McCormick Giveaway
By GreenEyedLillies on April 7th, 2009 . Filed under: Books, Decorating, Giveaways .
Our friends at McCormick have teamed up with Hello, Cupcake! author Karen Tack to share some fun decorating ideas – all using food color! What better way to get rid of the winter blues than with vibrant colors in our spring time treats!
Also, McCormick has this cool new digital color creator tool on its Web site that allows you to choose your favorite color and it gives you the formula to creating the perfect shade.
One lucky ATC Reader will win a Color Creativity Kit that includes:
- Food colors
- Tips on how to decorate with food color
- Hello, Cupcake! Cookbook
- Tools for decorating with color including, frosting bags, paint brush, spatula and cupcake liners
To enter please comment below sharing your favorite decorating tip.
Winner will be chosen by Random.org on April 12th, 2009.
Good Luck Cupcakes!
***Contest is now closed!***
The winner is comment #55
April 8th, 2009 at 6:23 pm I love pretty swirls using the 1M and 2D tips…when you put a bit of vanilla icing in and then chocolate icing, you get a really neat two toned swirl!
Congrats to the winner! I will be contacting you shortly!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I love using dragees, those little silver balls. I think they bring a really classy and festive feel to anything I’m decorating. Cupcakes, cookies, cakes, and candy alike – I’m always all about some dragees.
<3 you and <3 cupcakes!!!
Hannah
April 7th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I absolutely LOVE using edible glitter on my cupcakes, I don’t know if it’s the little girl in me or what but I just love all things sparkly and can’t imagine leaving my cupcakes out of the sparkle equation ;D
This is SUCH a great giveaway!!!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
I love to either cut off the tops of the cupcakes, pipe the frosting on and use the crumbs from the top to decorate or I just enjoy using some of the ingredients I had used in the cupcake to put on top. Extra sugar, cookies, etc.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I love using shaped fondant to top a perfect buttercream swirl on my cupcakes! :)
April 7th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I love to dye coconut, sugars, or other ingredients in plastic bags and then adding them to my cupcakes!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
I love to use little mini sugar cookie cutouts to decorate my cupcakes. Another thing I like to use to decorate is chocolate – white or milk – melted and then swirled across the frosting. Very simple but looks elegant. I’m also a color and sparkle nut – so I LOVE edible glitter, etc. :-)
April 7th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Love the edible ink pens to do details!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
I love flowers on cupcakes!
April 7th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
I love sprinkles! They make any cupcake look colorful & cheerful.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I have soooo many favorites! Definitely sprinkles and sugar crystals. They make everything seem fun and festive and happy. Awesome giveaway!
April 7th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
When every I make cupcakes with a girly theme I like to use edable colored dust to the finished product. It just makes it look just a little bit more prettier.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
I know this seems ridiculously simple, but getting the icing swirls just right into a desired pattern is my favorite topping. So much can be done with just the icing spreading tool!
April 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I love to decorate cupcakes with fondant cut out into cute little shapes.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I have started using edible flowers for decoration on my cupcakes. My favorites are vilets and lavender. It’s different and pretty.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I like my decorating very simple. I like simple sprinkles, or colored dust.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Decorate with your star in mind. If the cupcakes taste not-so-good to your guest of honor it doesn’t matter how great they look. For this reason I never put any kind of hard, crunchy decorations on my husband’s cupcakes.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
My favorite cupcake decorations that I have PERSONALLY created were the cupcakes I make at Christmas! I make devil’s food cake cupcakes and decorated each with faces made of fondant to look like the members of our family. It was not an easy task, but the looks on my girls’ faces was worth it.
Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
tiffanyannrosson AT yahoo DOT com
April 7th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I love using fondant making cartoon characters, animals or flowers. I also like putting candy on top.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I prefer to use the good old piping bags. I also love using edible glitter. It can be a little messy, but looks gorgeous on cupcakes! :-)
April 7th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
My mom taught me to keep a glass of warm water in my workspace when decorating a cake to keep the spatula and spreaders clean and warm, which creates smooth, lovely icing.
Thank you for the chance to win!
oh.meaghan(a)gmail.com
April 7th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I love to make mine like Magnolia’s where you use the offset spatula to create a well of sorts and then fill it in with sprinkles.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I like to crush cookies in my batter and use crumbs for decor on top on icing as well! Cookies n cream
April 7th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
One of my favorite decorating techniques is making and decorating sugar cookies to use as cupcake toppers. It’s super cute and edible!
April 7th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
At birthday parties, try letting the kids (and adults) decorate their own cupcakes. Take a photo of each person with their cupcake and then send it to them in a thank-you note. You never can tell what wonderful creations they will come up with!
