Castle Cupcake Tutorial

from the amazing Zalita. You can see the finished Castle cupcake here:

You will need 1 thick rectangular base for the castle no1, 2 rectangular flat pcs with little slits (2&3) on the top and markings for the windows, a long rolled out 'log' to which u will then cut out to make (4,6,&8) , 2 thin strips with small slits on the top to make (5&7), and a little triangular pc for the roof (9). i have forgotten to add a number by the door which u will stick last onto the front of the castle.once u have cut out these pcs stick onto the base no's 2 and 3, it will over lap a little on the top.wrap no 5 around 4 and do the same with no 6 and 7 and stick onto the side of the castle base with some edible glue.stick no's 8 and 9 and place on top of the castle.lastly add the door.i added a touch of grey to my fondant and i brushed it with pearl and soft rose pink. u can choose your own colours and adapt it to your own specifications.

Icing Teddy Bears

Use tips 1, 3, 12.

Pipe top 12 ball of icing for body, add tip 3 dots for head and paws.

Using tip 1; add muzzle and ears; pipe dot eyes, mouth and string bow tie.

from www.wilton.com

Icing Bows

Fill bag half full with medium consistency Buttercream Icing.

Practice with: Tip 104 Icing: medium consistency

Positions: Bag: 45° at 6:00

Tip: Wide end touching surface, narrow end straight up

With narrow end of tip pointing straight up, squeeze, moving the tip up and around to the left and back to the starting point.
Continue around, making a second loop on the right.
The two loops will form a figure 8.
While holding bag in the same position, return to the center and squeeze out two streamers.

from http://www.wilton.com/

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

100g/3½oz bag blanched almonds
200g/7oz butter, softened
225g/8oz golden caster sugar
3 eggs
200g/7oz self-raising flour
255g/9oz glacé cherries, halved
55g/2oz flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
Put the almonds on a baking tray in one layer and toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes until golden. Do not leave them any longer or they will brown too much and taste bitter. Tip the almonds in a food processor and whizz until finely ground.3. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together for 1 minute. Add the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour, beating well between each addition. (Adding a little of the flour helps to stop the mixture curdling.) Fold in the almonds and the remaining flour. Use a large metal spoon for this, taking care not to knock out too much air. Gently stir in the halved glacé cherries until they are evenly distributed through the mixture. Spoon the mixture into cupcake liners and smooth the top with a palette knife or the back of a metal spoon. This helps give an even rise. Cover with the flaked almonds then bake the cakes in the centre of the oven for 18 minutes.

Apple Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups coarsely shredded apples, such as Macintosh (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Preheat oven to 175 c.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low; mix in apples. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until just combined. Fill lined cups halfway with batter; bake until tops are springy to the touch, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from tins; let cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, frost cupcakes; top with marzipan apples.

from www.marthastewart.com

Wilton Nozzles for Icing Tricks

Wilton Nozzles for Icing Tricks - Ruffles

Wilton Nozzles for Icing Tricks - Petals

Wilton Nozzles for Icing Tricks - Flowers

Gingerbread Cupcakes

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup hot milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter or line with paper liners a 12-cup muffin tin.
Cream 5 tablespoons of the butter with the white sugar. Add the molasses and the egg and egg yolk.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot milk. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the hot milk mixture. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared tin.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until slightly springy to the touch. Allow to cool a few minutes in the pan and remove to a rack to cool.

Wilton Nozzles for Icing Tricks - Leaves

Raspberry cupcakes with Orange sugar drizzle

200g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
200g unsalted butter, softened
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
3 tbsp milk
50g ground almonds
zest of 1 medium orange
150g punnet raspberries, lightly crushed, plus extra to decorate
FOR THE SUGAR CRUST
juice of 1 medium orange
4 tbsp caster sugar

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Tip the first 8 ingredients into a large bowl and beat with electric whisk until smooth. Fold the crushed raspberries through the batter.
Divide the batter between the cases (they should be about half full) and bake for 20-25 mins or until golden and just firm. Make the topping by mixing together the orange juice and sugar until well blended.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool a little. Drizzle each with the orange and sugar crust mix. Top with the extra raspberries to serve.

from /www.bbcgoodfood.com

How to make SugarPaste Ribbon Roses

edible food colouring paste (we used Sugarflair Claret and Party Green)
200g ready-to-roll icing
a little solid vegetable fat, for rolling
edible lustre (we used a shimmery pink), optional
edible sparkles (we used bright pink), optional

Knead a little of the colouring paste into 150g of the sugarpaste until pale and even.

Break into even balls, then add a little more colouring to two, giving three varying depths of colour. Keep under cling film. Rub a very thin layer of fat over a smooth work surface. Roll out one of the balls of icing thinly, about 1-2mm, then trim into a rectangle about 8 x 20cm. Cut off a 1cm strip of icing widthways, keeping the rest covered.
Carefully roll the icing up and around itself. For a more realistic rose look, start rolling slightly unevenly so that the outside edge of the finished rose sticks out further than the middle. With about 2cm to go, start to guide the end of the icing down and under to make a neat rosebud. Pinch to shape, then cut or pinch off the bottom. Set aside for at least 1 hr until firm. Repeat with the rest of the icing.
For the leaves, colour the remaining icing green. Pinch off small pea-size pieces, roll into balls, then flatten a little. Pinch one end to make a leaf shape. Leave to dry.
Once the roses are dry and firm, dust a little lustre onto each rose using a paintbrush or your fingertip. Sprinkle with sparkles, if using. Position the roses onto the cupcakes in clusters of three, following with three leaves. You'll need 36 leaves and roses for 12 cakes.

