Mothers Day Cupcakes

With Mothers Day only a few short days away I've been busy thinking of a simple Mothers Day Cupcake design that would be easy for children to make.  So after some trial and error I've settled on a very simple approach that only requires Royal icing, Sparkle Gel and small Chocolate hearts. 

I hope you all have a fantastic Mothers Day and as you sit back and relax on Sunday morning, remember to ask your children for some Mothers Day Cupcakes.

Enjoy.

Mothers Day Cupcakes

Chocolate CupCakes - Wicked Wednesday

Another week has passed and another wicked treat has been served.  This week we've made really easy and very tasty Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Butter Cream icing.

These are light in texture for a Chocolate Cupcake but they have a bit flavour punch.  The best part of this recipe is it's simplicity, while it does have a few ingredients, it has very few steps.

These cupcakes would be equally good for an afternoon treat, children's party or formal Afternoon tea.  My batch has been well enjoyed by all.

Enjoy

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream icing

Recipe:

Ingredients:  Makes 24

Cupcakes

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 3/4 Cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Bicarb soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream icing

• 125g butter, softened
• 2/3 cup Cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 cups icing sugar (Sifted)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Cupcakes

1. Pre heat oven to 180 c.
2. Prepare 2 x 12 muffin pans with cupcake papers. 
3. Place everything except the boiling water in a bowl and mix well.
4. Add the boiling water and stir through (The mixture should be more liquid than a standard cake batter).
5. Divide the mixture equally between the muffin pans. 
6. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes.

Chocolate Buttercream Icing

1. Beat the butter until pale.
2. Add the cocoa powder and mix well.
3. Add the icing sugar and milk and mix well.
4. stir in the vanilla essence.
5. Pipe onto cupcakes with a large pipping nozzle..
6. enjoy.

Valentine Cup Cakes with Free Printables - Wicked Wednesday

With Valentines Day just around the corner we've created some adorable ombre cup cakes,  topped with Valentines Day heart shaped messages.  These cute little cakes would make a great addition to any school class room or just as a special treat for lunch.  If you are lucky, a couple may be saved for the adults in the house.

These Valentine Day Printables can be downloaded for free here. Just print, cut and get creative.

Enjoy.

Valentine Day Dup Cakes

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 Vanilla cup cakes. - use your favourite recipe.
• 125g softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 Tbls milk
• Food colour - I've used a deep red 

Method:

1. Make cakes according to recipe.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla and 1/2 the milk
4. The mixture should be quite thick so it can be piped, add more milk if required
5. Divide the mixture into 3 bowls, to create 3 shades of icing.
6. Starting at the lightest icing, add a small amount of the red food colour and mix, adding more food colouring if required
7. Repeat step 6 on the other two bowls of icing, adding more food colour with each bowl.
8. Using a piping bag and a flat nozzle. pipe the icing starting at the outside and working into the middle.  Experiment with using the three shades of red to create an ombre effect.
9. Enjoy.

Christmas Bauble Cupcakes - Wicked Wednesday

Welcome to another wicked Wednesday, I still can't believe it is only one week to Christmas, so little time and so much to do.  This week I'm continuing the Christmas Cupcake theme with some cute Christmas Bauble Cupcakes.  These Cupcakes look fantastic and will brighten up any Christmas table.  Bauble Cupcakes allow you to test your creativity and imagination - not to mention your cake decorating skills.  Enjoy!

Christmas Bauble Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 12 Vanilla Cup Cakes - use your favourite recipe
• Ready to use soft icing, I've used orchard.
• Food colour - I've used Wilton icing colour in various colours
• Sparkle Gel - I've used Wilton in various colours 
• Sparkles - I've used Wilton cake sparkles in white
• Cachous - Silver and Blue
• Apricot Jam

Method:

1. Make the cup cakes.
2. Separate the icing into smaller sections and knead until soft.
3. Add food colour and continue to knead until well blended.
4. Roll out icing to approx 5 ml and press out circles (I use a glass and dust with plain flour)
5. Spread a small amount of apricot jam onto the cupcakes and then add the icing circle, blending the icing in at the edges.
6. Make a small hanging hook.  I've rolled a small amount of icing into a sausage shape and then formed it into a loop.  Attached to the cake with sparkle gel.
7. Time to decorate, use small shapes of soft icing (attached with sparkle gel), sparkle gel, cachous balls or what ever else you have available.
8. Enjoy

Hints:

1. I find it best to work with smaller quantities of icing and work with 6 Cupcakes at a time.
2. Always start with the lightest colour icing as this food dye is very powerful. 

Vendor Credits:

• Wilton: Cake decorating products
• Orchard: White Icing 

Christmas Tree Cup Cakes - Wicked Wednesday

Welcome to another Wicked Wednesday, a day for sweet indulgences.

Today I've made some delightful but simple Christmas Tree cup cakes.  These are simple to make and look great for Christmas celebrations.  They would make a great addition to any school Christmas party.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 Vanilla cup cakes. - use your favourite recipe.
• 125g softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 Tbls milk
• Food colour - I've used Wilton icing colour in kelly green 
• Cachous balls in various colours and sizes.

Method:

1. Make cakes according to recipe.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla and 1/2 the milk
4. The mixture should be quite thick so it can be piped, add more milk if required
5. Add the food colour a small amount at a time and mix well until you reach the desired colour
6. Using a piping bag and a flatfish nozzle pipe the icing starting at the outside and working into the middle, building up layers.
7. Decorate with cachous balls.
8. Enjoy.

Vendor Credits:

• Wilton: Cake decorating products

Snow Flake Cup Cakes - Wicked Wednesday

Christmas Cup Cakes - Snow Flakes

Welcome to Wicked Wednesday,  Wednesdays will be dedicated to sweet indulgences, because we all need a treat now and then.

Given we are in Christmas season, today's sweet indulgence is Vanilla Cup Cakes topped with butter cream icing,  sparkles and a Christmas snow flake cup cake topper (soon available in our store).

These are simple to make and look great, Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 12 Vanilla Cup Cakes - use your favourite recipe
• 125g softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 Tbls milk
• Food colour - I've used Wilton icing colour in Royal Blue (sparingly) 
• Sparkles - I've used Wilton cake sparkles in white

Method:

1. Make the cup cakes.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy.
3. Add vanilla and 1/2 the milk
4. The mixture should be quite thick so it can be piped, add more milk if required
5. Add the food colour a small amount at a time and mix well until you reach the desired colour
6. Using a piping bag and star nozzle pipe the icing in a circle motion
7. Sprinkle with sparkles
8. Add cup cake topper
9. Enjoy

Vendor Credits:

• Chic Party Ideas: Printables
• Wilton: Cake decorating products