Homemade Piping Gel Recipe – Two Methods
This homemade piping gel is so simple, quick and easy to make you will never have to go without it ever again. Piping gel has become an important aspect of cake decorating from glue to sticking flowers. In this post, I share with you two recipes one with gelatin and a vegetarian one with lots of possibilities.
If you are a cake decorator, then you must have used piping gel. You can find it in any cake decorating store. When I started cake decorating, it was not easily available, and its shelf life was always an issue.
So, I had to find a way to make my own. I found many recipes online and have gone through quite a few recipes to find one that works for me.
What do we use piping gel for
- Piping gel is often used to give cakes the glass effect, such as stained glass cakes.
- When you need to create a water effect. For example, for a swimming pool cake or a waterfall decoration.
- When working with wafer paper flowers. The piping gel works best to stick wafer paper to wafer paper.
- As a glue when working with sugar cookies. I use piping gel to get the fondant to stick my cookies.
This is not my original recipe. It’s adapted from those I found online. I’ve gone through a couple of piping gel recipes and came up with this ratio of gelatin or cornstarch that works best for me. I hope that you will also find it useful.
The difference between the two homemade piping gels
The main difference, of course, is one is made using gelatin and the other is made with cornstarch. Which means that one is vegetarian and the other is not. But as you can see, there is also a slight difference in color.
The one on the right is made with gelatin. And as you can see, it is more transparent as compared to the one on the left, which is made with cornstarch and it’s a bit more opaque. While it’s not a huge difference, I think it’s worth mentioning.
The consistency of piping gel
Understanding the consistency of the piping gel is very important. It has a soft consistency and does not dry hard. It will dry but not like royal icing. So, please do not mistake it for royal icing.
How to use this homemade piping gel
- You may need to add hot water to bring to the piping gel to the consistency you need.
- Below is the piping gel consistency when made. It would work great to create water or waves where you need it to hold its shape.
- But if you need it as a glue, this might be too thick. So, add a few tablespoons of hot water and mix thoroughly.
Storage and shelf life
- I find that it’s best to store the piping gel in a little glass jar like the ones I show you here.
- I always keep it in the fridge to increase its shelf life.
- In general, piping gel has a short shelf life – I’d say about 2 weeks. So, I always make a small batch since I prefer to make it often.
Caution
If you are using any recipe, it best to first do a test to see if it’s the right one for the project you have in mind.
Whatever recipe you use, be it the one with gelatin or with cornstarch, if you do not make it the same way I have, it may not work for your project. Please test it to see if it can create those waves or that waterfall you want and make any necessary adjustments.
As you can see in the images above, this is how it looks when it’s ready. I hope it works for you too.
Homemade piping gel with gelatin
I personally prefer to use this recipe although it is a bit more expensive than the second recipe. It dries better than the second recipe and I personally think the gelatin and corn syrup is tastier. If you are a vegetarian, then you probably need to use the second recipe below.
- Dissolve gelatin in the water for 2 minutes.
- Place in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a double boiler and melt the gelatin.
- Place the corn syrup and extract in a saucepan over low heat. Once the corn syrup is hot, add in the gelatin mixture.
- Stir well to combine.
- That’s it – your piping gel is ready.
- This gel will thicken as it sits.
Homemade piping gel with cornstarch
The benefit of this recipe is that it is cheaper. I personally do not like the strong lemon taste, but it does go on nice and smooth so you get a nice glass effect.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in half the water.
- Place the sugar and the remaining water on low heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture.
- Stir until thick and opaque.
- The cornflour should cook until it becomes opaque (see image below).
- Switch off the flame.
- Store in a glass jar or container.
- Once cooled, use as desired.
- If necessary, add hot water to bring to the right consistency.
Important – Cook this Homemade Piping Gel until cornstarch looks like this. Almost translucent.
