Cupcake Queen

To celebrate 60 years of the Queen's reign, baking brand Dr Oetker teamed up with food artist Prudence Staite to create this amazing 'Cupcake Queen' portrait, using 2012 cupcakes... and each and every one was decorated by hand.  Whether you're a fan of the royal family or not, you've got to admit that's some achievement!

My First Cupcake Decorating Book

If you're looking for a special gift for a child just setting out on their cupcake journey, My First Cupcake Decorating Book might just be the answer. Containing 35 recipes for decorating cupcakes, cake pops and cookies this easy-to-use book begins with the most basic methods and then progresses, step-by-step, through to really impressive decorations as they become more confident. Making cakes is fun... decorating them is even better!  Available from The Book People for £3.99 + p&p.

It's Here, It's Here!

Although it wasn't expected to be available until late May, the latest Peggy Porschen book, Boutique Baking: Delectable Cakes, Cookies & Teatime Treats is here!  Although the whole book sounds amazing, the Amazondescription tells us that, 'the third chapter focuses on the most desirable cake phenomenon of the decade - the cupcake, and Peggy gives away the secret of her incredibly scrumptious repertoire of gourmet cup cakes'... just what we've all been waiting for!  You can get hold of your own copy from Amazon for £12.79 including free UK delivery.   I've just ordered mine, althoughI don't know whether I can bear the excitement until it gets here on Monday!

 

These Aren't Just Cupcake Decorations...

These are M&S Jubilee cupcake decorations!  If you're thinking celebrating the Royal Jubilee with a plate of cupcakes but are feeling a little short on inspiration these red, white and blue Royal-themed decorations will save you a lot of time and trouble. The set contains 24 cupcake cases (12 each of 2 designs), and 24 cupcake toppers (12 each of 'crown' and 'corgi' designs). And all for £5.00 + p&p (or FREE delivery to your local M&S store!).

Marshmallow Fondant

After discovering this exciting, easy-to-follow tutorial from Clockwork Lemon another thing to add to by ever-growing list of things to do is to make marshmallow fondant.  One of the comments on Clockwork Lemon says, 'I love how marshmallow fondant is so smooth and yummy, it really makes baking of all kinds look sophisticated!'.  Hmmm, enough said... sold to the girl who loves cupcakes!

Fondant Cupcake (and Cookie!) Toppers

As you know, I'm always on the lookout for new ideas and cupcakey inspiration, so you can imagine how much my eyes lit up when I saw these cupcake pretties!  At first I couldn't figure out whether they'd been piped, or moulded, but then, ooooh the excitement of it... I found a tutorial that shows exactly how it's done. So, thank you, thank you, thank you  Bakerella  for sharing this amazingly simple but stunningly effective technique!

You can use the same technique to decorate cookies too, just like the heart-breakingly beautiful ones below!

Delicious Cupcake Recipes... 150 of them!

If you're always on the lookout for new recipe ideas you'll be delighted to find that those very helpful people at goodtoknowrecipes have come up trumps once again!   Not only have they shared 150 delicious cupcake recipes but for each one there is also guide to skill level, total time needed and cost.  The instructions are so easy to follow and there is a picture of how each one 'should' look!  Any ones that don't make the grade should simply be eaten... for research purposes obviously!

Vintage Ruffle Cupcake Tutorial

It's Friday again, and if like me you're thinking of trying out a new decorating technique over the weekend, this  Jessicakes tutorial is just perfect! Not only do you learn the secret of how to make these beautiful vintage ruffle cupcakes but there are also links to show you how to make your own modelling chocolate so that the ruffles are extra yummy... at first I thought that they were made from sugar paste and was delighted to find that they're actually chocolate!  In my opinion a girl can never have too many cupcakes, or too much chocolate!

Mini Ruffle Cake Tutorial

I've always wondered how they make those yummy-looking mini cakes.  And, I've been curious about tall cupcakes too.  And while I'm on the subject I've also been wondering about buttercream ruffles.  And now, thanks to this fabulous The Happy Home tutorial, I know about all of them.  How cool is that??  

The next challenge is to try my hand at making my own mini ruffle cake, although I can't promise it'll be as pretty as this one!

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Demystefied

I don't know about you, but the only buttercream I've made myself is the standard mix of icing sugar and butter, and I'm not even very adventurous with that... I use the recipe on the back of the icing sugar box! And goodness me, the mess that it makes... clouds of icing sugary dust everwhere!  I've heard about Swiss Meringue Buttercream (I think I saw it on the Great British Bake Off) but it sounded a bit complicated....so, you can imagine how delighted I was when I came across this amazing Sweetapolita tutorial!  Now  I'm really, REALLY tempted to try it for myself as it sounds (and looks!) delicious!

Even if you're not tempted to try the Swiss Meringue Buttercream you should still check out Sweetpolita's blog, it's absolutely full to the brim with recipes, hints & tips... and LOTS of sweet inspiration!

Ideas for Mother's Day Cupcakes

Well, Valentine's Day is over for another year and the next big thing on the 'occasions' calendar is Mother's Day.  But if you used up all your creative ideas for your Valentine you might not be feeling very inspired right now.  If this sounds familiar, don't worry!  Those lovely people at Wilton have come up with 47 (yes, 47!) ideas for Mother's Day cupcakes to get you started! 

Every 'idea' lists the ingredients and tools that you'll need, has full instructions and even indicates the level of difficulty so you can be sure to pick one that suits your skill level.  And if you need it there's even help with getting the consistency of your buttercream just right, hints on how to fill and cover cupcakes and lots, and I mean LOTS, of decorating ideas.  You can find all of this, and much more besides, on the Wilton website.  Good luck choosing between them, it's harder than you think!

