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The Cupcake Thread!

puffy

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jas12 YUMMY!!! that look seriously good!!
 

vip0802

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Jas12, it looks beautiful and you did an awesome job! i love how the choco transfers look so professional and i love that green!
 

Porridge

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Mmmm Jas they look great! Totally professional.
 

Jas12

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Thanks guys--i am hoping i can duplicate the color for the real project. IRL it is the right shade.


I noticed how much of a difference 2 things make...

a) good cuppie liners: Thoes black ones are thick, tapered and grease proof. The result is a more moist cuppie when eaten the next day and a better presentation b/c they kind of hug the cake and fan out a bit at the top and it looks prettier. They also don't stick to the cake at all. So glad i ordered them!

b) good quality vanilla: I steeped (for 1 year) and bottled my own vanilla extract to give as wedding favors two years ago. Just litres of pure distilled vodka and dozens and dozens of huge whole vanilla beans. It was so delicious in baking but since it was an expensive flavor i didn't make much extra. However, this past weekend DH was sorting thru boxes and found 8 bottles left over from the wedding
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It has been aged for 3 years!!! OMG, it made the cuppies taste so yummy. I put 2 tablespoons (yes, that much!) in and it was just right.
So moral of the story--splurge on a good bottle of vanilla extract. Never the artificial kind.
 

InLuv101

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Jas - that cupcake looks fabulous! You did an awesome job...can''t wait to see them when your really "try"
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vip0802

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Date: 6/26/2009 10:12:52 AM
Author: Jas12
Thanks guys--i am hoping i can duplicate the color for the real project. IRL it is the right shade.



I noticed how much of a difference 2 things make...


a) good cuppie liners: Thoes black ones are thick, tapered and grease proof. The result is a more moist cuppie when eaten the next day and a better presentation b/c they kind of hug the cake and fan out a bit at the top and it looks prettier. They also don''t stick to the cake at all. So glad i ordered them!


b) good quality vanilla: I steeped (for 1 year) and bottled my own vanilla extract to give as wedding favors two years ago. Just litres of pure distilled vodka and dozens and dozens of huge whole vanilla beans. It was so delicious in baking but since it was an expensive flavor i didn''t make much extra. However, this past weekend DH was sorting thru boxes and found 8 bottles left over from the wedding
36.gif
It has been aged for 3 years!!! OMG, it made the cuppies taste so yummy. I put 2 tablespoons (yes, that much!) in and it was just right.

So moral of the story--splurge on a good bottle of vanilla extract. Never the artificial kind.

i was going to ask about your cupcake liners too! i can never seem to find black or brown, let alone grease proof. did you order them online?

i totally agree with good vanilla extract! it really does make a difference. i started using really good vanilla paste in some of my baking as well. i''m not sure if i taste a difference but i just love the little specks of vanilla all around!
 

Mara

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you can get brown and black and all sorts of colored cupcake liners from Confectionery House online. however, their greaseproof ones DO peel i have found...it does depend on the cake you make and how much oil it has in it to start, but i don't use them for all cake flavors. for example strawberry in brown liners for me peels almost every time. but if i use a butter based cake it stays better.

Jas, maybe it's my monitor but that color green is crazy!!!! like limey chartreuse hehee. I love love the choco transfer though, so inspiring!

agree re: good vanilla... and i love vanilla bean...the flecks are so fun and people love them. i do vanilla bean cupcakes with vanilla bean frosting . and for vanilla you HAVE To put lots of vanilla in there to get the right flavor!

oh do you have cream pearls? those would be pretty as a contrast IMO.
 

