Yummy!
I made these cupcakes to look like chrysanthemum flowers to celebrate the coming of spring. The weather is getting warmer and cute little sweets are the best things to get you into a spring-y mood.
These cupcakes are made in three steps whether or not your cupcake mix and icing come in a box. First you have to make the actual chocolate cupcakes, then you make the icing and then you decorate.
I took this chocolate cupcake recipe from allrecipes.com but you can use your favorite chocolate cake/cupcake recipe if you wish.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Frost with your favorite frosting when cool.
The buttercream icing recipe I got from wilton.com, but again, any buttercream icing will do.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
- 2 tablespoons milk
Makes: About 3 cups of icing.
Instructions:
- In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
- For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.
- add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.
Now for the fun part! Decorating.
To create these gorgeous looking flowers you will need:
- 1 bag of marshmallows.
- 5 small bowls
- Pink, blue, purple, orange and yellow sprinkle, the smaller the better
- Yellow, pink, blue, purple, orange and yellow M&Ms/ Canadian Smarties.
- 1 pair of scissors.
- Spread the icing over the top of the cupcake.
- Place the sprinkles by colour in the bowls.
- Take the marshmallows and cut them in half diagonally (it takes about 15-20 per cupcake.)
- Dip the newly cut side of the marshmallows in one of the bowls so that the sprinkles stick.
- Place the marshmallows colour side up in rings around the top of the cupcake.
- Put a dot of icing in the center.
- Put the matching colour M&M on the dot of icing
- Voila! You have made a chrysanthemum cupcake!
Have fun making these gorgeous creations all your own! Enjoy!
-Emily
Don't they look delicious?
emilylovesfood 