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The Cupcake Thread!

Do it... you know you wanna :Up_to_something:

These weren't anything special, just good ol' mudcake with masses of 'stuff' on top :bigsmile:
 
So TJ's has a new yellow cake mix that I had to buy to try. I love love love yellow cake but I haven't found a regular recipe that I love as much as a good ole cake mix. Though Smitten Kitchen posted one that she loved...she also had the same feeling as me previously, soooo maybe I'll try that soon. I made cuppies from the mix and I am going to make some chocolate frosting later. There are still a few things in all my bakings that I have not found absolute FAVORITES of yet. This would be yellow cake, chocolate cake, and chocolate frosting.

I will go to my favorite bakery and buy their chocolate cake ALL the time. I love it. I will even get a small cake just for us and eat it over a week because I love theirs so much. I wish I knew how they made it. I have made about 10 diff chocolate cake recipes and none of them are as good. Same with frosting. So I'll try this frosting recipe--it's the Instant Fudge one from SK also. She used it with the yellow cake.

And the reason I'm thinking about this is that my little boy is 8months in a few days. In 4 short months he will be 1 year old. I can't even believe I'm a Mom half the time. Anyhoo, I want to make him a big giant cupcake for a cake smash for him for a photo session. And maybe make his bday cake, we'll see. But I want to do yellow cake and choco frosting because to me that's the quintessential kid cake from when I was little. My favorite combo.
 
I had my bridal shower this weekend and I just had to show off the adorable cupcakes my sister made. They were chocolate with buttercream frosting and they were delicious! :lickout: This isn't a great picture of them, but I cannot seem to find a closer picture- so you can all admire the other delicous baking too! My SIL made :heart shaped Rice Krispie Treats, Double Chocolate Biscotti and Raspberry Chocolate Scones, so much for fitting my dress :knockout: .

missjaxbscuppies.jpg
 
Mara, I'm like that with vanilla... I just CANNOT manage as light, fluffy and delicious a vanilla cake as my favourite boxed one! I always resort to it ::)
Missjaxon, that all looks amazing, and the pink paper cups are beyond adorable! So excited for you, you'll be such a gorgeous bride!! Your sister is so talented too!! :appl: :appl:
 
Mara: Too funny about Yellow Cake and Chocolate frosting being the quintessential kid cake.....Every year since I can remember I've always asked for Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting on my birthday.....it's the best!
 
had to post my 'return to baking' cupcakes from this sunday. bad iphone photo but, first cupcakes outta this kitchen in a long time!!!

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As usual, just gorgeous Mara! I LOVE those butterflies, I wish I could find a way to emboss mine, I can't find anything of the like!!
 
Andi -- those rocky road cupcakes look AMAZING!. Could you please ship some to me? Mmmmmm..........

I might just have to visit one of the local bakeries this weekend and bring home a little treat. See, I knew there was a reason that I didn't venture into this thread too often. It makes my cravings go out of control.
 
taovandel said:
Mara: Too funny about Yellow Cake and Chocolate frosting being the quintessential kid cake.....Every year since I can remember I've always asked for Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting on my birthday.....it's the best!
Click to expand...

Me too! I still ask for it on my birthday.

My mom makes a chocolate frosting that is sooooo yummy. It has an almost whipped texture, and it's delicious. I'll have to try making yellow cake and chocolate frosting one of these days. Maybe I'll make it for my birthday in a few weeks.
 
I've been reading through this thread whenever I can, but I haven't read through the whole thing because it's a lot to catch up on. I just wanted to say that you ladies are amazingly talented! Your creations look perfect and so professional.

Mara, what are all of the decorative things made from? Is that fondant? and if so, do you make it yourself? I've been reading about how versatile fondant is. Does it harden after it's cut into a shape?

I'd like to get started but I don't quite know where to begin.
 
oooh Zoe if you have the recipe from your Mom pls share. i am always on the hunt for a good frosting. so far my favorite is a whipped chocolate ganache but it takes soooo much chocolate it's not cost effective for large cakes etc.

the one I used from SK on those cuppies was actually VERY good. the cake was not so great, i'll have to try the SK recipe next.

