Fancy flourishes and pretty piping really are the icing on these cupcakes. 

Faux bois, or imitation wood grain, is a favorite motif of Martha's; it can be applied to chocolate using a wood-graining rocker, found at paint-supply stores.

A head of curly hair is actually a bunch of small rosettes made with a No. 16 tip -- if you like, add more for a different hairstyle. The nose is piped with a No. 12 tip, and the eyes and mouth with a No. 4.

Start with a No. 4 tip for the flower's stem, then make the leaf and petals with a No. 352. Go back to a No. 4 to add the flower's center. When using the same tip for more than one color, be sure to wash it out well.

Use a No. 4 tip for lines and dots; with the tip just above the cake's surface, squeeze, and let the icing fall into place across the cupcake.

Sugared pansies and violas form a glittering crown for the little cakes.

Candied orange slices fit perfectly atop a frosted cupcake.

Marzipan starfish make the perfect cupcake-topper for a beach-themed party.

Miniature marzipan bees are right at home atop piped buttercream dahlias.

Transform a basic cupcake into a mouse using buttercream frosting, black licorice, and chocolate wafer cookies.

Buttercream bluebirds and a coconut nest are perched atop cupcakes frosted with chocolate buttercream.

Gold petal dust adds shimmer to our Mexican Chocolate-Pudding-Filled Cupcakes.

Exquisite meringue "flowers" are first piped onto parchment-lined baking sheets, then baked until firm and dry.

Adding a few fresh edible flowers on top is an easy way to decorate cupcakes.

Chocolate-covered sunflower seeds create the centers, while the petals are piped with bright-yellow buttercream.

Although these buttercream chrysanthemums may look difficult, a steady hand and a bit of practice is all it takes to produce a whole bunch of them.

To hatch one of our chick cupcakes, you don't have to be an expert baker. Making a batch of them is a perfect task for novices, and kids will love to help.

This easy motif is a perfect way for beginners to practice their piping skills.

Dress up your cupcakes with a bow tie shaped out of fruit leather.

Jelly beans form the kernels of these summertime cupcakes, and Laffy Taffy is the finishing pat of butter on top.

Three waves of piped frosting is the signature topping on the cupcakes sold at the Manhattan bakery Sweet Revenge and a great way to get an extra dose of frosting on your cupcakes.