April 7th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
My tip is ridiculous, but here it is. Go slow but accept what you have created. I am a messy baker and I always seem to be in a rush which creates lumps and bumps in my decorating. So now I try to take my time so my design is what i want it to be. However, if I screw up, it’s ok. It will still taste good!!! Perhaps if it’s ugly less people will eat it and they will be all mine!
April 7th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
First, I draw a little design on wax paper (safari animal, bird, swirl). Then I lined it with piped chocolate. Then I color white chocolate and fill in the decoration. I got this idea from the whimsical bakehouse book. It is so freaking easy and turns out adorable!
I also like to ice my cupcakes with THE biggest star tip I have. They end up looking like giant flowers. :)
April 7th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
My favorite decorating tip is my big 1B. A pretty swirl looks great alone or adorned with flowers, sprinkles, or other fun toppers.
April 7th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
i like to use real flowers that are edible as toppers. its simple and quick.
April 7th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I love dipping the cupcake after it has cooled on freshly whipped cream cheese frosting. It’s the simplest way I frost cupcakes but it reminds me of being a little girl decades ago – sweet & simple.
April 8th, 2009 at 2:03 am
I love to swirl the tops of my cupcakes (mainly mini cupccakes) in hot confectioners icing, like the kind you use to frost sugar cookies. Makes them have a smooth finish and easy to pipe chocolate over. :)
April 8th, 2009 at 9:23 am
My best decorating tip is to be creative and enjoy your work of art no matter what.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:52 am
I’m a simpleton, i love schmearing my frosting so it has that perfect yet messy kinda look. Or just piping it on with the biggest start tip I have.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:40 am
I once made icing that was too thick to squeeze through the bag and the metal tip…I had to remove it all! So icing consistancy :)
April 8th, 2009 at 10:42 am
When I finally get around to decorating, I make sure everything I need to use is organized and easy to reach. I find that I start to get panicky and mess up my decorations more often when all my tools are scattered around the kitchen.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I love to use the starter decorating kit with the biggest star tip to swirl on frosting, top with sprinkles, colored sugar or edible glitter. Simple yet beautiful!
April 8th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
In the 30+ years I’ve been baking, I’ve never been happy with my cupcakes until I started using a medium scoop to place cake batter in the cupcake papers. Now, my cupcakes are of uniform size, and the batter goes alot further. Helps reduce spills, too!
Thanks so much!
April 8th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
[…] to giveaway: http://www.allthingscupcake.com/2009/04/07/mccormick-giveaway/ 2) Handmade Cupcake Frame […]
April 8th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I love using sugar crystals!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
There is beauty in simplicity. I love piping a perfect swirl and dusting with edible glitter, sprinkles or a simple frosting flower. I just learned how to do a rose!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Personally I am an icing fanatic so for me the best cupcake is the one with the most frosting! Also I always like to make up a playlist to listen to while I decorate, it keeps from getting frustrated if things dont go the way I planned and it makes it even more fun!!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
My favorite tip is the one I just read about that digital color creator tool is very cool!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I like to make sure that my icing tastes as good as it looks. Also, having fun while decorating makes things turn out so much better.
April 8th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Desperate times call for desperate measures – when you’re out of pastry bags, snip off the corner of a zip-lock bag!
April 8th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
i love adding crumbled cookies to my cupcakes. and piping bags and pretty tips are a must have for me. i’m always buying decorations, papers and sprinkles, it’s an obsession.
April 8th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I’m a simple girl. A good buttercream frosting and a few sprinkles is all I need! I do like to coordinate the liners to the sprinkles depending on the seaon.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I like to put powdered sugar on the tip of my finger to pat down frosting that has gotten too long.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
This sounds like a package for me…hope I win.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
I like to use garnishes (orange rind, sprinkled cinnamon, shredded coconut) in a decoration’s place – you can eat it, and easier than fondant!
April 8th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I love using fondant, especially my homemade. You can do any thing with it and it always looks great!!
April 8th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
I like to garnish with fresh fruit!
April 8th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
I love using fun, bright, festive liners that make eating cupcakes all the more enjoyable. Plus lots of sprinkles and icing make it the best!
April 8th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I like to decorate my cupcakes the old fashioned way with simple frosting in a fun color!
April 8th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
I love using icing decorator kits. This makes it really easy to personalize your cupcakes with designs or lettering! and gives your home-made delicacies a professional look!
April 8th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I love using edible glitter.
kid.ra1nb0w(at)gmail(dot)com
April 8th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I love pretty swirls using the 1M and 2D tips…when you put a bit of vanilla icing in and then chocolate icing, you get a really neat two toned swirl!
