One such technique that'll be sure to impress is ... she told us: "Make sure your buttercream frosting is at the right consistency to make piping easier. You'll want to use a medium consistency ...

French-style buttercream is made in the same way, but with the addition of egg yolks, which produce a much richer icing. If the mixture splits or curdle instead of emulsifying, stick the bowl in ...

Use this simple buttercream icing recipe to decorate your birthday cakes, cupcakes and sandwich biscuits. Try adding a little food colouring gel for a splash of colour to your butter icing.