Cupcakes: Recipes & Decorating

[CanadianBakin']

My twin grandnieces just turned 1 year old. The theme for the party was cupcakes so I made them each their own 6" cupcake. They had a great time digging into them.

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Beautiful job on the "cupcakes"! What did you use for the cupcake liner?

Also, wondering about their names...I have 3 year old twins named Katie and Lauren. It looks like your grand-nieces names might be close.

[lapasterie]

My twin grandnieces just turned 1 year old. The theme for the party was cupcakes so I made them each their own 6" cupcake. They had a great time digging into them.

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Beautiful job on the "cupcakes"! What did you use for the cupcake liner?

Also, wondering about their names...I have 3 year old twins named Katie and Lauren. It looks like your grand-nieces names might be close.

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It is just icing that I used a large tooth icing comb on.

Their names are Katie[Katherine] and Lexie[Alexis]

Sorry it took so long to answer, but I was in the hospital for hip replacement surgery.

[Kris]

I would love to do the cupcakes in the ice-cream cones with my baking class on Friday. Do I put a cupcake liner in the cone, then fill with batter and bake as usual? Or do I put the batter directly in the cone? Thanks 

ETA: Oops, just found out on Martha Stewart's site that I can pour the batter directly into the cone. Do you all use some sort of support so the cones don't topple over in the oven?

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I have fond memories of ice-cream cone cupcakes...my deceased paternal grandmother used to make them for my sisters and me when we were kids. She would ice them with canned frosting (YUCK now - but we were kids, what did we know then?) and put sprinkles on top. I loved them.

Maybe I'll try making them for my 7 year old niece and 5 year old nephew one day.

Cupcakes are great aren't they? They're the perfect size for snacking (not as much of the "guilt factor"), you don't need a fork and plate, they're so cute and can be made in a variety of flavors.

I made cupcakes for my Superbowl party...I bought football themed cupcake liners and filled them with my butter cake recipe. I used a #233 pastry tip to pipe "grass" shaped vanilla buttercream icing (tinted green) on the tops of them. I stuck a little plastic football on top of each one. Then I stacked them onto a cupcake tree. It was such a cute presentation.

[alanamoana]

SF Chronicle Cupcake Article

Just thought I'd bump this with a new confirmation of cupcakery...

[CaliPoutine]

Here is a cupcake tree I did for my wedding reception.

We made the tiered stand ourselves.

[cathrynapple]

a question to the pro cupcake bakers. i read everywhere that there is no need to cool buttercream cupcakes. why would that be so, if its because of the high sugarcontent, what about a custardbased buttercream??

what about temperatures over 25c isnt the buttercream running away ??

do all pro cupcakeshops have air conditioning ??

questions over questions...

cheers

t.

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i'm not sure...we do small batches that sell fairly quickly and keep in glass-covered cake stand things. other buttercream-topped cake items are kept in a slightly cooled dessert case.

[Wendy DeBord]

a question to the pro cupcake bakers. i read everywhere that there is no need to cool buttercream cupcakes. why would that be so, if its because of the high sugarcontent, what about a custardbased buttercream??

what about temperatures over 25c isnt the buttercream running away ??

do all pro cupcakeshops have air conditioning ??

questions over questions...

cheers

t.

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First, do you know that Americans call two very different types of frosting 'buttercream', interchangably?

There's buttercream make with powdered sugar and fat (usually shortening and butter but sometimes either or and not combined). It's pretty shelf stable considering it's just shortening, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. You can vary this up a bit, but basicly there aren't any ingredients that must be kept refridgerated in it.

Then theres buttercream that involves eggs, a hot sugar syrup to cook the egg and butter. Never will this type have powdered sugar in it. This type of buttercream can be shelf stable also if you use pasturized egg product so your certain it's cooked properly.

There are buttercream recipes that involve custard as a base, typically refferred to as a German buttercream. They are rarely used in American baking.

As to your last question.........I'd say that most American bake shops are airconditioned (maybe it depends upon the overall wealth of the area to some extent). If the baking area isn't airconditioned, then usually the front of the store is for our customers convience. We also rely heavily on refridgerated cases to sell product from. I think to some extent Americans expect their baked goods to be kept cold even when the item doesn't need it (excluding breads). All our grocery stores sell cakes with artifical whip cream on them that don't require refridgeration out of refridgerated cases and that makes people think their real whip cream cakes. They don't sell when sold at room temp., then the consumer realizes it's all artifical frosting.

[shaloop]

Does anyone know of any COOL sites for decorating kids cupcakes? I'm looking for creative ideas. I need to make 26 cupcakes for my son's kindergarden class (it's his turn for snack) for Monday. I usually make cookies but since this is his last turn, and only two weeks of school left, I want to do something really fun. I found these and I'm keeping them in mind as they recently studied butterflies. But I'm still looking. That site (familyfun.com) actually has the most ideas I've seen, but I'd like to find a few more sites. ( have a 4yo daughter too, so I can't have too many ideas, lol.) Since it's also teacher appreciation week, I'd like to make something nice for his two teachers. Maybe a 4" or 6" personal cake for each of them. Any ideas?

[momlovestocook]

try this link

look under photo gallery, then cupcakes

Sandra

[RuthWells]

try this link

look under photo gallery, then cupcakes

Sandra

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Great website -- she does adorable cupcakes.

[Anna N]

I am reviving this thread because it's cupcake day at my granddaughter's school this week and I am the elected "baker". Since baking is not my forte I consulted this thread and decided to make the Cook's Illustrated recipe from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue. This has to be the easiest, most solid recipe for cupcakes I have attempted. They rose evenly and are moist and flavouful. I did not make the frosting as my little one will be doing the decorating and I promise for the sake of all NOT to post photos .

