Royal Icing Carrots

Carrots are an easy decoration that is appropriate for all sorts of cakes: spring-themed, Easter, garden-inspired, and (of course) carrot cakes. All you need to pipe a whole bushel of carrots is stiff consistency royal icing in orange and green, round tips #12 and #3 respectively, a parchment paper square for each carrot, flat toothpicks, and a dusting pouch filled with a 50/50 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar. 

 Pipe the basic carrot shape with the #12 tip. Hold it just above the surface of a parchment square, angled slightly upward. Pipe a ball, and as the ball forms, move the tip along the parchment slowly, decreasing pressure as the carrot shape forms. When it's the length you want, stop pressure and pull the tip away.

 Tap the toothpick against the dusting pouch and gently press some grooves into the icing before it starts to firm up. I like to make the grooves along one side first, and then make them on the other side.

 I think the grooves look more realistic if they don't line up exactly. Allow the carrots to firm up for at least 15 minutes (place them under a desk lamp to speed up this process).

Pipe the stems with the #3 tip. Hold the tip against the surface, squeeze, then pull away, stopping pressure almost immediately. Three or four of these little points look about right. 

I piped some royal icing bunnies a few weeks ago; if today's project goes missing, I'll know where to look.