Welcome!
Let’s have some fun with cupcakes!
From simple to more effort, cupcakes are versatile and perfect for any skill level.
With the variety of box cake mix flavors you don’t even need specialty flavorings or ingredients to make a special batch of cupcakes to fit any occasion.
Here’s a clever tip to make your cupcakes taste extra special:
Ediblecraftgossip.com
Here’s a great visual on how much batter to put in each cupcake liner:
Don’t be afraid to add 1 teaspoon of your favorite extract flavor to the batter, either. If you have a Watkins rep available they have the best variety of quality extracts.
Watkins flavor extracts
For frosting, there’s nothing wrong with a can of prepared frosting. But, there are some things you can do to that canned frosting to make it special. Here is a great tip to make it go further:
You can now find icing ‘tips’ in craft stores such as Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. No need to be scared of them! A super easy way to use one is cut a small corner off the edge of a plastic bag, such as Baggies. Place the tip inside the bag so the tip just extends out of the snipped hole. Fill 1/2 full with frosting. Twist shut, and gently squeeze. The frosting should come out of the decorative tip!
This is also a great way to have several colors of frosting available at once. Use a different bag for each color with its’ own specialty tip.
This chart shows some of the popular tips and what they look like when used:
This is a simple cupcake pull-apart cake. It uses just a few tips to create this cute cupcake flower centerpiece.
Here are a couple recipes to make your own frosting from scratch. Just remember if you are going to pipe the frosting on with a tip you want your icing to be stiff enough to hold its’ shape. Add a little powdered sugar at a time for the correct consistency. Stir well!
Don’t want to mess with tips? There are plenty of fun ways to decorate your cupcakes without them!
Start with a plain frosted cupcake. Push colored M&Ms into the frosting to form a flower. Simple!
For these butterfly cupcakes you just need basic frosting, frosted pretzel twists and some M&Ms type candy. You can use licorice stick twists for the antennas.
Here is someone else’s interpretation:
I love this next idea -
Use a basic frosting recipe and frost your cupcakes. Then purchase paint palettes at the discount store. Be creative with ‘add-ins’ and let the fun begin as guests decorate their own cupcakes.
Pull-apart cakes are so easy to make. Draw out your pattern first if that works best for you. It will look something like this:
You can find scads of patterns already on Pinterest or the internet also.
After assembly it will look something like this:
Found on Pinterest
Easy! Cute! Yummy!
A dog-themed party just needs Oreo type cookies, a little shredded coconut and chocolate covered raisins -
Use ice cream cones and mini marshmallows to make these gnomes for a Princess party, or fantasy, or woodland…
“It’s a Zoo Here!” party?
…and a pull-apart cupcake creation:
Pinterest
Use mini marshmallows for the tusks, and pre-bought candy eyes. Licorice twists become eyebrows and an Oreo cookie finishes his trunk.
Use mini marshmallows for the tusks, and pre-bought candy eyes. Licorice twists become eyebrows and an Oreo cookie finishes his trunk.
Perhaps you would like to make your cupcakes from scratch. Experiment until you find a good, basic recipe. Then you can start tweaking it with special ingredients and flavorings.
Here are a few recipes:
(Let me know if this is too difficult to read and I can re-type it. I have a large screen I-Pad so things show up very well for me, but I know many peeps use their phone screen.)
…and some add-ins:
A plate of cupcakes like these are sure to cheer anyone you give them to-
Remember the plastic bag trick where you snip a small corner off? You can do the same for ‘drizzle’ frosting. Make sure your corner is cut very small. Fill Baggie with a small amount of frosting and ‘drizzle’ away. This is an easy way to dress up your frosted cupcakes in no time at all.
Taste of Home
- use room temperature butter. Cut into pieces and let sit 1 hour, or microwave in 5 second intervals.
- measure flour by spooning into a measuring cup, then level with a knife. Do not pack flour.
- check expiration dates on your baking soda and baking powder. To test for freshness, take a pinch and add to a bit of vinegar. Fresh will bubble.
- let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to a rack. If left in the pans they may dry out.
Using simple ingredients like jelly beans, M&Ms, red hots, string licorice, candy corn, mini marshmallows, dried fruit, etc. you can decorate your cupcakes in all sorts of fun ways.
I love these barn animals!
Want to make a flock of sheep? Here are a couple of easy options:
You can pipe on your eyes, but you can also purchase pre-made candy eyes anywhere cake/baking supplies are sold. My local Michael’s carries them.
Here are a few more yummy frosting recipes -
Let’s finish up with some super fun
Classy Shoe Cupcakes!
You will need Madeline-type cookies (Pepperidge Farm makes a couple), mini marshmallows and red hot hearts, pre-made edible flowers and the long spiral cookies for heels. And frosting and a cupcake in a liner of course!
I’m thinking I might have to invite a few girlfriends over for a girl’s party night just as an excuse to make those Shoe cupcakes!
I hope you try a few of these ideas and recipes. As always, I would love to see your creations.
‘Til next time,
inkspired