[Kerry Beal]

I am reviving this thread because it's cupcake day at my granddaughter's school this week and I am the elected "baker".  Since baking is not my forte I consulted this thread and decided to make the Cook's Illustrated recipe from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue.  This has to be the easiest, most solid recipe for cupcakes I have attempted. They rose evenly and are moist and flavouful.  I did not make the frosting as my little one will be doing the decorating and I promise for the sake of all NOT to post photos  .

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Aw c'mon, photos are fun, you could always post in the regrettable dessert thread.

[txaggie]

I made cupcakes on Monday. I used the all-occasion yellow cake recipe from the Gourmet cookbook for the cupcakes.

[Anna N]

I made cupcakes on Monday.  I used the all-occasion yellow cake recipe from the Gourmet cookbook for the cupcakes.

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These look yummy!

Edited to fix quote format.

Edited May 31, 2006 by Anna N (log)

[Kim Shook]

I am making cupcakes right this minute! I have Ina Garten's Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes cooling now and Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Meringue in the oven. Those last are one of those 'Cake Mix Doctor' concoctions, but they sounded so good that I figured if they are worth it, I can always adapt a good yellow cake recipe for it. I am off work Tues, Wed and Friday this week and expecting company this weekend, so I am cooking my head off (Mr. Kim is going to clean ) and having a ball. I made the Cook's Illustrated white sandwich bread this morning - really beautiful looking - I am waiting to taste until Mr. Kim gets home!

Anna, is that recipe for a yellow or a chocolate cupcake?

[Anna N]

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Anna, is that recipe for a yellow or a chocolate cupcake?

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The Cook's Illustrated recipe I used is for a yellow cupcake. It includes a recipe for a chocolate ganache frosting though.

Last year for the school cupcake day I made Ina Garten's coconut cup cakes mentioned earlier in this thread and they were good, but this time the need for cupcakes was sprung on me and I didn't have the coconut on hand.

[whisks]

what is everyone's favourite cupcake recipe? i've tried the magnolia bakery one, but find that a bit on the heavy side. opinions and recipes please.

thanks

[Anna N]

I am reviving this thread because it's cupcake day at my granddaughter's school this week and I am the elected "baker".  Since baking is not my forte I consulted this thread and decided to make the Cook's Illustrated recipe from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue.  This has to be the easiest, most solid recipe for cupcakes I have attempted. They rose evenly and are moist and flavouful.  I did not make the frosting as my little one will be doing the decorating and I promise for the sake of all NOT to post photos  .

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Aw c'mon, photos are fun, you could always post in the regrettable dessert thread.

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These photos are for Kerry. Remember, garish is good on cupcake day!

Edited to fix duplicate photo.

Edited June 2, 2006 by Anna N (log)

[SweetSide]

I am reviving this thread because it's cupcake day at my granddaughter's school this week and I am the elected "baker".  Since baking is not my forte I consulted this thread and decided to make the Cook's Illustrated recipe from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue.  This has to be the easiest, most solid recipe for cupcakes I have attempted. They rose evenly and are moist and flavouful.  I did not make the frosting as my little one will be doing the decorating and I promise for the sake of all NOT to post photos  .

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Aw c'mon, photos are fun, you could always post in the regrettable dessert thread.

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These photos are for Kerry. Remember, garish is good on cupcake day!

Edited to fix duplicate photo.

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Just gorgeous to the eyes of a child -- and who isn't a child when eating a cupcake?! And it looks like your granddaughter had a heck of a fun time doing the decorating!

[Kerry Beal]

I am reviving this thread because it's cupcake day at my granddaughter's school this week and I am the elected "baker".  Since baking is not my forte I consulted this thread and decided to make the Cook's Illustrated recipe from the Jan/Feb 2003 issue.  This has to be the easiest, most solid recipe for cupcakes I have attempted. They rose evenly and are moist and flavouful.  I did not make the frosting as my little one will be doing the decorating and I promise for the sake of all NOT to post photos  .

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Aw c'mon, photos are fun, you could always post in the regrettable dessert thread.

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These photos are for Kerry. Remember, garish is good on cupcake day!

Edited to fix duplicate photo.

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Thanks for the pics, I think they look great, good contrast, symetrical. Too nice for regretable foods!

[Pille]

I hadn't seen this cupcake thread before - thanks, Anna N, for reviving it! I made chocolate cherry cupcakes a la Nigella Lawson few weeks ago, but I used a different frosting to the one suggested by the Domestic Goddess. It's a mini Easter chocolate egg on top

The cupcake recipe is here, and I will be definitely making these again.

[Anna N]

I hadn't seen this cupcake thread before - thanks, Anna N, for reviving it! ...

The cupcake recipe is here, and I will be definitely making these again.

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They look delicious!

[Kim Shook]

Anna - those are adorable. I think they look great and I'd be glad to serve them to my herd of chicklets (nieces, daughter and her buds) anytime! Bravo!

I think my favorite cupcakes are the ones that I make using this recipe: Coconut Cake. I am a coconut fiend and this is the first cake that really fills my 'need'!

[Anna N]

Anna - those are adorable.  I think they look great and I'd be glad to serve them to my herd of chicklets (nieces, daughter and her buds) anytime!  Bravo! 

I think my favorite cupcakes are the ones that I make using this recipe: Coconut Cake.  I am a coconut fiend and this is the first cake that really fills my 'need'!

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No credit to me - that's the work of Miss Jess (6-years-old) I just bake the damn things.

[shaloop]

These are the ones I ended up making for my son's class.

My son was very happy. (of course, he's only 6, lol.)