Cupcake Frosting

Cupcake Frosting Recipes
By Lisa Paterson

Cupcakes and cakes are actually made from the same ingredients. If you have a favorite frosting recipe that tastes great on a cake, rest assured it will taste just as great on a cupcake.

Most frostings are Buttercream Frosting, unless it's on a cake from a bakery in one of the major grocery store chains. Buttercream Frosting is one of the easiest to make and as it's a base-type frosting it goes with almost any type of cupcake flavor.

Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening or lard
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
milk - added a tablespoon or two at a time until desired consistency is met

Makes: About 3 cups of icing

In large bowl, cream shortening/lard and butter with electric mixer, first on a low speed to blend then on a high speed to whip. Add vanilla while still blending. Add powdered sugar, slowly and one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. It is important to start on a lower speed and work your way up when using powdered or confectioner's sugar as it tends to go flying when immediately mixed on a high speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often with a spatula. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will seem dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed to blend, then at a high speed until fluffy. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. If using stored frosting, be certain to mix again before use, as the shortening and butter will separate.

As Buttercream Frosting is a base frosting, a variety of additions and variations of this recipe are acceptable on all levels. The most basic change you can make is the color, simply by adding a food coloring. Another suggestion is to add melted baker's chocolate or unsweetened cocoa for a delicious chocolate frosting, though additional sugar or milk may be necessary if the consistency changes due to the addition.

Another popular frosting recipe is Cream Cheese Frosting, well-liked on Carrot Cake, Chocolate and Red Velvet cupcakes and cakes. Chocolate can be added to this recipe as well, to alter the flavor a bit and folding in some walnut crumbles will make this delicious frosting seem almost German in flavor.

A small amount of imagination and a desire to create are the only skills you need to make some tasty and attractive cupcakes, whether it's for a party or the family.

Related blogs you may visit :

- Good Cake Decorating

- Cake Recipes

You may like these :

- Kids cup cake book

- Hello Kitty Cup Cake Book

- Hallowen Cup Cake Tree

cupcake kids

Kid's Cupcake Recipes
By Christine Steendahl

Cup cakes are a favorite treat for kids of all ages. Cupcakes can be decorated for all seasons and reasons. These are quick, easy cup cake recipe that kids can prepare with the help of an adult.

These cupcakes could always be made starting with a boxed cake mix. But where is the fun in that? With these recipes, you and the kids start from scratch and create memories as well as some delicious mouth watering treats.

Lemon Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3½ oz. softened butter
• 3½ oz. softened cream cheese
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
• 2/3-cup superfine sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F

2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan, with cupcake papers

3. Beat the butter, cheese, lemon rind, sugar and eggs until smooth and creamy

4. Sift the flours together

5. Add the flour gradually to the cheese mixture
6. Beat on a low speed, until just combined

7. Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin tins

8. Bake for 25 minutes until firm to touch

9. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased lemon frosting. Enjoy

Basic Vanilla CupCake Recipe

Ingredients:

• *5 oz. Butter - softened
• *5 oz. superfine sugar
• *6 oz. self-raising flour
• *3 eggs
• *1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F

2. Line a 12-cupcake pan, with cup cake papers

3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork

4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl

5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy

6. Divide the mixture in the muffin pan

7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack

9. Allow to cool fully before applying the frosting

Yields: 12 cupcakes

Frost with purchased vanilla frosting. Enjoy

May you like to review :

- Multi Cavity Cup Cakes

- Hallowen tree

Related blogs about cakes :

- Cake Decorating

- Cake Recipes

cupcake designs

Top Tips For Cupcake Designs
By Lynette Bell

Cupcakes have certainly progressed from the little tea treats that we used to bake and decorate with Mom. Today's cupcake designs are trendy and stylish, fun and humorous - just whatever takes your fancy. The secret here is to let your imagination run wild.

The following are some tips for:

Those occasions we find ourselves short of time.

• Buy ready made cupcakes from the bakery or supermarket and decorate them yourself.
• Use a ready mix packet to whip up your cupcakes.
• Use an edible writing pen for your designs instead of piping for a quick and easy solution.
• Petal paste (also known as sugar florist paste) is like ready to roll fondant and is a quick and convenient solution if time is an issue. This can be used to cut shapes.
• Pour a lot of sprinkles into a shallow dish and tip your cupcakes upside down into them.

Flavor and color for your cupcake designs.

• If you are making bright color designs and cakes make sure you always use natural food coloring as you will be using a lot of the color for brightness.
• Add a generous amount of Tia Maria or Kahlua to your frosting.
• Instant coffee or cocoa can be mixed with water to add to your icing.
• Lavender makes a pretty and unique addition to your cupcakes. The flowers can be used for decoration and are edible.
• Rose essence will add a taste of romance. Use pastel colors for the frosting.
• Use different bright colored cupcake cases in three differing sizes and place the completed cupcakes on top of each other to form a pyramid.

Cupcake gifts to take away after the party.

• Use clear circles of cellophane to wrap your cupcake and tie the top with a ribbon.
• Pack your cupcake in a small box.
• Tie a ribbon around the case of the cupcake.

There are many more ideas to use to make your cupcake designs stand out but I hope that these tips have given you food for thought. Enjoy!

cupcake decorations

Floral Fancy Cupcake Decorations

By Lynette Bell

Anyone can make fancy cupcake decorations even if you are not a creative cake decorator and have absolutely no experience. Yes, it's true. You can make an attractive cupcake flower decorations even if you have never piped or molded icing or paste in your life.

How can this be?

Well, you may not be aware that are many flowers can be eaten. Crystallizing these flowers make delicate, beautiful and fancy cupcake decorations. Just a word of warning though there are some flowers which are poisonous so be careful not to kill your guests with kindness.

Here's how you crystallize your flower:

• Whip up an egg white until fluffy but not peaky
• Using a small brush, paint both sides of the flower.
• Gently dredge with caster sugar
• Leave on a rack in draft-free space to dry completely
• Decorate your cupcake, dessert or cake
• These flowers can be stored in an airtight container for many weeks.

What flowers can you use?

Violets and roses are the most common flowers used for crystallization but here are a few others: apple blossom (in small doses), carnation, cornflower, lavender, nasturtium, pansy, rosemary, squash blossom, thyme. These are only a small selection of flowers that you can use but they will probably make the most fancy cupcake decorations. And there's no need to use coloring either.

Taking this a little further the crystallizing of small berries will also make attractive decorations. Try cranberries and redcurrants. Whether you use frosting, fondant or glace icing I tend to prefer white icing for a delicate effect for your cupcake.

I'm sure that you will agree that anyone can make fancy cupcake decorations by using edible flowers. Bring the garden to the table and surprise your guests with your fancy cupcake decorations and creations.