Last year, I bought this tip on a whim and never used it. Yesterday, I dug it out of my supply box and realized that I have no idea how to use it!! The thing's huge . Is there a special bag or coupler that goes with it? Any help would be great!

It's not meant to be used with a coupler. You just have to snip the tip of the bag off and use it without. My instructor showed us to start at the center of the top of the cake and pipe a spiral, ridged side down, extending to the edges as you rotate your turntable. Then just do rings around the sides. I didn't have great luck with it, myself - couldn't get the frosting to stick thoroughly to my cake - but some of the people in my class swore by it.

If you're getting along fine without it, I say throw it back in the drawer. I use it because I can't seem to apply the icing with a spatula without tearing the cake. Will you share how you do it??

SinCityCakes, I'm no expert, but I just put on a really thin coat of frosting with an offset spatula (this is a tool that has a wooden handle and a long metal blade -- not a rubber scraper). Let this set for about 15 minutes. Then, I go back with the spatula and slather on a really thick coat of frosting on the sides and top. I then use a metal bench scraper against the side of the cake, smoothing the entire cake, top to bottom, with one good swipe of the scraper. This should leave a build-up of frosting around the perimeter of the top. Scrape that even with the height of the cake, always working in toward the center -- never out toward the edge. Try to get this side/top coat as even and smooth as possible. Let set for 15 minutes, then I use either the Viva paper towel method or Melvira's roller method (both techniques found here on CC). Hope this helps a little! If not, I think Edna has a video on YouTube showing how she frosts a cake. Julie

I agree if you can ice a cake with out it then you may not need it.

The benefits of it is that it puts an even amount of icing on the cake, and it covers the cake so your spatula shouldn't touch cake and you should not have crumbs. I find it helps beginners get a more even coat of icing on it.

I still use it years later, even though I can slather icing on rather well. It seems to go on quicker with the tip.

You will want to get a 16in bag for it. You can use a featherweight bag or Wilton has started making a 16in plastic disposible bag that works great with it too. Just drop the tip in and cut the end of the bag.

as a relative beginner - I have LOVED this tip. For me, it makes the difference between a cake that looks like you did it at home and one that looks professional. The Wilton books show doing the top first and then the sides - I actually do the sides first and then the top. In my hands, the secret is getting the tip right down on the cake, ridge side down. You do need a 16 or 18 inch bag, and once you cut it off - no other tip or coupler will fit. But I don't use my 16 inch bag for anything else anyway so - no problem.

Use a 16" bag and cut off the slightly harder piece at the end and the cake icer tip (#789) will just peek out the end.

Fill your bag half full of icing and using a spiral motion on top working towards the edge and then the sides. If the icing peels away press slightly harder against the cake.

I always use this tip, but I have the same success (now) with just a spatula. I like it as it forces you to make sure to have enough icing to work with.

I find it quite useful with chocolate cake especially to cut down on those pesky crumbs...........I hate any chocolate crumbs in my butter cream, drives me crazy.....that tip helps some what

i use it with a 16" bag and love it!

It helps me to put an even amount of frosting on the cake instead of thick in some spots and thinner in others.....

I love it. I have a few, actually. I use it with 16" disposable bags, so I can just cut it out of the bag and toss the bag when I'm done.

Sometimes I'll ice a cake without it, but it's always more even when I use the Icer tip.

I also use the 16......I now wrap my frosting in plastic wrap before dropping into the pastry bag though, man I love that tip....keeps bag inside clean woohoo!