cakes & cupcakes

January 21, 2009 No Comments

princess cupcake castle

Today on Daytime Columbus I’ll be creating a princess cupcake castle. For all you moms who want to bake and decorate the birthday cake of your little girl’s dreams, this is for you. Here’s what you’ll need in addition to your cupcakes:

3 cake plate sizes (these are 12″, 10″ and 8″)
Craft paper
Lollipop sticks
Sugar cones
Pink melting chocolate
Tooth picks
Curling ribbon
Cloth ribbon
Glue gun
Silicone brush

Simple steps:

Cake plate embellishing:
- For the bottom tier, using a scallop ruler cut out the design on thick craft paper (DCWV green embossed polka dots shown). Apply to the cake plate with a glue gun and then trim with a fuchsia ribbon. (NOTE: Apply the glue to the paper, not the plate. To clean up, simply pull it away.)
- For the top tier, apply the same ribbon as the bottom tier using hot glue.
Castle towers – melt pink chocolate (available in the baking section of craft stores) in a double boiler and apply to sugar ice cream cones using a silicone brush. (TIP: Place the cone on a lollipop stick so that you can ice all the way to the bottom of the cone.)
Castle flag – using the same craft paper as the scallop, cut two rectangles (1 ¾” x 5/8″) and then trim a triangle out of one end. Pipe hot glue to the inside of the paper; insert a toothpick and then top with the second rectangle.
Princess scepter/wand – take a lollipop stick and apply a dot of (non-toxic) glue about 1 ½” from one end. Apply an end of green curling ribbon and then roll the stick in your fingers to stripe it like a candy cane to the top of the stick. Apply another dot of glue to secure the ribbon. Curl 6″ strands of green, blue and pink curling ribbon with a pair of scissors. Starting with the green and ending with the pink, layer the curling ribbon on top of the stick.
Embellishing cupcakes – ice each cupcake with pink icing and sprinkle sugar around the edges of each. For the cupcakes in the middle tier, tie them with the fuchsia ribbon. (TIP: Apply the ribbon before icing.) Insert your princess scepters in every other cupcake on the bottom and middle tier, alternating positions. (Do not insert scepters in the front facing side of your tier.)

Rather watch a video of how to pull this one off? Here you go!

You can find the cupcake tins, crown cookie cutter, princess invitations and so much more in our shoppe. Happy crafting!

garden party cupcake tier

So I guess it is obvious that I have Spring fever. I absolutely love this idea, not necessarily the cupcake design though. Here’s a much cooler sunflower cupcake, but what I wanted to show you was the display. This idea is fabulous (courtesy domestic diva Martha Stewart) for our bugs and butterflies birthday theme. You’ll need:

Three white cake plates, each slightly smaller than the other
Small clear glass (tubular is best)
Green crepe paper
Small watering can
Craft paper for the flower petals
Suckers

And here’s how you do it:

First cut leaf shapes out of the green crepe paper; you’re going to need 50 to 60 so that they overlap.
Next stack your cake plates and using double stick tape apply your leaves so that they overlap slightly and hang off the edge.
Taking the craft paper, a thick card stock would be best, cut out a flower petal shape with five petals. Using a bone folder, crease each petal, and with a hole punch, place a hole in the center of the petal and insert your sucker. (You may need to use a small dab of glue or tape to hold the petal in place on the sucker stick. Just make sure it is non-toxic.) Finally place your sucker flowers in the small watering can.
Arrange your flower cupcakes and top with your fun watering can. DONE!

Happy crafting!

“all the buzz” cupcakes

I know we’re only a few days off Christmas, but I’m already starting to have Spring fever… which is not good since I live in Ohio and will have at least four more months of cold. Regardless of the weather, these beautiful beehive cupcakes from brightideas.com will make any girls luncheon or birthday party all the buzz. Here’s what you’ll need:

2 cups SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures
1 box (18 oz.) your favorite cake mix
2 cans (16 oz. each) vanilla frosting
Yellow food coloring
1 cup orange STARBURST® Brand Jellybeans
1 tube chocolate decorative frosting, with plain tip
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 cups M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies
Resealable plastic bag
24 paper cupcake liners classic
2 12-cup muffin tins
3 pieces construction paper, in bright, spring colors (orange, pink, green, etc.)
Serving tray, optional

Detailed instructions:

Set 24 SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures aside. Chop the remaining candy and set aside.
Line the 2 muffin tins with the paper cupcake liners. Prepare the cake mix, fold in the chopped candy, and bake according to the package directions.
Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature.
In the meantime, tint the frosting with yellow food coloring to the desired shade. Dab a teaspoon of frosting on the bottom of each reserved SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures and place one on top of each cupcake.
Frost the top of the cupcake, covering both the cupcake and candy. This will help support the frosting beehive.
Spoon the remaining frosting into a resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, snip a small corner of the bag. Pipe the frosting in a spiral fashion, starting at the bottom of the hive and working your way up to the top.
Place jellybeans randomly around the cupcake hives, and gently squeeze the chocolate frosting in a zigzag pattern on top of them.
For the bee’s wings, place an almond slice on both sides of each jellybean.
To serve, create flower cut-outs from the construction paper. Place the flowers on a table or serving tray, put a hive on each flower, and sprinkle with M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies.

cookie decorating frenzy

We hosted our annual cookie decorating party yesterday and I have to say it was a hit. Not only did the kids have fun with the sprinkles, but the moms got to catch up over a glass of wine. In the end I think Santa will be quite pleased with his assortment and the creativity that went into his goodies on Christmas Eve. Was wonderful seeing you girls!

And for those of you who are a little more serious when it comes to decorating for Santa, check out how to make a beautifully shaped cookie and flood it with icing.

brrr… brilliant treats

These cool treats are great for the holidays and for winter birthdays. (Check out our brrr… brilliant birthday invitation.) Here’s what you’ll need:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can vanilla frosting
1 tube black decorating frosting
1 tube orange decorating frosting
1 14-oz. bag shredded coconut, optional
16 pieces DOVE® Brand Milk Chocolate
16 pieces chocolate malted milk balls
1/2 cup M&M’S
Standard cupcake pan
Mini cupcake pan
16 standard paper cupcake liners
16 mini paper cupcake liners
Resealable plastic bag

Follow these easy steps from brightideas.com:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 16 standard cupcake cups and 16 mini cupcake cups with the paper cupcake liners.
repare the cake mix according to the package instructions. Transfer the batter into each cupcake pan and bake minis for 12-15 minutes and the standard cupcakes for 18-21 minutes.
Remove cupcakes from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
Put 1/4 cup of vanilla frosting in a resealable plastic bag; set aside.
Frost all the cupcakes’ tops with the remaining vanilla frosting, and then sprinkle with the shredded coconut, if desired.
Place a frosted mini cupcake on its side on top of each frosted standard cupcake, using the vanilla frosting to attach it.
Make the hats by using the vanilla frosting to secure a DOVE® Chocolate on top of each mini cupcake. Pipe a dot of frosting on top of each chocolate and attach a malted milk ball.
Add details by using vanilla frosting to attach M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies as buttons. Pipe the eyes with the black decorating frosting and the noses with the orange decorating frosting.