How to Pipe Drop Strings

The drop string is traditionally used as decoration on the sides of the cake and is the basis of more ornate string work. Called a "drop" string because the line of piped icing is allowed to "drop" or fall, by itself, before reattaching it to your cake. Pipe a row of single strings or multiple strings in rows of two or three.

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Instructions

Click to mark complete

Fit decorating bag with round decorating tip 3. Fill decorating bag 1/4 full or less with icing.
Divide your cake into the number of divisions desired or called for in your project.
Hold the decorating bag at eye level at 4:30 (7:30 for left-handed decorators). Touch tip to surface at the first mark and squeeze so that icing attaches to the surface. As you continue to squeeze with consistent pressure, pull the bag toward you the same distance as the next division mark; continue squeezing with same pressure, allowing the icing to drape naturally into an arc, to the next mark on cake. Icing will drop by itself - do not move the tip down with the string.
Stop squeezing before touching tip to the second mark to end the string. Repeat, keeping drop strings uniform in length and width.
For Double Drop String: Mark cake for the longest, bottom row of drop strings. Pipe the row of strings around the cake as instructed above.
Return to the first drop string point, squeeze the bag and drop a string with a slightly shorter arc than the first row. Join the end of this string to the end point of the bottom string. Repeat keeping drop strings uniform in length and width around the cake.
For Triple Drop String: Mark cake for the longest, bottom row of drop strings. Pipe the row of strings around the cake as instructed above.
Return to the first drop string point, squeeze the bag and drop a string with a slightly shorter arc than the first row. Join the end of this string to the end point of the bottom string. Repeat keeping drop strings uniform in length and width around the cake.
Pipe the third row by returning to the beginning drop string point. Move tip slightly next to the previously piped strings; squeeze the bag and drop a string with a slightly shorter arc than the second row. Join the end of this string to the ends of the corresponding first and second row strings, again offsetting where the tip touches the cake to end the string.