Archive for the 'Tips' Category

New Pearl Color Mist

By on Saturday, January 5th, 2013

I’ve been using Wilton Color Mist spray on food coloring for a while now. They make decorating easy and everyone thinks I’m a magician. But now they have pearl Color Mist, and this one is hard to beat! It gives the frosting a shimmering look, just perfect for the princess parties in your future! And as a bonus, it made my hand look a little like the tin man.

 

 

Wilton Color Cups

By on Thursday, January 3rd, 2013

You slave all day to make the perfect chocolate cupcakes, and then when they come out of the oven, your white wrappers have turned to an unappetizing shade of brown. Or worse, you spend a bunch of money on Elmo cupcake wrappers for your kid’s birthday party, but when they come out of the oven, you can’t see Elmo. All you can see is the color of the cupcake. Because of these tragedies, I’ve been using foil cupcake wrappers for any cupcakes that will leave the house. And I’ve just discovered a pretty snazzy version of foil wrappers–Wilton Color Cups. There are many cool patterns to choose from, and they work! The wrappers come out of the oven just as pretty as they went in. I tested them out!

It’s Christmas Crunch Time!

By on Monday, December 19th, 2011

Good Morning ATC Community! and welcome to the official start of crunch time.  These are the days that we second-guess whether we did enough of everything and end up doing too much!

If you’re like me, you’ve baked a fair amount of holiday treasures.

But holiday week is a bit like a marathon and, in the home stretch, who isn’t looking for fresh ideas to keep inspired?  The challenge I set to myself is whether I can come up with a week of images, recipes, and instructions to keep us all – myself included – at 350F from now through next Saturday.

These Baked Ideas images are cookies, but so fresh and original they will inspire your cupcake decorating ideas. Here’s a smorgasbord of cookie decorating ideas from “Baked Ideas” by Patti Paige, along with the Baked Ideas’ Facebook page  and the video on the Baked Ideas mini gingerbread houses.  3,000 each season!

If you’re still looking for last minute gifts, Baked Ideas even sells yoga cookie cutters.  How did she do that?  Here’s her video on piping royal icing onto each one of the yoga posed gingerbread men and here’s the Baked Ideas gingerbread recipe.

Ah-ha!  My Muse gripped that one!

Today, I’m going to springboard those Baked Ideas into spice cupcakes with yoga shapes drawn on the top, including some Sandskrit symbols, such as “Namaste.”  And I know just who is on my list for these yoga cupcakes

Now that’s what I mean about taking inspiration and giving yourself permission to be creative at the holidays!  What’s your idea?

Countdown:  6 days.

Top It Off with Happy!

By on Monday, August 8th, 2011

Is it possible to cupcake topping your way to happiness?

Let’s start with the basics:  a white cupcake with a white frosting.  Vanilla-on-vanilla, and I’m going to add a little vanilla ice cream.  Vanilla signals simple, uncomplicated, neat, cool enjoyment.

Put mini M&Ms on that same vanilla-on-vanilla cupcake, and it’s a game changer!  It’s not just adding the chocolate of the candies.  It’s adding everything associated with rainbow-colored M&Ms, like childhood, blue skies, remembering the brown ones, and even reminiscing about UK Smarties.

Likewise, take the Crumbs Bake Shop cupcake “Good Guy.”  How do I know, just by looking at it that it will be good?  It’s vanilla cupcake, vanilla frosting, rainbow sprinkles, and white drizzle.  Think Glinda, the Good Witch from the Wizard of Oz.

Or, how about tye die and peace sign cupcakes at Cupcakes by Carousel?  Now there’s a sure-fire way to make me smile.  I don’t even think that there’s a flavor associated with this visual, but it signals to my whole being:  “Don’t worry – be happy!”

Cupcake with a smiley face, anyone?

The Om of Cupcake

By on Monday, June 6th, 2011

The Om of Cupcake

Who isn’t living a totally over-committed life these days?  If you can’t slow down, especially while you’re whipping up buttercream frosted cupcakes for end of school year parties, can I persuade you to steal a quiet moment with a cupcake?

Here’s my recipe for the Om of Cupcakes.  Take one part chocolate raspberry-infused buttercream cupcake and add one part local coffee shop with a window seat.  Omit cell phone; substitute “oops!” if you later see missed calls.  Variation includes reading a copy of “Hello, Cupcake!” or “What’s New Cupcake?

This recipe for about twenty minutes of relaxation should be repeated daily to enjoy the full, long-term benefits.

Twirly Chocolate Cupcakes

By on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010

Do you want to learn the secret behind 3D chocolate decorations?  Well I am about to tell you.  Well actually not me but The Lone Baker.

If you have not heard of her, she is worth finding out about.  Her whole website is dedicated to amazing tips and tricks to do with cupcake decoration and did I say she is amazing?

So to the 3D chocolate spirals, well, the trick is Vodka, but I don’t want to shatter the mystery, take a visit to her site to check it out.  You may have piped chocolate swirls onto baking paper before, but they are flat, two dimensional pieces, where as these, well you see!

Classing up the carrot cake

By on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

The carrot cake has been around for ages as one of those classic staple cakes that your mom or your nan used to bake when you were a kid.  It is a cake that has stood the test of time and is still an autumn favorite.  The only problem, is when baked as a cake or as cupcake it just doesn’t really appeal like other cupcakes do.

Well The Crafty Penguin has the answer and you can use her fantastic technique on other cakes such as the banana cake or sponge, to take them from big and boring down to cupcake size, then pipe some life into them with the frosting.  The complete recipe is provided as is a guide on how to finish off the cupcakes with cute gumpaste carrots.  As you can see these little deserts would be a great way to end any dinner party!  See the full photo tutorial here.