I've worked very hard to get my cakes to where I'm happy with them and I'm starting to get more business now.  The ONE THING that I'm not comfortable with is piping on lettering.  I've tried multiple methods (buttercream transfer, etc...) and practiced and practiced and practiced and I feel like it still looks as though a 4th grader wrote on the cake.  My question is, can you learn how to have beautiful handwriting?  I just spent 2 hours working on a buttercream message on a cake and ended up just doing fondant cut outs instead.  I would much rather have handwritten messages on cakes but I hate to cheapen the look of the existing cake.  If you have any advice, I would absolutely love to hear it!  I feel like supermarket decorators are able to do this (with ease at least in my mind) and I know my product aesthetically is much superior aside from this one aspect.

Sorry for rambling, I'm just really frustrated! 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Great question - hopefully people can give hope to people like us lol, would love to hear of people who had terrible piped writing that were able to achieve beautiful writing with practice.

AI'm not seeing the link. I would love to see it.

Ato make it easy -- print out the font/script you want to accomplish in caps and small letters -- laminate it or cover it with tape or plastic wrap so you can pipe over it and sipe it down-- use some leftover buttercream or just buy a tub of it at the store -- fill a bag -- and every day empty the bag piping -- scrape it up and refill the bag to do it again the next day --

A*wipe it down :)

Aand writing on a cake is a skill so yes you can do this

Another idea is to look at different fonts.  Some are kind of fun and the printed letters are staggered, not placed in a straight line so easier to do.  Another way is to print instead of doing cursive and put little dots at the ends of certain letters.  Have you tried trying different thicknesses of icing?  If it is too firm it makes it harder to pipe.

I have seen some writing with a toothpick on top of their cake iced with butter cream before it crusts over then they trace over it with butter cream using a 3 or 4 writing tip. I, personally have never tried this as I just use the tip and steady it with my other hand while writing with tip 3 or 4. Practice makes perfect. I am sure you can do it. Hang in there and keep practicing. Keep your faith!!! Maybe others here will have better suggestions!!

I have also seen in my Wilton book where they use the star tip 13 and put stars to form the letters with. That one would be for a kid's cake.

AThanks for all the tips! I will check out the video! Yes I have tried all different icing consistencies, it's the thorn in my paw for sure! I will be sure to keep at it, there's so many lovely things you can do when you have beautiful letter piping skills, thanks for the encouragement ladies!

Athought of one other thing -- i use small bags of icing for better control -- somehow i think you already do this