No More Pancake Daisies!

Let’s be honest: piping buttercream daisies might sound straightforward, but it’s all too easy to end up with a sad little pancake that only vaguely resembles a flower. The good news? Once you learn the right technique—especially using the magical Ateco 227 tip—you’ll be whipping up daisies so shapely and lifelike they might just outshine the real thing.

These cheerful flowers, with their sunny yellow centers and crisp white petals, are classics for a reason: they’re gorgeous, and they’re also not as hard to pipe as you might think. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the whole piping process, from building a sturdy base to shaping those delicate petals. By step 6, you’ll have a daisy that is anything but flat and awkward.

So, set aside that bottle of maple syrup (we aren’t making pancake daisies today!) and let’s talk about the tools and techniques you need to bring these blooms to life.

What You’ll Need

Before you begin, gather the following piping tips: Wilton 4B, Wilton 199, Ateco 1, and Ateco 227.

Fill Wilton 4B, Wilton 199, and Ateco 1 bags with yellow buttercream.
Fill the Ateco 227 bag with white buttercream for the petals.

Need to find the Ateco 227 piping tip? You can find it here.

You’ll also need:

An XL flower nail
A flower piping block
Scissor flower lifters
A wet towel or paper towel for cleaning your piping tip

Ready? Let’s get piping!

Step-by-Step: How to Pipe a Realistic Daisy

Step 1: Create the Base

Using the Wilton 4B piping bag, pipe a blob of buttercream onto your flower nail. Think of this blob like a car jack—it lifts your daisy up so you can easily work underneath it to add petals, giving you the space needed to create a realistic flower shape.

Step 2: Add the Bud

With the Wilton 199 piping bag, pipe a small bud on top of the base. This forms the shapely center of your daisy.

Step 3: Pipe the Daisy Center

Switch to the Wilton 1 piping bag and pipe tiny dots around the bud to mimic the iconic textured center of a daisy.

Step 4: Inner Petals

Grab your Ateco 227 tip and, holding it at an angle, pipe clusters of petals around the center. Don’t worry about perfect symmetry—a little variation adds to the natural look. Make sure each petal attaches firmly to the center so they don’t flop.

Step 5: Outer Petals

Move behind the inner petals and use the Ateco 227 tip to pipe more petals. Place them in a slightly random pattern so the flower doesn’t look too perfect. Aim to attach about 75% of each petal to the backs of the inner petals—almost like the inner petals are giving the outer ones a piggyback ride. This “buttercream attachment” keeps your petals from flopping.

Step 6: Optional Lower Petals

For extra fullness, pipe a few more random petals behind the outer layer. Again, keep things slightly irregular for a natural look and make sure each petal has good buttercream attachment.

Step 7: Lift the Daisy

Once your daisy is complete, gently slide your scissor lifter under the petals (not the base), give the nail a little twist, and carefully lift the flower off. A bit of leftover base on the nail is completely normal.

Step 8: Store or Use

Place your finished daisy in an airtight container to freeze for later use, or add it directly to your buttercream arrangement. If you need airtight container recommendations, I love these!

No more sad, flat pancakes pretending to be daisies! With a good base, the right tools (especially that magical Ateco 227 tip), and a little know-how on buttercream attachment, you’re well on your way to piping cheerful, realistic daisies that stand proudly in any buttercream bouquet.

If you’re ready to take your daisy skills further, check out my Shasta Daisy class inside The Piped Peony Academy. You’ll learn to pipe a more realistic daisy button center and pick up tons of tips, tricks, and advanced techniques—perfect for anyone wanting to elevate their buttercream flowers.

Happy daisy piping, buttercream fam!

6 Steps to Perfect Buttercream Daisies