Back in June, the lovely Eric Lanlard hosted an exclusive event for Sainsbury's magazine readers at Cake Boy, his baking emporium in south London. Now, in honour of National Cupcake Week, we're passing on some of the tips he shared with the keen bakers who went along, while creating these three decorated beauties. Which do you like best?

1. Buy foil cupcake cases. They're completely sealed, keeping cupcakes fresher for longer, and they don't allow any grease to seep through.

2. Always cool your cupcakes on a wire rack as soon as they're baked, otherwise they'll continue to cook and you'll end up with a drier bake.

3. Place your piping bag in a medium-height straight vase or tall measuring jug to hold it while you fill it.

4. Don't overfill your piping bag with buttercream or cream cheese frosting – it'll ooze out of the top and be more difficult to manage.

5. Before cutting the end off your piping bag, slip a paperclip across the tip and snip below it. Remove the paperclip when you're ready to pipe.

Like this Eric Lanlard story? Check out his 'how to write with chocolate' video...