Help Me With My Leaves....they Split At The Ends
Decorating By JavaJunkieChrissy Updated 30 Aug 2006 , 5:17pm by cheffie
Hi ladies!
I've taken the Wilton Courses and I love doing cakes. For the most part everything is going well with the exception of my leaves. I'm not happy with them. I use buttercream and I do put piping gel in with the icing. I pipe the leaf out and decrease the pressure on my bag and then pull the bag away the my leaf tip splits. So, instead of having one nice pointed tip on my leaves I have a split leaf with what looks like horns....LOL!!
I'm going to make a family tree cake for our upcoming family reunion and I would love to have my leaves look great.
Thanks for the help!!
Blessings ,
Chrissy
Have you tried using tip 352? The leaves are a little thicker, but I've never had them split on me. Tips 67, 68, ect, have always give me problems.
HTH
Diana
I dont like that leaf tip no matter what you do it splits! I have my students open the top by sliding your small spatula inside the tip and rock it back and forth that should help. ( this was pointed out by Wilton to do )
If you dont like it still then go to the 352 much nicer leaves!
#352 is the best, after using it you wont go back. besides that pinching the ends works still doesnt look perfect.
Thank you all so much. I'll get the tip that was suggested and start to practice!! THANKS!!
My instructor told us Tip 352 works better than the other tip for leaves the reason why they don't get rid off it it's because Mr. Wilton first invented it and then someone else invented a better one(352) but since he is the one who created the first one they don't want to hurt his pride but 352 should get you better leaves for sure.
Hey, my leaves looked so awful until I found the tip 352. It was life changing. 
I never use the one they taught us with in class. You can check out my leaves in my pics.
Just as psurrette said, my instructor also told us to insert the edge of the metal spatula, and open the tip slightly. If you do that, it shouldn't give you any problems.
Here's a pic of 352 sold right here on cake central!
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules/store/no-352-leaf-tip-p-378.html
Your technique sounds right, but your icing consistency is off. Try adding 1/2 tsp. piping gel to your thinned icing. It will help it flow better. Check your tip and make sure it's opened, they do not come opened. My instructor had me open mine about 2 mm wide.
Good luck!
Check to make sure your tips 67, 68, etc, are not pressed together at the end. There should be a slight gap between the points.
Theresa 
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