April 8th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I love filling my cupcakes, and then piping a pretty little swirl of frosting on top. Then there is a nice surprise inside! :-)
April 8th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I love using different kinds of candy for my cupcakes. For my Easter bunny cupcakes I used jelly beans, marshmallows and M&M’s, they turned out too cute to eat!
April 8th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
My latest favorite decorating idea is stamps fo fondant!
April 8th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
I love to use beautiful cupcake liners to spruce up a less colorful or exciting-looking (but of course still tasty!) cupcake. Also edible ink pens are great for decorating. Thanks for the awesome giveaway.
-Caitlin
caitlinhyla at gmail dot com
April 8th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I like to make little decorations out of marzipan that have something to do with the flavor of the cupcake–*carrot cake/carrots, lemon/little lemons. Fun!
April 8th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I love to decorate my cupcakes with completely edible items. The fun is coming up with new ideas and finding candy, gum, cookies, etc. that can be used. Thanks.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:29 pm
After seeing it in a decorating book, I just love topping cupcakes with a single starburst and using white icing as the “ribbon” for the starburst present for any birthday occasion.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I’m a big fan of NOT using the tips when I frost. I like the way it (frosting) just looks so soft and yummy just out of a cut frosting bag, or even the corner of a Ziploc if you are in a pinch!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
It may seem simple but i always love to pipe frosting on a cupcake just becase it looks cute and people love to eat them. :)
April 8th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
my best decorating tip is to make each and every cupcake unique( like it’s one of a kind.)
April 9th, 2009 at 12:18 am
Cupcake tip: Make sure the frosting hardens slightly before putting in the air tight container. :) This keeps the frosting from running. Also, make sure it’s not too moist in the container if you have candies on top… their color and sugar can run also! :)
April 9th, 2009 at 12:24 am
I absolutely love neon colors…so the mccormick neon food coloring 4 pack is a must to have.Topping a cupcake off with Japanese candies are also really fun! They have the most amazing and unusual candy toppings that are so cute on top of cupcakes.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I like putting my cupcakes in Hello Kitty muffin cups to make them look even cuter!
April 9th, 2009 at 1:19 am
My cupcakes are usually eaten before they’ve cooled enough to be decorated. =Þ
April 9th, 2009 at 1:41 am
i love decorating with fondant :)
April 9th, 2009 at 3:11 am
I whip tub frosting with my beaters to fluff it up then I put it in ziploc baggies, zip the bag, clip an end to the size I want, and frost away.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:05 am
This set is really cute. ^^
April 9th, 2009 at 7:10 am
The perfect open star tip can really make a cupcake beautiful. I love the feeling of accomplishment when using this tip..it makes such a beautiful result.
April 9th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I like to decorate each cupcake with a theme – for birthdays of family, friends, and co-workers. But here is what I think they like the best – the packaging. Everyone loves cupcakes, but to make it special I package it in coordinating colors of the design of the cupcake. Either by cellophane paper for box. Use lots of ribbon and a sweet cupcake tag. It’s the perfect finishing touch to a delectable cupcake.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:58 am
my best decorating tip is: when in doubt add more frosting :) and if that doesnt work…add sprinkles
April 9th, 2009 at 10:21 am
This might so basic but my tip for cake decorating is to let them cool completely! Simple enough but too many people get excited and do not let them cook from in INSIDE and OUTSIDE!
April 9th, 2009 at 10:22 am
We love to decorate cupcakes on a whim. Each one is individual and usually gets a giggle. Love Love Love sprinlkles! I love pretty pretty liners.
April 9th, 2009 at 11:34 am
I am currently taking cake decorating classes, but my true passion are cupcakes. I figred everything I am learning can be applied to cupcakes. I enjoy dipping in sprinkles. It is a fun and simple way to make cupcakes with my niece and nephew. PICK ME!
April 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am
The best decorated cupcakes are those done by kids. Have white icing and food coloring to mix small bowls as well as different types of candy (red hots, m&m’s, licorice strands, etc) and have them decorate their favorite animal, best friend, etc. So much fun!
April 9th, 2009 at 11:59 am
I love baking cups! I think you can make a regular cupcake look so much better with a decorative liner. I currently collect baking cups and have a whole box full.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
I would have to say the liner. It just makes the cupcake! No matter what theme, it just makes it more yummy!!
April 9th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I love how cupcakes are so festive and how they represent a fun time! I like to use bright colors and all the different kinds of sprinkles that match the theme that I have. Cupcakes just scream a FUN PARTY!!
April 9th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I love to pick monochromatic sprinkles & baking cups that coordinate with the cupcake flavor. So for lemon cupcakes I’d pick a fun yellow liner, load ’em with frosting and add round yellow and white sprinkles! Thanks so much!
