TO PIPE BUTTERCREAM LEAVES
Use leaf tip #67 or #352. Pipe leaves directly onto the cake or onto wax or parchment paper, to be refrigerated or frozen until needed. The buttercream or frosting should not be as stiff as for the roses: stir buttercream over a pan of warm water to soften; thin powdered sugar icings with a few drops of milk. Tint with green food coloring. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle to the surface. Start squeezing without moving the tip at first, to let the icing fan out. Diminish pressure gradually as you pull the tip away and draw the leaf to a point. The faster you move the tip, the longer the leaf. If the leaf tip is broken instead of pointed, thin the icing a little more. Transfer chilled leaves to the cake with the tip of a paring knife.
   
   three-tier white wedding cake