500 Cupcakes (31 page)

variations

see
base recipe

black-eyed susan

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute a combination of yellow and orange decorating sugars for yellow. Substitute semisweet chocolate chips for lemon candies. For each cupcake: frost the top. Place three semisweet chocolate chips in the center. Snip each miniature marshmallow in half on the diagonal, dip on cut side in yellow-orange sugar, and arrange sugared side up around the center like rows of petals.

dahlia

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute a combination of red and orange decorating sugars for yellow. Substitute orange gumdrops for lemon candies. For each cupcake: frost the top. Place an orange gumdrop in the center. Snip each miniature marshmallow in half on the diagonal, dip cut side in a mixture of orange and red sugar, and arrange sugared side up around the gumdrop like rows of petals.

zinnia

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute a combination of red and pink decorating sugars for yellow. Substitute yellow gumdrops for lemon candies. For each cupcake: frost the top. Place a yellow gumdrop in the center. Snip each miniature marshmallow in half on the diagonal, dip on cut side in a mixture of pink and red sanding sugars, and arrange sugared side up around the gumdrop like rows of petals.

variations

see
base recipe

princess

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the melted white chocolate light pink, brush on the cones, and roll in pink and white sprinkles. Tint Moldable White Chocolate pink, divide it into 18 pieces. Pinch off a small portion from each piece and roll into a ball. Roll the rest of the piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Place the sugar cone firmly in the center of each cupcake and secure the pink ball on the pointed end. Loop the rope around the circumference of the cone to make ruffled edge. Scatter more sprinkles on the frosting.

christmas tree

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the melted white chocolate green, brush on the cones, and roll in colored sprinkles. Tint Moldable White Chocolate yellow, divide it into 18 pieces. Pinch off a small portion from each piece and form it into a star. Roll the rest of the piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Place the sugar cone firmly in the center of each cupcake and secure the star on the pointed end. Loop the rope around the circumference of the cone to make a tree skirt. Scatter more colored sprinkles on the frosting.

variations

see
base recipe

soccer ball

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Keep the frosting white. For each cupcake, frost the top. Using a black gel icing tube, draw a hexagon in the center of the cupcake. Draw a line from the six corners or points of the hexagon out to the edge of the cupcake. Omit gumdrops and pipe cleaners.

campfire

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting green. For each cupcake, frost the top, but omit basic decorations. Cut thin chocolate-covered tube-shaped cookies or chocolates into 2-inch “logs” and stack in the center of the cupcake. Cut orange or yellow fruit-striped candy into “flames” and place amidst the logs.

pot o’ gold

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting green. For each cupcake, frost the top, but omit basic decorations. Place a hollow chocolate cup in the center of the cupcake. Fill with small gold-covered chocolate coins or gold nuggets candies. Arch a piece of rainbow licorice or rope candy from one side of the cupcake to the other.

variations

see
base recipe

strawberry fields forever

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute small red candies or balls for candy vegetables.

magic bean garden

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute small pastel jelly beans for candy vegetables.

diggin’ in the dirt

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Omit the coconut and candy vegetables. Poke and enlarge 3 holes in the top of each cupcake and partially insert a gummy worm in each hole.

variations

see
base recipe

princess doll

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting a pale pink and use pink and purple sugar pearls and flowers.

bridesmaid doll

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting a pale blue and use blue sugar pearls and flowers.

red carpet doll

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting a dark blue or purple, smooth it over the body, and sprinkle it with edible metallic glitter.

variations

see
base recipe

raspberry ruffles & pearls

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting and moldable chocolate pale pink and flavor with raspberry flavoring. Sprinkle with pink sugar pearls.

lemon ruffles & pearls

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Tint the frosting and moldable chocolate pale yellow and flavor with lemon extract. Sprinkle with yellow sugar pearls.

mocha ruffles

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Instead of preparing Moldable White Chocolate, substitute semisweet chocolate for the white chocolate and add 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz.) additional light corn syrup. Flavor the chocolate with 2 teaspoons coffee extract. Dust ruffles with cinnamon sugar.

variations

see
base recipe

hot chocolate

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Omit the coffee flavoring in the frosting. Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles on top of each cupcake.

caramel macchiato

Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. Substitute prepared caramel ice cream syrup for the coffee flavoring in the frosting. Drizzle prepared caramel ice cream syrup on top of each cupcake.

chai

Substitute 1 1/2 recipes
Chai Cupcakes
for basic Morning Latte cupcakes. Dust top of each cupcake with a mixture of 1 tablespoon raw sugar combined with 1 teaspoon each: ground cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon.

variations

see
base recipe

sea volcano

Tint half the frosting sea blue, the other half orange-red. Omit the candy fish. For each cupcake: Frost the top with blue. Use a knife to make “waves” around the perimeter of the cupcake. Carefully trim the pointed end off a waffle sugar ice cream cone and place in the center of the cupcake to make a volcano. Spoon or pipe orange-red frosting to look like lava coming out of the volcano and down its side, to the sea below. Sprinkle the “lava” with candy rocks or crushed nut cookies.

gold miner’s dream