Cupcake Decorating Tutorial - German Chocolate

This is my spin on a classic. I love German Chocolate cake and to make it into cupcakes is just as pleasing. The combination of pecan coconut frosting and hardened dipping chocolate with cake is heavenly. I usually like to do something elegant and I find that this fits the bill. They are easy to make and require little effort. Please watch my tools video on things you will need or my previous cupcake videos. FTC: All products were purchased by me! All opinions are my own. You don't have to go out and buy the same things I have to make it just do it with whatever you like.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQGr95AhSI0&hl=en

Cupcake Show #14: Coconut Snowball Cupcakes

These cupcakes are delicious AND beautiful! Full of real coconut and not too sweet...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKQHHO9JzWY&hl=en

Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcake TV Spot

TV spot for Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Cupcake Mix.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spEn78Dzrvc&hl=en

Cupcakes - 3 Delicious Cupcake Recipes

There are many variations on the classic cupcake recipe and countless additional ingredients and flavourings that can be added to make cupcakes interesting. Fruit is always popular, whether dried or fresh, as well as nuts, coconut, ginger and grated carrots. Chocolate of course is an all time favourite. In fact the range of different combination's is almost limitless. Below are three delicious cupcake recipes for those people looking for something different. They would be ideal served up for afternoon tea.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cupcakes

125g (4 oz) butter, coarsely chopped
80g (2 1/2 oz) white eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 beaten egg
100g (3 1/2 oz) frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 170oC (325oF). Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper cases. Stir butter, chocolate, sugar and milk in small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and allow to cool, about 15 minutes. Whisk sifted flours into chocolate mixture. Add egg then fold in raspberries. Divide cake mixture among patty cases and bake for about 30 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Ice with white chocolate ganache. To make ganache bring 1/2 cup cream to the boil in a small saucepan then remove from heat. When bubbles subside add 360g (11 1/2 oz) coarsely chopped white eating chocolate. Stir until smooth. Spread on cooled cake.

Banana Cupcakes with Passion Fruit Icing

125g (4 oz) butter at room temperature, chopped
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup mashed banana (about 3 bananas)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk

Preheat oven to 170oC (325oF). Line two 12 hole muffin pans with paper cases. In a large bowl, using an electric beater, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour and spice together. Fold into creamed mixture with banana, sour cream and milk. Spoon mixture into paper cases until two thirds full. Bake for 25 minutes or until cakes are cooked when tested. Cool in tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. When cool ice with passion fruit icing.

Passion fruit icing

In a medium heatproof bowl combine 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 1 teaspoon soft butter and 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp. Place over a pan of simmering water and stir until smooth and spreadable. Spread over cooled cakes.

Carrot and Orange Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

8 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange
2 eggs, lightly beaten
175g (6 oz) grated carrots
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnut pieces
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp ground pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 180oC (350oF). Line a 12 hole muffin pan with muffin paper cases. Beat together the butter, sugar and orange rind until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Squeeze any excess liquid from the carrots and add to the mixture with the walnuts and orange juice until combined. Fold in the sifted flour and pumpkin pie spice. Spoon mixture into paper cases until 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool. Ice with mascarpone frosting.

To make mascarpone frosting put 1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese, 4 tablespoons icing sugar and grated rind of 1 orange in a large bowl and beat together until smooth and creamy. When cupcakes are cooled spread frosting on each cake. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

These cupcake recipes will make you a winner with your family and friends.

Best Cupcake Recipe - Part 4

www.momisblogging.com , It's important that it is not too dry - mine were once and I ended up with what resembled Rock Cakes - they still all got ate though, http



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0uryjwNGso&hl=en

Cupcake Ideas For First Time Decorators

When you search the web for great cupcake ideas, you will find that there are thousands of remarkable and creative designs out there to choose from. For beginning decorators, however, many of the ideas are simply too elaborate and detailed to get right on the first try. Much like any other hobby, cupcake decorating takes a bit of practice to perfect. Fondant doesn't always come out as pliable as you'd hoped, and mastering creating tiny letters and details out of icing is usually not accomplished on the very first day. Today we will take a look at some cupcake ideas that are great fun to eat and look at but that can be easily created by novice decorators.

Decorating cupcakes for the first time or seeking out ideas that can be created by children as well as adults isn't as hard as you might think. In fact, you will find that there are many ideas that can be perfected by almost anyone. A great idea can be to use templates or cookie cutters to cut shapes out of fondant. This will provide a uniform decoration that is as delicious as it is attractive.