Homemade Piping Gel – Two Recipes – Gelatin or Vegetarian
This homemade piping gel is so simple, quick and easy to make you will never have to go without it ever again. Piping gel has become an important aspect of cake decorating from glue to sticking flowers. In this post, I share with you two recipes one with gelatin and a vegetarian one with lots of possibilities.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Gelatin
- 2 tbsp Water
- 2 cups (470 ml) Light corn syrup
- Clear vanilla or almond extract
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) White granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch / cornflour
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) Lemon juice
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) Water
Method
- Dissolve gelatin in the water for 2 minutes.
- Place in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or in a double boiler and melt the gelatin.
- Place the corn syrup and extract in a saucepan over low heat. Once the corn syrup is hot, add in the gelatin mixture.
- Stir well to combine.
- That’s it – your piping gel is ready.
- This gel will thicken as it sits.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in half the water.
- Place the sugar and the remaining water on low heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the lemon juice, and cornstarch mixture.
- Stir until thick and opaque.
- The cornflour should cook until it becomes opaque (see image below).
- Switch off the flame.
- Store in a glass jar or container.
- Once cooled use as desired.
- If necessary add hot water to bring to the right consistency.
Notes
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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Hi Veena,
Thanks a lot for the recipe! Can you please tell me if I can use this piping gel on buttercream frosting? Or will it get soaked up by the buttercream?
TIA
Not sure what you using it for but yes, you can use it on buttercream frosting depending on how thick you make it. If it’s too runny.. it will soak into the buttercream
I made this last week for a waterfall cake. Thank you so much. They ran out of piping gel at the store. I didn’t know you could make this at home. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you, Andrew. So happy you found this tutorial and recipe useful. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Have a wonderful day.
Is this gel same as neutral gel used to make gel cakes
What I have here is piping gel used for cake decorating Sim. The gel used for cakes is similar just not so thick in consistency. If you want to glaze fruits on tarts and such you will need to add more water or keep it thicker. Consistency is key.
Hi Veena, I am a bit confused.. what’s the difference between piping gel and confectioners glaze. Are they the same?? I googled but I’m not getting the right answer.
Confectioners glaze is not the same as piping gel. Confectioners glaze has alcohol in it – you can read more here. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-things-you-need-know-confectioners-tim-bryant
Thank you for sharing this. I do not find piping gel here so have to make my own.
Thank you, Sonny. So happy you have success with this recipe and find it useful. Thanks for coming back to leave this feedback. Have a wonderful week.
I replaced the lemon juice with dole pineapple juice, it tastes really good.
Awesome! That does sound so delicious.
Can we make chocolate gel with starch?
I think if you add cocoa powder with the cornstarch to the piping gel it will work but I have not tried.
i’m trying to make a Moana cake and want to use the gel for the sea. some earlier posts say the gel was absorbed..would a buttercream crumb coat avoid this?
Ideally, it should work Mary. I have used it on fondant very successfully. It also depends on how you make it. If you keep it too liquid it will soak in and too stiff might get clucky. Hope that makes sense
I put buttercream icing on cake then coated it with homemade gel. Later I put fondant decorations around cake & they all melted.I made a cake last week with a river & fondant fisherman in water & grass &fish were fine. What did I do wrong?
Michelle Piping gel is very slippery! It like jelly.. so if you want to stick fondant decorations you have to us it like glue. Just a slight smear with the brush or things will slip. I you want to us it like river you can just make it thick so it hods it’s shape. Then manipulate it with a brush
How long does the cornstarch recipe take to thicken? Mobs is opaque, but jkot thick at all and I followed the recipe exactly. Thank you so much for your time and expertise!
Hi Amber. You do want it to thicken until it’s really opaque not white. Just as you can see in the pictures I shared. You want it thick and if necessary add a few tbsp of water to bring to consistency.
Veena, thank you for sharing these recipes. I have a question about the gelatin. Will kosher gelatin (made with fish pectin) work?
Yes Wendy. I have made this with Kosher gelatin and it works fine.