Happy 6th Birthday Ruby Roo!

Ruby wanted a Barbie cake & cupcakes..so she got what she asked for. Barbie was covered in Fondant. I used the Wilton Wonder Pan for the skirt. Susana gave Barbie a new hairdo. She turned out perfect.

The cupcakes were Vanilla, Lemon & Chocolate topped with vanilla or lemon buttercream.

The cupcake tree is made out of 1/4" foam posterboard. Top tier is 8, Second tier is 11", Third tier is 14", Fourth tier is 17" and Fifth tier is 20". It held Barbie plus 108 cupcakes.

Lemon Buttercream

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (optional)

In a bowl, beat butter until light & fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in lemon juice (and lemon peel if desired) until desired spreading consistency. 1 batch frosts 24 cupcakes or a 13 x 9 cake or a 2 layer 9 inch round cake.

Happy Birthday Jody!

Chocolate cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream

Hostess Like Cupcakes

I've wanted to do this for a while..the all time original favorite.. a Hostess Cupcake

My Gramps 88th Birthday is this week (Grams do NOT show him my blog til after 8/20) so I decided I'd make his cupcake like a Hostess Cupcake. He can't have too much frosting (way too much sugar for him) so this cupcake has a thin layer of Martha Stewart's chocolate frostingand then whipped up Royal Icing to write his name "Jimmie" and his initials "JMV". Fun and easy cupcake.

Happy Birthday GRAMPS! We love you!

Royal Icing

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Meringue Powder
4 cups (about 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons warm water
Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Directions:
Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).
NOTE: Keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency.
* For stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.
**When using large countertop mixer or for stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water.

Fondant Flower Instructions

Basic steps to making a fondant flower . I apologize for the poor quality photos. It was hard to take pictures & work with the fondant at the same time.

First roll your colored fondant out to about 1/8" thick
Using your fondant or gumpaste cutter, cut out the petalsNext place the petal on the fondant foam. Use your baller to thin the edges of the petal. The fondant will curve as you do this.Go all the way around the edge of the petalAttach the petals to your cupcake or cake by pressing them in to the buttercream until you get to the center.

Bailey's Irish Cream & Coffee Buttercream

Bailey's & Coffee Buttercream:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream

1/2 tsp pure coffee extract

Cream the butter on high speed for approximately 3 minutes. Add the Bailey's & coffee extract. Mix thoroughly. Add the powdered sugar until well blended.

Party invites for Ruby

Chocolate Buttercream

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. butter, softened

2 c. sifted confectioners sugar

5 tbsp. milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt chocolate chips over hot water; stir until smooth. Set aside; cool 15 minutes. In large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add confectioners sugar & cocoa powder alternately with milk. Add melted chocolate and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes or pipe 12 cupcakes

Summertime Cupcakes

Grams is going to the Italian Boot Club's picnic tomorrow so I told her to bake cupcakes & I'd come up to frost them. I made about 100 fondant flowers in different colors then used Royal Icing to do the centers.

Royal Icing

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 tbsp meringue powder

5-6 tbsp water (use less for stiffer icing)

Mix for about 7-8 minutes.