MichelleCarmen

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Date: 6/24/2009 2:16:46 PM
Author: Mara
i would do vanilla vanilla to serve masses. not everyone likes citrus and some people really don''t like coconut. for things where i am doing ''mass'' cupcakes for parties or something where they don''t request something special, i tend to do vanilla and chocolate ... boring i know but most people like either one of those. oh also re: choco transfers, i haven''t even used mine yet! they are expensive and i am paranoid. i just like looking at the patterns. but i have thought that for an art deco or similar kind of black and white theme it would be so fun. post pics!
2nd to not everyone liking coconut. A recent wedding I went to had both coconut cupcakes and chocolate with vanilla. Good call as some of the kids made it clear they do not like coconut. For my son''s birthday, a relative made him a coconut cake and he wouldn''t eat it. I felt bad for her as she spent a lot of time preparing and decorating it.
 

Jas12

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Mara--the green is much more vibrant with the flash, but it is still pretty darn bright. It''s her color theme and i mixed away with the invitation trying to match it ! Not really my taste, I am a pastels girl, but it''s fun. I am just worried it''ll look to0 wacky to be inviting to eat??
Yes, i tried cream pearls and i like them too (didn''t take a picture). Thanks for the feedback. I''ll try to post pics of both so you can vote!



Thanks for the feedback on the flavors everyone. I am sticking with vanilla--i think i *finally* perfected my recipe. My class said they were the best yet and they are VERY honest
 

vip0802

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Date: 6/26/2009 10:21:33 PM
Author: Jas12
Mara--the green is much more vibrant with the flash, but it is still pretty darn bright. It''s her color theme and i mixed away with the invitation trying to match it ! Not really my taste, I am a pastels girl, but it''s fun. I am just worried it''ll look to0 wacky to be inviting to eat??

Yes, i tried cream pearls and i like them too (didn''t take a picture). Thanks for the feedback. I''ll try to post pics of both so you can vote!




Thanks for the feedback on the flavors everyone. I am sticking with vanilla--i think i *finally* perfected my recipe. My class said they were the best yet and they are VERY honest

no way! more like too pretty to eat IMHO!

i think you can never go wrong with vanilla...isn''t it like the most popular flavor in the world?
 

vip0802

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princess cupcakes for my BF's niece's 3rd birthday today! they are strawberry (due to time, i had to use a cake mix
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) with a vanilla swiss meringue buttercream (from scratch). all but the two with the Sleeping Beauty toppers aren't completely decorated just yet. i made fondant wands, crowns, and a heart with "3" stamped all over it. i also made butterflies out of gum-paste so the wings would remain up. however i have a problem with fondant melting, so i'm waiting until later on to put them on the cuppies. this was also my first time playing with gum-paste and someone told me that it'll melt on buttercream. i'm not sure how it'll react, but with my track record with fondant, i'm going to wait to put them on also.

princesscup.jpg
 

vip0802

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i love these butterfly sprinkles! i felt like a little girl all over again when i made these!

princesscup2.jpg
 

vip0802

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i'm also lovin' the sparkly sugar...

princesscup3.jpg
 

vip0802

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fondant and gum-paste decorations...last one i promise!

princesscup4.jpg
 

icekid

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vip- Your cuppies are going to be so cute! Your bf''s niece will be so excited.
 

Dandi

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Fantastic work Jas and vip!! They all look absolutely amazing!!
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vip0802

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thanks so much icekid and DandiAndi!!!! she LOVED them...the one with the Sleeping Beauty rings especially. her mom told me that she slept with them on last night and refused to take them off this morning. she said, "Auntie made it for me because i'm a princess!". i swear she makes my biological clock tick a little louder when she says stuff like that.
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here's a pic of the finished cuppies after blowing out the candles. i'm missing a wand on the yellow iced one since my "precious" cat decided fondant and a dragee would make an awesome snack.
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i put some sprinkles on it and no one seemed to notice.

n&ccups2.jpg
 

Mara

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cute vip...!

jas...i can''t wait to see the finished product the day of...! that color is a little wild for me but if that is her color, well then people will be used to seeing it i guess right???

i made s''mores cupcakes this weekend for my friend''s birthday beach party, her one request....and they were a HIT. everyone said they were as good as s''mores themselves, and some people liked them BETTER, high praise for me since i adore s''mores.

