Learning how to fill a pastry bag or icing bag is one of the very basics of learning how to decorate a cake, wouldn’t you agree?

I’m also aware that HEARING someone TELL you how to do it is just not the same as SEEING someone SHOW you how to do it! 🙂

I can almost hear it… “Ok, Kathy, it’s SO EASY! All you gotta do is put your tip into the bottom of the bag, scoot the bag over your hand and put the icing in. Simple!”

Uh huh.

So, for any of you out there who are visual learners like I am, you might appreciate a couple of the videos I have posted here. As of this writing, I’m putting two videos on the site. They are as follows:

Video #1 = Expert Village video (EHow.com)
Video #2 = Chef EmilyPeterson video (TheGourmandAndThePeasant.com)

Ok… Each video is just below the other – so I ask that you take the few minutes to scroll through all three since each one has something just a little bit different in style and technique that can help you master one of the smaller, but certainly necessary cake decorating techniques!

– Oh… Before you begin watching, one quick tip: Use a SMALLER spatula to fill the bag, it’ll be a little easier. 🙂

Here goes!

Video #1 is by the folks at Expert Village (EHow), and is very short and to the point. The good part about this particular video is that eHow/Expert Village videos tend to be a little more close-up, with more than one person making the video. For example, when I make a video of one of my own cooking tips, I’m usually the only one making the videos, so it’s “one hand on the camera, the other hand manipulating the food!” So, in this video you will get a little more visual clarity.

Video #2 is by a gal named Emily who runs the website www.TheGourmandAndThePeasant.com – I really like her down-to-earth style. She shows a REAL person in a REAL kitchen… which is what you and I are! We don’t have a big studio to work in – so for my personal preference, I instantly liked Chef Emily and her demeanor, and hope you find it equally pleasing! Also… One thing Emily does is show you a little cool trick she learned from the great Jacques Pepin about prepping the bottom of the piping bag.

Hopefully, between these instructional videos, this will have helped you learn how to fill a piping bag, and will have given you the confidence to try it yourself! 🙂 Have fun… and remember, just practice a little bit and you’ll get it to where it isn’t as messy an operation as it may first appear! 🙂