Cupcakey Teacups

Aren't these 'bake and serve' silicone teacup cupcake moulds a lovely idea for a tea party that's just a little bit different?

You start by cooking your cupcake mixture in the moulds, but instead of turning them out just leave them until they have completely cooled.   And then the fun can begin... decorate the tops (I'm thinking buttercream, sugarpaste flowers, butterflies, pretty sprinkles... maybe even all of them!) and then serve your teacup cupakes to your 'sure to be impressed' guests!

The TeaCupCake set includes 4 reusable, food-safe silicone baking cups and 4 saucers; also included is a very useful squeezy decorating bottle (great for decorating cookies!)  Available from The Works for £2.49 + £1.99 p&p. 

 I can't wait to try these out for myself!

Another cupcakey secret revealed!

If you like the cupcakey secrets you're sure to like this!   In her simple and helpful video Plushcup reveals just how easy it is to do the lovely ruffly buttercreamy cupcakey frostingy thing.  But be warned, it is quite time-consuming... it's going to take you all of 36 seconds!  But with a bit of practise you might be able to make cupcakes as lovely as the ones below, as made by the amazing Cupcakes under Cover.  

So, what you need to do is... bake some cupcakes, whizz up a batch of yummy butercream, get your Wilton 2D ready to rock, follow Plushcup's tutorial and prepare to be amazed! 

Valentine's Delight Recipe

In her quest for interesting taste combinations and fabulous flavour sensations, the lovely Sharon Elizabeth of Essensual Baking accidently fell headfirst into the wondrous world of aphrodisiacs, and began to develop her 'essensual' range of cupcakes.  Of the Valentine's Delight cupcake Sharon Elizabeth says, 'I am so in love with this cupcake. It seduces me before I even place it in my mouth as it is just so darn sexy to make!'   With a write up like that, how are we supposed to resist having a go ourself??   Thanks to Sharon Elizabeth sharing her vampy Valentine's Delight cupcake recipe we don't have to resist!

Ombre Heart Tutorial

If you're looking for a special surprise for your sweetie on Valentine's Day, what about trying your hand at making these lovely Ombre Hearts?  If you think that they look too difficult, don't worry.  Thanks to this inspiring and helpful tutorial from The Wedding Chicks you really can't go wrong!

They also make perfect little giveaway gifts for wedding and baby showers... and the Ombre Heart wedding cake is stunning! 

Thank you Wedding Chicks!

Shhhhh, another cupcakey secret revealed!

Shhhh, come closer but don't tell anyone because I'm going to let you in on another little cupcakey secret.  You know those fabby cupcakes that look like Chrysanthemums?  Yes, the ones that are all pretty and sparkly and look as though they've taken forever to make!  Well they don't. They only take a few minutes, need no special equipment and absolutely anyone can make them!  Don't believe me?  Just take a look at luv2deco's great tutorial on You Tube and then tell me that you can't do it!

Dress your cupcake!

Do you remember Joanna Farrow's Kinky Cupcakes book in an earlier post?  Well, Joanna doesn't just do 'kinky', she also does cute, funky, cool, pretty... and all in one cupcakey book! Whether you want to whip up a batch of fairytale faces, or pile a plate high with adorable animals, with this book by your side it's easy to give your cupcakes a makeover!  There are even four foolproof cupcake recipes and a comprehensive introduction to ingredients, icing techniques and equipment! Available from Amazon, for £5.50 including p&p.

Anyone for chocolate and bacon?

If you're in the mood for making cupcakes but you'd like to try something a little bit different, I've found the very thing for you!  Dark chocolate bacon cupcakes!  With almost 44,000 results returned by Google for "chocolate and bacon cupcakes" perhaps it's not such a mad idea after all.  Get yourself across to the BBC Food website to find out more!

Valentine cupcakes

If you're thinking of making Valentine cupcakes there's a lovely recipe on the BBC Food website.  Not only are the cupcakes pretty as a picture (as well as being quick and easy too!) but the raspberries and passion fruit serve as a little reminder that Spring is just around the corner!

All I can say is... WOW!

I'm going to apoligise right now for all of the images I'm going to show you.  But really, once you've seen them I'm sure you'll understand... I mean, how could I possibly choose between them??  

These heart-breakingly beautiful works of cupcakey art are handcrafted by cake designer Tracy James, founder and owner of Coventry-based Cotton & Crumbs.  After baking cookies and cakes for her family and friends Tracy came to realise that designing and baking cakes was her passion in life... and boy, can't you tell!

All of Tracy's cakes have a vintage, romantic feel to them and incorporate lots of sugar flowers, lace and pearls - all of which are edible of course!

The good news is that you can join Tracy at her little teaching studio in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands and learn for yourself how to create a stunning collection of 12 beautiful bespoke Vintage Boutique Cupcakes, just like those shown above. You'll learn how to make sugar roses, rose buds, striped bows, blossom flowers and pearls. You'll also learn how to use royal icing to pipe stripes and brush embroidery and, with Tracy's help of course, you will master the skill of stenciling onto cupcakes.  At £175 the class isn't cheap, but then the very best quality never is, and the price does include all materials as well as 'afternoon tea' where you can enjoy finger sandwiches, cakes and scones, all washed down with a lovely cup of tea! 

I couldn't resist showing you just one more picture, aren't the little lovebirds just the cutest things?  You can find out more , or you could just drool over the beauty of Tracy's work, by visiting the Cotton & Crumbs website.  You can also find Cotton & Crumbs on Facebook.    Okay, if you really insist...just one more picture!