I got the Wilton 1M for one batch of birthday cupcakes and it’s still the only piping tip I reach for. Ask anyone who bakes for a school cake sale which tip they use for the big swirl and you’ll mostly hear the same answer.
It’s a large open star tip: a wide opening with the star points spread well apart, so the buttercream comes out as a thick ridged rope that holds its shape. It’s stainless steel, fits standard piping bags (or a large coupler if you want to swap tips), and Wilton pitch it for swirls, roses and drop flowers. You can find the Wilton 1M open star tip on Amazon.
The swirl, step by step
- Drop the tip into a large bag and fill it about two-thirds. Twist the top shut.
- Hold the bag straight up, a centimetre or so above the cupcake.
- Start in the middle, squeeze steadily and move out to the edge, then go round once.
- Keep the pressure on and go round again, a bit higher and slightly further in.
- Stop squeezing first, then lift. Lifting while still squeezing is what gives you that untidy tail.
For a flat rose instead, start in the centre and spiral out once without building up. For a star, just squeeze and lift straight up.
When it goes wrong, it’s usually the buttercream
If the ridges melt into a smooth blob, the icing’s too warm or too soft. Chill the filled bag for ten minutes. If the edges look torn and your hand aches, it’s too stiff, so beat in a splash of milk. Warm hands make it worse, so hold the bag by the twist at the top, not round the middle.
I’d skip the big boxed sets with dozens of shapes. Most of those tips never leave the box. One 1M and a pack of disposable bags will cover birthdays and bake sales for years. To clean it, Wilton say top-rack dishwasher is fine, but a quick wash in warm soapy water and a proper dry keeps it nicer for longer.
