Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cupcake Recipes Piped Shells and Pearls Cupcakes 3.6 (9) Add your rating & review By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 16, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Con Poulos Buttercream and a handful of tools are all you need to make these super elegant cupcakes. Ingredients Yellow Butter Cupcakes Yellow gel-paste food coloring Swiss Meringue Buttercream for Cupcake Decorating Tools Pastry bag Coupler Drop-flower tip Small plain tip Directions Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cupcakes to make level. Add 1 drop gel-paste food coloring to 3 cups buttercream. Stir well to combine. Add more food coloring, a drop at a time, stirring constantly, until desired color is reached. Transfer remaining buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a coupler. Frost tops of cupcakes with yellow buttercream in a smooth layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set. Make the shells: Fit the pastry bag with drop-flower tip. Holding bag at a 45-degree angle, with tip about 1/4 inch from center of cupcake, squeeze out frosting, lifting tip slightly, then pulling bag toward you. Stop squeezing to end in a pointed tip, stopping short of edge. Continue piping, touching each shell slightly to the next, and rotating cupcake as each is piped. Make the pearls: Switch to a small plain tip, and pipe a series of pearls (or dots) in a U shape. Starting at tip of 1 shell, work out toward edge of cupcake and end at tip of next shell. Repeat until all shells are linked with pearls. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and buttercream. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Rate it Print