my close friends and family really know about me, is that I like to bake. In fact I'm quite a regular baker of cakes and cupcakes so my kitchen is packed with lots of baking accessories and I can be regularly found making then eating my latest creations. I'm quite creative and like to try new concepts out particular when it comes to decorating my cupcakes and like to experiment with a variety of icing colours and techniques. However I'm not a fan of mess and when my nylon piping bag started leaking and I was spending more time cleaning the bag up than I was actually icing cakes I decided to purchase some disposable icing bags when I was browsing my local Lakeland store for more baking goodies!


*** Lakeland Disposable Icing Bags***
Lakeland Disposable Icing Bags are a clear plastic throw away icing bag that you can use to pipe icing onto cakes. This is a 30cm (12") icing bag described by Lakeland to be "extra strong" and disposable for convenience. The bag when taken from the pack is a triangular bag with an open top. The bags can be cut to fit a variety of nozzles.
The Lakeland Disposable Icing Bags are sold in a pack of 50 individual bags.

You can purchase the disposable icing bags from Lakeland stores in the baking section or you can purchase online. A pack of 50 bags costs £6.19. You can buy icing bags cheaper online especially if you buy in larger quantities (i.e. over 100) however from experience the quality of these bags is often very poor. For similar quality icing bags these from Lakeland are an average to reasonable price and other manufacturers charge a similar price for a comparable quality bag at this quantity.

***My Experience***
The bags come in a thicker plastic sleeve which holds all 50 bags and there is an insert of paper outlining what is contained within the pack with images of cakes on. The packaging sleeve is not the most exciting but it very functional and ensures the pack of 50 bags can be stored compactly. I tend to store the bags flat within my baking accessories tub but you can bend the pack in half without causing damage to the plastic bags.

When you open the plastic sleeve at the top you can take out each of the individual icing bags one at a time when needed. The bags are not the most exciting. For the benefit of non-bakers they are basically a clear plastic triangular bag which is 30cm in length from the tip of the bag (which is sealed) to the widest point of the triangle at the top of the bag which is open. Down the sides of the bag are two seams where the bag is joined together giving it extra strength.
Unlike nylon piping bags (which you wash out and use again) where the pointed end of the icing bag is cut away to place the nozzle with the Lakeland bags this end is sealed. This means that you have to cut the end of the bag off yourself to fit the nozzle you are using. Because the plastic of the icing bag is quite strong you do need a reasonably sharp pair of scissors to cut cleanly. An advantage of these bags is they are so versatile and you can use so many nozzles with the bags which allow you to create a wide variety of icing techniques. With the nylon bags I have used I have found that I have been limited to the nozzles that have come with that particular icing set but this is not the case with the disposable bags. Because the bag is so strong you can cut the hole to size and you can just slot the nozzle inside of the bag so the end of the nozzle pokes out but the bag holds the remaining section of the nozzle securely.

With the Lakeland Disposable Icing Bags filling them with icing is probably the trickiest part about them. Even when the nozzle is placed inside of the bag the bag does not stay open so you can easily spoon your icing inside and fill it up. I find the sides of the bag stick together so I often ask Mr Lools to hold it open so I can easily spoon the icing inside. If I am on my own and baking I can fill the bags myself but when using one hand to hold the bag open and the other to spoon sticky icing inside I do find my hands can get sticky and I get icing on the outside of the icing bag.
When just using one colour of icing this is not too much of a problem and once you get all of the icing inside you can clean up the sticky mess before using the bag. However if you opt to try a swirled icing technique (where you create two tone icing) the bags are a lot more problematic to keep open. For this technique you put the darkest coloured icing in first and spread up the sides of the bag. You then fill the bag with the lighter coloured icing. Because the bag doesn't stay open and lies flat it is even more likely to stay closed when you have spread the first colour up the sides of it so you do need someone to hold the bag open for you when you are filling with the second colour. Not a problem if you have a helper but if you are short of helpers it can create a lot of mess and hassle.

Once your nozzle has been put in place and you have filled with icing you simply twist the top of the bag to seal and then you are ready to pipe your icing onto your cake. I like that the bags are clear as it means you can see the exact colour of your icing and exactly how much you have left. I do find that because of the plastic material is less sensitive to heat you do not need to make your icing quite as stiff when piping as with the nylon bags I find my icing often goes quite sloppy as the temperature of my hands warms it up more so than it does with these bags. Although this is only very slight and not a massive change to the recipe.
I have probably used about 30 bags from my pack of 50. Two of my bags have split slightly at the seam which has caused sticky leakages but generally I have found these bags to be more reliable and less messy that the reusable nylon bags which often used to leak very often especially around where the nozzle is placed. I do find that the nylon bags have more grip so for precision they are slightly better but because I can simply remove the nozzle and then throw the plastic Lakeland Disposable Icing bags in the bin after use it is far more convenient and saves at least 5 minutes from time spent tidying up.

The plastic icing bags can be reused if necessary and washed out however I tend not to do so. I also find that when using strong colours (especially if the icing has contained gel food paste) the plastic disposable bags do not suffer staining whereas with the white nylon bags they often can be discoloured and stained by strong colours.
In my experience the 30cm icing bags tend to hold enough icing for around 10 standard sized cupcakes to do a swirled frosting effect on top. Obviously depending on what icing technique you opt for will depend on the quantity of icing you use but I find this is the most common icing technique. For those that are making larger quantities of cupcakes I would advise to get a larger sized icing bag so you can ice your cakes quicker rather than having to refill your icing bag with icing. However for home baking I think the bags hold an ample amount of icing.


***Overall***
I would definitely recommend these icing bags for home bakers who want to ice cakes quickly and easily with less mess and fuss as they can be thrown away after use. The bags are generally thick, durable, and reliable and leak less than the traditional nylon reusable icing bags. They are also very versatile and can be used with a variety of nozzles to create a wide range of icing techniques.
At 12p per bag these are not the cheapest icing bags that you can purchase but considering they are of a good quality they are quite an economical choice especially as you are able to wash the bag out, dry and use again if you choose to do so (and have the patience to do so).

Great for bakers like me who like to spend more time making and eating their creations than they do tidying up!