When you are looking to decorate entirely by hand, you will need to think of the theme you are working with. Birthday cupcakes can offer much more than sprinkles and frosting and still be easy enough to create with your kids. One idea that works for many parents is to allow kids to paint the icing on each cupcake using a paintbrush. When the icing is dry, creating faces using candies and treats can provide a whimsical design that everyone will enjoy. The same idea can be applied to seasonal cupcakes, building snowmen, bunnies, or any other creatures that fit the occasion.

Another easy cupcake decorating idea is to create bug cupcakes. Using yellow and black frosting to create honeybees and placing frosting eyes on the cupcake can be fun and exciting, and painting black dots onto red cupcakes is an easy way to create adorable ladybugs. Icing kits also make it easy to add flowers and other designs to any cupcake. A small square of fondant placed atop a cupcake can easily become a present, a robot, or anything else you like with only a paintbrush and a small amount of icing. Keep in mind that sometimes the simplest designs can be the most fun to create.

When decorating cupcakes for the first time or working with kids, try to remember that your designs don't have to be overly elaborate. Simple frosting and icing patterns can be quite decorative and can create desserts that are fun and fantastic. There are plenty of ideas that can be created with nothing more than a paintbrush and some icing or even a small ball of fondant for each cupcake. Don't feel limited to ideas you read or see online, but using these ideas as a guide can be a great way to create unique and creative designs that everyone will enjoy.

Best Cupcake Recipe - Part 2

www.momisblogging.com , It's a versatile recipe - I have omitted the white chocolate out before and used the sponge to make apple sponge - it was YUM!, http



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTMa0QEgUPE&hl=en

Cupcake Frosting Recipes and Suggestions

There are no hard and fast rules about cupcake frosting. When I make cupcakes for the family I tire of decorating them the same way and look for easy cupcake frosting recipes.

I love the look of a plate of cupcakes with vanilla glace frosting and a cherry on top. Pink food coloring added to the frosting also looks great. Frosting piped onto a cupcake, with a sprinkling of candy confetti, shredded coconut or chocolate is always popular.

And who can say "no" to a butterfly cake that has jam, lemon curd, or cream as it's center? When dusted with icing sugar, butterfly cakes become irresistible.

The other day I was invited out to lunch. It was already late morning so I quickly made a batch of cupcakes. I went to the pantry to get out the icing (confectioners) sugar to discover there was none left. I didn't have time to go to the shop so I improvised. I grabbed a jar of choc hazelnut spread and used it as my frosting. It is a little stiff to spread so I needed a mug of boiling water to dip my knife into to make spreading easier. The cupcakes tasted fantastic. My lunch host was very impressed and asked for my cupcake icing recipe!

If I'm invited to an afternoon tea and want to take a plate of cupcakes that will look spectacular, a really easy alternative is to use fondant for your frosting and decorations.

If the tops of your cupcakes are not flat, slice through the peaks so that you have a nice level surface to work with. Decide on two colors (I love pale pink and pale green) and carefully work a couple of drops of coloring into fondant - you don't need very much fondant. When the coloring has been kneaded in, roll fondant to the desired width and use round cutters to cut circles big enough to fit over the tops of your cupcakes. Be creative with your designs. You can cut shapes in the contrasting fondant or you can use a third color (white is always a good choice) to add dots, lines, flower centers etc.

There are so many different cupcake icing recipes. Often it depends on the "look" you are after and the type of occasion you are decorating for that determines which recipe you will follow. Is it a casual family affair, a children's birthday party or an engagement party?

Below are explanations of the frosting and frosting recipes used on most cupcakes:

Buttercream frosting is, as the name suggests, a very buttery cupcake frosting that tastes yummy and can be easily colored to suit the look you are after. Buttercream is great for piping as it holds its shape very well.

Fluffy frosting is made with egg whites and is best made on the day it is to be served. It has a beautiful, soft, marshmallow consistency.

There is also a glace frosting which is very quick to make. This only requires beating butter, sugar and water or milk in a small bowl and is ready within seconds.

Fondant, which is ideal for Christening, Engagement and Wedding cupcakes, can also be made. I would recommended using fondant with a fruit cake. Fondant keeps well and can be prepared or bought well in advance.

Chocolate ganache is another cupcake frosting alternative. A ganache has a beautiful rich, smooth texture that transforms a cupcake into a magnificent dessert. It is easy to make and I guarantee you'll receive compliments from everyone who tries it.

Cream cheese frosting is a perfect partner for just about any cupcake recipe. You can play around with the quantities of butter and cream cheese to achieve a unique flavor.

Royal icing has an egg-white base that sets hard on standing. It is ideal for frosting cookies.