angle to outer base edge of mound with tip inserted slightly in the icing dot and the rounded end down (looking like a smile). Squeeze firmly and pull out 3/8- 1/2 in. (1.0 – 1.3 cm). Lift up and away slightly as you release pressure for each petal. Repeat, turning the flower nail as needed to form the first row of petals.
Pipe a second row of petals like the first row. Petals should be placed between the petals of the previous row.
Continue piping rows of petals up from the base, each slightly shorter than the row before it until flower is full and rounded. Gradually move the decorating bag so that each row angles upward a little more than the row below it.
The center petals can interlock to create a closed center.

Notes

If using buttercream icing, use stiff consistency icing. Flowers can be frozen, then placed on the cake. If desired, add Round Decorating Tip 1 pull-out dot stamens in the center top of the flower in the same or a contrasting color.