After reading about this technique over a year ago, I finally got around to trying it last week and what a difference! I was able to cut the piping bags, tips and couplers I used down to 2 bags (because I used the large rose tip- larger hole), and 3 tips, 1 coupler!

For example, the cake was decorated with violet and yellow regular and half roses with green leaves and vining, the writing (happy anniversary...) was also violet. So it was one bag using yellow and violet plugs for the roses, and the other bag with green, yellow and the violet plug (same one from other bag). 1 coupler and 3 tips (large rose, #2 for writing, & vines and leaf tip). Hope that wasn't confusing, but was very easy to do! And no icing coming out of the top when I piped!

And clean up was also very easy because when you take the plug out, there's not a bunch of icing stuck in the tip!

Since I use disposable bags, it's money saving also! I'm hooked! Here is the thread with the instructions:

http://forum.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=38404&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=icing&&start=0

Awesome....I have a cake due soon ....I'll give it a try!

Thanks for sharing! Ive never heard of this, but will definitely be trying it out next time I make a cake!!!

I absolutely adore this technique too. I experimented with it while icing cupcakes when I realized I couldn't hold my 18" bag open to fill it without making a mess. And I didn't have a proper container to hold it for me.

Not only is it WAYYYY neater, I can have all my icing ready to go before I start. No more stopping to open the bag, uncover icing bowl, spoon, spoon, spoon, cover icing bowl, close bag, wipe up mess.... Now, I just open bag, pull out empty plug, slide in full plug, close bag. It's awesome!

I cover my buttercream iced cakes with tip 12 (as opposed to the icer tip) and this technique has been such an amazing timesaver. Everyone should try it!

Thanks for sharing this is so cool

Great tip! I love CC!
Jen...

Awesome tip, I can't wait to try this. It's so smart, and the answer to a major problem I've been having!

i haven't tried this. i think the clean up would be the best part of it.

I have been doing this for awhile now, and love it! It is also a great way to store all that leftover icing! I love it to save those small little bits of colored icing, that you need only once in awhile. I store all my "Plugs" in the refrigierator and then pull out the color I need. When I have a little girl "doll" party, all the colors come in handy and it is a great way to have many at hand.

That is awesome! I learn something new everyday on CC!! Thank you for sharing rezzycakes!

Nancy

I used this on the cake I made this morning, and all I have to say is...God bless the cake-loving genius who came up with this method. Oh my gosh, it worked wonderfully, and I decorated an entire cake with one disposable plastic decorating bag and one parchment cone. That's it! I was so happy. And I have my left over icing stored in the freezer in the icing plugs.

This was just so easy, clean up was a breeze, and there was no icing oozing out the top of the bag.

I'm SOOOO glad you brought this up again. I'd forgotten all about it and was gearing up to do a sesame street bday cake for DD (using every color under the sun, but the same tip No I can swap out and back and forth using less bags and less mess!

How clever is that? I use multiple bags too, this should really be a money saver, thanks for sharing!

O.K., I'm confussed! What are these "plugs" you are talking about? Please let me in on this secret!

Great, Great idea. Thansk

this is a wonderful tip! thanks for posting

This is a great technique for using 2 colors at a time for striping or 2 tone effect without the colors mixing into one in the piping bag....Thanks to whomever thought this one up!