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How to Pipe Multiple Colors

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Before I get into the steps of piping multiple colors at once, I just wanted to give you some information that you might find helpful:

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  • I'm using Italian meringue buttercream, but you can use the icing of your choice. If you'd like the recipe for the icing I'm using, you can click here.

  • To color the icing I used Wilton's Color Right Food Coloring System.

  • These instructions will show you how to set up your piping bags to pipe multiple colors like I have done above--I do not show you how to pipe them. If you're looking for a tutorial on how to pipe "swirly dollops" like in the image above, click here.

  • Below are two different versions of this technique. The first will show how to set up a piping bag to pipe a bunch of colors evenly and the second will show how to set up a piping bag to pipe the colors in rings (as shown with the flower -- yellow in the middle and pink on the outside)

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Version One

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Version Two

version one - Swirls of colors

Supplies

Below are the supplies I used to do this technique:

*Some of these links may be affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small amount from some purchases, however, this does not affect my recommendations.

Before beginning

Make and color your icing.

Step 1:

  1. Put each color icing into its own piping bag with a hole cut in the bottom.

  2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter.

  3. Pipe a horizontal line of icing onto the plastic wrap using your first color. I recommend starting at least an inch or two from the top edge of the plastic wrap and keeping the line at least an inch or two away from either side.

  4. Repeat this step directly below your first line with your second icing color. The two lines should be right up against one another.

  5. Continue this process until you've used all of your desired colors. *Usually when I do this technique, I like to alternate piping colored stripes and white stripes on to my plastic wrap so that each color has white on either side...but it depends on the look you are going for.

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​Alternate option:

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When I'm doing this technique, I usually have the colors already in piping bags (for the rest of the design of the cake), so that's what I normally use to pipe the icing onto the plastic wrap. Instead, you can use regular plastic bags and cut a hole in the corner to use like a piping bag - OR - use a butter knife/spoon/offset spatula to smear the icing into lines onto the plastic wrap)

Step 2:

  1. Take the bottom edge of the plastic wrap, lift it, and bring it towards the top edge of the plastic wrap so the icing forms a log shape. Lightly roll the icing log so the excess plastic wrap gets wrapped around the log.

  2. Twist each of the two ends (like the wrapper a hard candy comes in) to seal them.

Step 3:

  1. Cut off the twisted end on one side of the log to leave a hole for the icing to come out.

  2. Place this icing "log" into a piping bag (hole side down), fitted with your desired piping tip and pipe away!

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If you're looking to create "swirly dollops" like the ones at the top of the page, click here.

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version Two - Rings of colors

Supplies

Below are the supplies I used to do this technique:

*Some of these links may be affiliate. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small amount from some purchases, however, this does not affect my recommendations.

Before beginning

Make and color your icing.

Step 1:

  1. Lay a piece of plastic wrap on the counter.

  2. Using a small offset spatula, spread your first icing color into a rectangle shape on the plastic wrap, leaving space between the edge of the icing and the edge of the plastic wrap. Your first color should be the one you want to be the outside ring when you're piping. *Note: Depending on how thick or thin you spread the icing will determine how much of the color will be seen when you're piping. If you want a lot of the color to be seen, create a thicker layer of icing, and if you want less of the color, create a thinner layer of icing.

  3. Take your second color and spread it into a smaller rectangle on top of the one you've already created. You'll want the rectangle to be the same height, but not as wide as the one before it.

  4. Repeat this process with all of your desired colors (I used 3 colors in the videos below so I would have an outer ring of pink, a thin ring of white, and a yellow center).

Step 2:

  1. Take the bottom edge of the plastic wrap, lift it, and bring it towards the top edge of the plastic wrap so the icing forms a log shape. Lightly roll the icing log so the excess plastic wrap gets wrapped around the log.

  2. Twist each of the two ends (like the wrapper a hard candy comes in) to seal them.

  3. Cut off the twisted end on one side of the log to leave a hole for the icing to come out.

  4. Place this icing "log" into a piping bag (hole side down), fitted with your desired piping tip and pipe away!

Here's an example of what this looks like when piped. I used a Wilton 2D tip here.

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