i did a graham cracker cake with milk chocolate chips inside. i piped marshmallow frosting inside AND put it on top. here is a picture i took on my iphone during assembly... i have a finished one on my camera which i''ll try to upload soon. but after this i put a big dollop of marshmallow frosting on top and then topped them with little hersheys chunks and a graham wedge. i wanted there to be ''s''mores in every bite''...!


smores.jpg
 

vip0802

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oh Mara, how scrumptious do they look?! even without the marshmallow frosting, chocolate and graham wedge which, i can''t wait to see. *slurp* i think i just drooled...
 

TravelingGal

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I lurk on this thread and I just gotta say, you guys are crazy talented!
 

Dandi

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Mara, they look seriously YUM!! I don''t know what s''mores are or what they taste like, but by looking at that picture, I know I''d like ''em!!
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Jas12

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YUM mara--those look/sound sinfully good. I have a major sweet tooth and can normally eat one cuppie just fine, but the double dose of frosting and chocolate in those must be so decadent. I bet i could stop at one (and that''s a good thing ;-)
I want one!!!
 

fisherofmengirly

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Date: 6/29/2009 1:47:55 PM
Author: Mara
cute vip...!

jas...i can''t wait to see the finished product the day of...! that color is a little wild for me but if that is her color, well then people will be used to seeing it i guess right???

i made s''mores cupcakes this weekend for my friend''s birthday beach party, her one request....and they were a HIT. everyone said they were as good as s''mores themselves, and some people liked them BETTER, high praise for me since i adore s''mores.

i did a graham cracker cake with milk chocolate chips inside. i piped marshmallow frosting inside AND put it on top. here is a picture i took on my iphone during assembly... i have a finished one on my camera which i''ll try to upload soon. but after this i put a big dollop of marshmallow frosting on top and then topped them with little hersheys chunks and a graham wedge. i wanted there to be ''s''mores in every bite''...!

Oooh, Mara!!! Graham crackers are my favorite sweet thing! I''m totally loving this!!! Good job, lady!!
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icekid

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Being the 4th of July and all....... I am seriously drooling over your smores cuppies, Mara. They sound incredible.
 

mia1181

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WOW! LOVE THOSE SMORE CUPPIES MARA!
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Here are some that I helped my friend make for a cupcake party at her work. I really only dyed the lollipop sticks green, and cut out the white chocolate leaves, and she did the rest.

flowercookiecupcakes1.jpg
 

mia1181

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And today I made these yummy Red Velvets. I used MrsSalvo''s recipe from page 3 of this thread (sooooo good) and a White Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting.

miaredvelv1.jpg
 

mia1181

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Sorry these are so big....

miaredvelv2.jpg
 

mia1181

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And of course the cross-section. Yum! MrsSalvo your recipe is so moist and delish! I love it!

I did make on mistake though... instead of Buttermilk, I accidentally put in Whipping Cream that I had for the frosting (I was confused because the Cream was in a yellow carton and the buttermilk was in blue. I don''t think it made a difference though....

miaredvelv3.jpg
 

marcy

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Date: 7/4/2009 6:07:31 PM
Author: mia1181
And of course the cross-section. Yum! MrsSalvo your recipe is so moist and delish! I love it!

I did make on mistake though... instead of Buttermilk, I accidentally put in Whipping Cream that I had for the frosting (I was confused because the Cream was in a yellow carton and the buttermilk was in blue. I don''t think it made a difference though....
This looks good enough to eat.
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marcy

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I''m back.
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This was my final cake for my second round of course 2 Wilton cake decorating class. I missed 2 classes in April due to blizzards so I repeated the course with some friends. I actually ended up making 2 cakes like this because I was experimenting with my oven. The frosting is homemade butter cream with cocoa; that stuff is good enough to eat without cake. I am enrolled in course 3 this month. I''ll see how I like fondant.

mcchoccake1.jpg
 
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