Bake and cool the cupcakes, then prepare the buttercream.
For the swirled colors shown in today's post, tint half the buttercream pale pink, and half the buttercream dark pink. Fit a 16-inch piping bag with tip 1M, and fill the bag randomly with the two colors, letting them blend together.
To frost cupcakes with a classic cupcake swirl, start at the outer edge of the cupcake, piping a swirl towards the center, letting the frosting pile up into a mound on the cupcake. Finish by pulling the tip up and away at the top center of the mount of frosting.
To frost cupcakes with a rosette, start at the center of the cupcake. Hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake, and pipe a swirl from the center, towards the outer edge. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.
To frost hydrangea cupcakes, hold the bag so that the tip is perpendicular to the cupcake. Pipe a "drop flower" in the center of the cupcake, by piping a star shape and pulling straight up as you release pressure. Repeat with 7 more flowers around the center flower.
To frost cupcakes with a ruffle, hold the bag so that the tip is at a 45 degree angle to the cupcake. Starting at one side, pipe back and forth across the cupcake, to create a "ruffle" across the top of the cupcake. Gradually release pressure on the bag, letting the frosting taper off at the edge.
To frost cupcakes with a ring for a filling in the center, simply pipe a swirl of frosting around the edge of the cupcake, leaving the center open. Spoon jam, lemon curd or chocolate ganache into the hole in the center.
To frost cupcakes with a combination of rosettes and drop flowers, start by piping a small rosette off-center. Pipe a second rosette that slightly overlaps the first one. Pipe several drop flowers around the rosettes.