Cupcakes!

Making cupcakes, that sounds like fun! And it is! I have lots of books about wonderful cakes and cupcakes, but they were just laying there. First wait a few years and then do something with it. My advise to you: start a bit sooner, 'cause it's so much fun! To bring you in the right mood I wrote you a how-to post, so that you can start immediately!

1. Let's start with the basics: make you cupcake's or muffins. Is used a ready-made mix from the supermarket. Just follow the instructions on the box! You can spice them up by using your own cases. I've used pink one with white polka dots. Don't you just love it!

With these cupcakes I kinda cheated.. I'm sorry.. I didn't make cupcakes, but muffins. These are so mush tastier, sweeter and more fluffy. But does it matter if you bake a muffin or cupcakes? Well, cupcakes stay flat, where as muffins will rise. If you want to decorate the whole cupcakes with fondant, you'd better use cupcakes, so it doesn't look to messy. If you're making them like me, a muffin also works. As in my case, I chose the most delicious one!

2. After you made the muffins, grab your fondant or marzipan. Whatever you like! I made the base of these cupcakes with fondant and did the decorating with marzipan. It is important to remember that they dry out quickly. So if you're not using it for a while, wrap it in some plastic foil or put it back in the bag.

 

Before using the fondant and marzipan they have to be made soft. You can do this by kneading. After the kneading you can roll it out to a thin layer (for example 2 mm), so you can use cookie cutters for the base.

 

3. Now let's get started! Get your favourite cookie cutters and push it!

 

4. Now you've got all those lovely forms. To put them on your cupcake use some jam. Spoon it right out of the pot, or dilute it with some water, whatever you like! Watch out you don't go too far to the edges, because then you'll get stains on the fondant.

 

Take your pasted form and lay it on the cupcake. A soft press and you have a wanna-be cupcake!

 

5. Now we're really working it, cause it's time for some decorations! For these cupcakes I used a flexible form where you push the fondant or marzipan in. You can also make some forms yourself, whatever you like! Be creative!

“How will I use this exactly? On the package it says that I have to buy all kinds of spatulas and knives?" Luckily this is a lot of sales talk, with a simple peeling knife you can come real far! First, get your fondant and push it in the desired form. 

When you've done this, get your peeling knife. Work from left to right cutting from right to left, to get the excess fondant away. If you're at the last bit, cut from left to right, so you'll get a clean edge. 

Now push the fondant a bit so it fills the form and get it out with the point of your knife. Watch out to do this carefully, so you won't damage the form. 

And there it is, a form for your cupcake! Cute hey!?

6. When you have made your desired form, it's time to stick it on to your cupcake. If you want to stick fondant and/or marzipan together, use a bit of water. 

Make it wet, stick it and then:

We have our cupcake!  When you made one, you'll get the taste of it and never stop. Until you run out of cupcakes that is. On the Internet and in books you can find a lot of info. So have fun and be creative!

Have fun baking!

XOXO!