April 9th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I love sprinkles, any kind…it must be the kid in me! haha
April 9th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I find that using a 1/3 cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the liners is perfect for getting all the cupcakes to turn out the same size, plus it keeps the cupcake pan nice and clean for easy cleanup!
April 9th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
They must have spinkles! Lots and lots of beauitful sprinkles!
April 9th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I LOVE to dip my cupcake tops in quick dry chocolate. It’s yummy and after it dries it gives me a smooth surface to decorate on!
April 9th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I love to make cupcakes and your ideas!
April 9th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
I love to use sprinkles because they remind me of being a child!
April 9th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Bright colored frostings are a must!! I also love adding mini-chocolates made from cute molds, unexpected crushed candies, and fancy sprinkles. This book looks awesome!!
April 9th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Use a zip lock bag if you don’t have any icing bags. It works great!
April 9th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
This would be the most fun for decorating cupcakes.
I have a birthday party for my grandson and would love to have that book for ideas for cupcakes!!
April 9th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Oh I have been wanting the Hello, Cupcake! cookbook for ages! What a wonderful give-away!
April 9th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Reading the posts did you mean tip as in helpful hint or tip as in that thing on the bottom of your pastry bag? Ha ha! I like making rainbow cupcakes. So easy. Tips for that: Don’t overfill. Don’t overmix the batter. Make twice as much as you think you need cause they are a hit!
April 9th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
I love to make accent pieces with melted chocolate to go along with whatever theme you may be working with such as butterflies, flowers, etc.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:47 pm
My favorite tip is the grass tip for sure! I use it to create grass on Easter basket cupcakes – It’s also great for making fur!
April 9th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
This more of a baking tip in general… But when I bake cupcakes I add a heaping spoon full of mayo to the batter and it really keeps the little cakes moist through the baking process. Give it a try!
April 9th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
my favorite decorating tip is the star shaped one. it’s so versatile and can be used for making stars, shells, etc. and comes in many sizes!
April 10th, 2009 at 3:49 am
Think “Sophisticated Cupcakes”. First go to McCormick’s extract and spices pages, and jot down the flavors that appeal to you. Play around with the different taste combinations for both your batters as well as your frostings. Then chose frosting colors that play off the cooled cupcake – remember, pastels are the most appealing psychologically. NOTE: All of these frostings can be either be dollops or piping.
For sophisticated taste combos, try moist, mango cupcakes frothed with a light buttercream enhanced with equal parts of McCormick’s Clear Imitation Vanilla and Pure Almond extracts (approx. ½ teaspoon. each), then add half of one part (approx ¼ teaspoon) of their Pure Orange extracts. Exotic and bright.
This is a big hit: freshly ground black peppercorn and cinnamon (McCormick’s Sweet Grinders) in cocoa-fudge batter turns out a scrumptiously urbane cupcake frosted with a freshly whipped cream topping (whipping cream and powdered sugar) with a dark chocolate tucked into the side of the topping.
Another tasty and elegant fusion: Fill tin halfway with a cinnamon cupcake batter made with McCormick’s Cinnamon Extract. Add on a super thin slice of apple then remaining batter. When cooled, top with a Chai flavored frosting.
April 10th, 2009 at 7:02 am
I love really simple but elegant cupcakes. Frosting that is piped on in thick swirls (like an ice cream cone) and decorated with edible art (sprinkles, glitter; silver beads) or fun toppings made from fondant
April 10th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Viva paper towel. Pat a little of it and it makes buttercream smooth and no lint!!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Toasted coconut is my current fave decorating thing – so tasty and springy!
April 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I love using candy to create different types of decorations – like rolling out Starburst and cutting with mini cookie cutters.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
i love using oreo crumbs for deco!
April 11th, 2009 at 2:02 am
I really like to make my cupcake batter colored, And then I cream fill my cupcakes. The Cupcakes look so good with a beautiful colored batter, and white cream filling.
For the top, I prefer a nice swirl. My favorite is getting any size of the star tip and taking it from the inside out. It gives a very different rose-type look. With a dash of sprinkles for extra decoration, not a lot. Keep it simple.
April 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I love using candy melts to create shapes to put on the cupcakes. They’re easy, fun, and versatile.
April 11th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
I LOVE using edible sugar sprinkles, or edible glitter dust. It really gives a girly look to the cupcakes!
April 13th, 2009 at 7:55 am
***Contest is now closed!***
The winner is comment #55
Lisa Smiley
April 8th, 2009 at 6:23 pm I love pretty swirls using the 1M and 2D tips…when you put a bit of vanilla icing in and then chocolate icing, you get a really neat two toned swirl!
Congrats to the winner! I will be contacting you shortly!
August 4th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
i love this book
July 9th, 2011 at 8:30 pm
can some one please tlel me where I can find messenger emoticons free?