YAY for yellow cake and choco frosting!!! (nothing beats BC so far though hehe.. so sad!).

gemgirl... yes that's fondant. i use satin ice, which i don't eat but i hear it's better than the typical fondant. there is also a white chocolate fondant i use sometimes to 'soften' the satin ice if it's too hard. the wc fondant is WAY softer and it would not hold it's shape well for things like cutters but mixed with the satin ice it does great. you can also make your own marshmallow fondant which a lot of people seem to like but i don't bother just for cupcakes. the cupcake toppers are so small it's not like eating a cake layered in fondant--but for a cake i'd prob try it! oh and yes after you cut the fondant you can let it dry in the air and it hardens. if you roll it too thin it can easily crack so when i cut them i try to leave them fatter. also i dry out my fondant slightly with confectioners sugar to make it easier to roll for cutting.

dandi... i think i got that butterfly stamp set from some old 'stampin' up' kit i had that i bought like 10 years ago or something!! i used to collect those kits and then i sold a ton on ebay since they were retired and i got a good $$ for them, but saved a few i liked. who knew later they'd come in handy for cupcakes. michaels has little $1 stamp kits though that sometimes have good shapes in them like embellished hearts and the like which you can use to make designs.

honestly the fondant toppers and that stuff is my FAVORITE part of cupcaking. it's so fun to be creative and do different things that don't take too long and i know will come out nice. also i can make them ahead of time and just store them in a cool dry place for a while before using. the 2nd fave for me is the frosting part. the baking is the least fun..it's the most 'inconsistent'..!!
 
i took a quick iphone pic of the toppers as i store them. i got these bead boxes at michaels for $1.50. i have about 5 of them all filled. i separate them by color to make it easy to find them for when i am doing a 'theme' color.

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Mara -- Glad to share the chocolate frosting recipe! I think I have it somewhere but if not, I'll ask my mom for it. I'll look for it in a bit.
 
Wow Mara! How long do those toppers last?
 
Porridge...I am not sure, but I used to use them all within month or two while I was baking tons of cupcakes. I have a lot right now because I wasn't cupcaking a whole lot after J was born. I'll have to taste test them! They say fondant lasts a scary long time though hehe.
 
If you make them out of gumpaste or a fondant/gumpaste mixture they'll last until someone deliberately destroys them. Gumpaste is super hard.
 
Oh great! Thanks Mara and Pennquaker. I plan to spend a happy sunday making a ton of these sometime in the near future ;))
 
Making them is great for stress relief! :wink2:
 
I know, no one has posted in here for awhile, but for Christmas, instead of making Cakes, i plan on making cupcakes, that way, it will be softer for longer, and we can take the left overs to the bar we go to to watch Sunday Football. So, ill be making Red Velvet Cupcakes, a Rich Chocolate Cupcake with Mousse Filing, and than Coconut Macoorns( I know, not a cupcake)....i plan on making the cupcakes tonight, and than frosting them Tommorow Night/Christmas Morning....Wish me luck, got lots to make
 
Yayyy, good luck and have fun! I look forward to pics :bigsmile:
 
I made cuppies last weekend! These were for an engagement party. Chocolate, lemon, strawberry, and coffee&baileys. They didn't last long :bigsmile:

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Porridge, those cupcakes look so Delicious!!! :appl: :cheeky: very pretty!
 
Porridge, WOW!!!!!!!!! They look phenomenal! :lickout: :lickout: :lickout: :lickout:
You are one VERY talented lady, I bet the guests were thrilled! Great job!! :appl: :appl:
 
YUM those look delish, Porridge!

Speaking of Baileys--there is a seasonal mint Baileys out right now. I bought 2 bottles. Think of the baking possibilities! Right now I just put it in my hot cocoa. Haha.

Jessie...hope your cupcakes came out fabulous... red velvet is ALWAYS better with some chocolate. I bake chocolate chips into my RV cupcakes as well.
 
Im am sad to say, but no my cupcakes didnt turn out good, I dont knwo what i did wrong, but im working on fixing it. :blackeye:
 
Okay eveyrone...here are my mini chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream icing, and gum paste flowers....

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Aww Jessie, sorry to hear the RVs didn't work out... but MEGA YUM on the choc ones! They look scrumptious!! :lickout: :lickout: Did you make the flowers? I love those big daisy ones!!
 
Thanks Dandi...they came out yummy, and yes i made the flowers myself...Gum Paste Flowers. I cant find the little plastic middle parts that look like Stamens anywhere in town, so i have to hand paint them.
 
Just a quick question-I got the Magnolia bakery cookbook for Christmas and want to make red velvet cupcakes. Can I use the rv cake recipe and just make it into cupcakes instead? RV isn't common over here at all so I don't have any other recipes. Anything that I can do to improve them? Thanks!
 
bee, i would try just making the cake recipe as cupcakes. you might have to halve it though, usually cake recipes are kind of big. i am not a fan of RV really but a lot of people love it so i like adding chocolate chips to mine to make it more yummy, hehee.

also for my RV recipe i do 1/2 oil 1/2 butter because i don't like the taste of most oil cakes, so if it's an oil recipe maybe do 1/2 and see what you think. or just make the recipe as it is in the book and then you can play with it once you know what the original tastes like. ::)
 
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