Tip:
Use a thin layer of solid white vegetable fat, such as Trex, to roll out icing and stop it sticking. Icing sugar dries icing up too fast and makes colours look chalky.

from http://www.bbcgoodfood.com

Strawberry Merigue Frosting

4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) strawberry jam, pureed in a food processor

In the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch (about 160 degrees).
Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg-white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until the mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low speed, add butter several tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. (If frosting appears to separate after all the butter has been added, beat on medium-high speed until smooth again, 3 to 5 minutes more.) Beat in vanilla. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir in strawberry jam with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

from http://www.marthastewart.com/

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

125g soft unsalted butter

100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

300g morello cherry jam

150g caster sugar

pinch of salt

2 large eggs, beaten1

50g self-raising flour

Frosting:

100g dark chocolate

100ml double cream

12 natural-coloured glace cherries

Preheat the oven to 180?C/gas mark 4.

Put the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan on the heat to melt. When nearly completely melted, stir in the chocolate. Leave for a moment to begin softening, then take the pan off the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and chocolate are smooth and melted. Now add the cherry jam, sugar, salt and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon and when all is pretty well amalgamated stir in the flour.Scrape and pour into the muffin papers in their tin and bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out.When the cupcakes are cool, break the chocolate for the icing into little pieces and add them to the cream in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and then whisk – by hand or electrically – till thick and smooth. Ice the cupcakes, smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon, and stand a cherry in the centre of each.

From www.nigella.com

Making a Buttercream Chrysanthemum

Make leaves first: With the No. 68 leaf tip and green frosting, hold the bag at a 45 degree angle to the cake with the tip's flat side up. Squeeze bag, and pull out from the base of the leaf, releasing pressure and lifting to form the end. With the coupler alone (or the No. 12 round tip) and frosting in the flower color, make a raised one-half-inch-wide dot to anchor the petals. Change to the No. 80 fluted tip; hold bag at a 45-degree angle against the edge of the dot, the tip forming a U. Gently squeeze the bag while pulling out in a quick stroke. Repeat all around the dot; form two or more petal layers over the first, making petals shorter and pulling bag upward with each layer. With the No. 3 tip and green frosting, pipe three dots in the center.
from www.marthastewart.com

Hi Hat Cupcakes

FOR THE BATTER
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup Plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

FOR THE FROSTING
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

FOR THE CHOCOLATE COATING
2 cups chopped (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 175c degrees with rack in center. Prepare the batter: Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, and set it over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from heat, and set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed, scraping sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. On low speed, mix in melted chocolate. Increase speed to medium, and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat until mixture is creamy and color has lightened slightly, about 1 minute. Mix in sour cream. On low speed, add half of reserved flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Mix in 1/2 cup water. Add remaining flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated.

Line a cupcake pan with paper liners. Fill each liner about 1/2 cup. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool in pan for 10 minutes.

Use a small knife to loosen any tops stuck to the pan. Carefully invert cupcakes onto the wire rack. Turn cupcakes right side up, and let cool completely.

Prepare the frosting: In a large heatproof bowl, combine sugar, 1/4 cup water, egg whites, and cream of tartar. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until frosting forms stiff peaks, about 12 minutes; frosting should register 160 degrees.on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts, and beat for 2 minutes more until frosting thickens.

Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain pastry tip. Leaving a 1/8-inch border on each cupcake, pipe a spiral of frosting into a 2-inch-high cone shape, using about 1/2 cup of frosting per cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet, and refrigerate while preparing the chocolate coating.

Prepare the chocolate coating: Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of barely simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and let cool about 15 minutes.

Holding each cupcake by its bottom, dip cupcake in the chocolate to coat frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Spoon more coating around edge of cupcake and any exposed frosting; none of the frosting should show. Let cupcakes stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Carefully remove paper liners from cupcakes, and discard. Place cupcakes on a serving platter, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let coating set. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours more. Serve cold.

Snowman Cupcakes

This snowman wears a fine winter hat:

a chocolate-covered mint beret.

His plump figure is two marshmallows -- cut a slice off the top one and squish to make it smaller.

Dabs of icing hold parts together.

His eyes are chocolate sprinkles (poke holes first with a wet toothpick),

and his nose is cut from a gummy fish.

from www.marthastewart.com

Clown Cupcake

This clown is hiding a bellyful of icing.

To make, cut a cone-shaped piece from the center;

set aside to use as the hat.

Pipe vanilla buttercream into the cavity and on top for the head.

Use mini uncoated gum-drops for the collar and a

cinnamon candy/mini smartie for the nose; insert chocolate sprinkles for eyes.

The hat has a buttercream pompom covered in sprinkles.

Idea from Martha Stewart.com

Pumpkin Cupcakes

4 eggs

2 cups caster sugar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin(or one 16 oz. can pumpkin)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup chopped dates(optional)

Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric blender until blended. Add sugar, flour baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg pumpkin oil and milk. Stir in pecans and dates if desired. Spoon batter into cups, filling half full. Bake at 175c for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.