Help me before I unwisely convince myself I'm a cupcake baker!

[Fairy]

Yesterday I baked cupcakes from a mix and made my own frosting for the very first time, and to my utter shock, it all turned out perfect. I even frosted them with a Wilton's bag! I am no good in the kitchen, so this was a shock. Now, keep this in mind as I tell you that i've become obssessed with Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. And so I get to thinking ... how hard can it be. If those bakers, at least two of which seemed dumb as a box of hammers, can bake these amazing cupcakes, then I can, too! So, I have a superbowl party to go to, and I'm determined to make fan-freakin'-tastic cupcakes. Thing is, I'm not convinced that first batch wasn't a fluke of beginner's luck. Questions -->

* What do I need to know about cupcakes that may not be obvious?

* I've been using a box, but the taste of the oil is making me gag. How can I make scratch ones without seventeen ingredients and cake flour? I want my regular flour. Is it possible?

* These Cupcake War folks are infusing their cakes and their frostings with flavors, not just purely extracts. How do I do that? Is it literally just pulverizing and tossing them in?

* I wanna put a filling in! I saw them with their column thingies, how hard can this be?

* Where do I get fondant? Am I insane for even thinking it?

* How does food coloring impact the recipe and the flavor? That stuff scares the crap out of me. I put in a drop of green in DS's eggs (he loves green eggs and "ham" (sausage), but I got some on me once and it took a shower to come out.

Ok. That's it. Thanks for the help!

[larig]

I saw a thing at the grocery store that will remove a plug from the cupcake, so you can fill it. This was kind of a fancier grocery store that has lots of cooking stuff too.

I don't know how they do the infusing, but I assume it's akin to making vanilla sugar--where you take a vanilla bean and let it sit in a bunch of sugar for several days or weeks in the sugar to give it a nice vanilla taste.

I used to decorate cakes in the summer for $ when I was a teen, and I used Wilton paste coloring for coloring icing. It didn't impact the taste, but it takes very little. Who knows what the heck is in that stuff!?

JoAnn's or JCPenneys (used to be, but haven't looked in a while) are great places to get cake decorating supplies.
ETA: they might also have fondant at JoAnn's

[tmahanes]

I know this probably doesn't help you before the super bowl but Michaels does cake decorating classes.

Other than that I am a box cupcake girl so I can't help much! I really want to take one of the decorating classes!

[kristenk]

Fairy - I wish you luck. I've watched many a Cupcake War (a little :bag to admit it) and they make the whole thing look easy.

I made cupcakes for my DD's 5th birthday party and swore that I would never EVER do that again.

I don't know what was so hard about cupcakes, but they just didn't turn out like I wanted. The kids were fine with them, but I had problems.

Now that I think of it, though, I was very successful with cupcakes many years ago when I was taking a Wilton class. I'd practice techniques with cupcakes that I would then take to work with me. Those were always fabulous AND those were from a mix b/c the whole point was decorating them, not baking from scratch.

Again, I wish you luck. And if you find a fabulous, fool-proof cupcake recipe, let me know.

[tmahanes]

* I've been using a box, but the taste of the oil is making me gag. How can I make scratch ones without seventeen ingredients and cake flour? I want my regular flour. Is it possible?

I don't know about from scratch but you can substitute... here is the first website I found so don't know how reputable it is but you might be able to find other suggestions! http://www.buzzle.com/articles/oil-substitute-in-cake-mix.html

BTW..... check this (http://www.buzzle.com/articles/oil-substitute-in-cake-mix.html) out at Costco!!!!! I got one for Christmas and it is awesome!! They are like $20 at Costco!

[crl]

I'd try to find a recipe that does not call for cake flour (or buy cake flour as I think it does effect the texture). I've had good luck in general using recipes from all recipes with high numbers of positive ratings. I also try to read a fair number of reviews for tweaks, etc.

Good luck!
Catherine

[WolfpackMom]

* What do I need to know about cupcakes that may not be obvious?

Fill the cake cups only 2/3 of the way full so you dont end up with muffin caps which are harder to frost prettily

* I've been using a box, but the taste of the oil is making me gag. How can I make scratch ones without seventeen ingredients and cake flour? I want my regular flour. Is it possible?

These are my favorite to make from scratch and are easy peasy:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/candace-nelson-strawberry-cupcakes

But they are strawberry, if you want something else, and want ones that are filled then I reccomend these and request that you tell me how they turn out because I want to make them and havent had time, lol.

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cream-filled-chocolate-cupcakes?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/easiest-cupcakes#slide_9

* These Cupcake War folks are infusing their cakes and their frostings with flavors, not just purely extracts. How do I do that? Is it literally just pulverizing and tossing them in?

Yes, but you replace one amount of liquid with the pureed fruit, etc. See Strawberry recipe above.

* I wanna put a filling in! I saw them with their column thingies, how hard can this be?

Cheat and use a melon baller to scoop out the bottom rather than using one of those infusing bag thingies

* Where do I get fondant? Am I insane for even thinking it?

Michaels has a Chef Duff section, however, you should know that fondant is not exactly yummy. Its pure sugar and while edible, I wouldnt say its appetizing. You arent completely insane, just borderline. :wink2:

* How does food coloring impact the recipe and the flavor? That stuff scares the crap out of me. I put in a drop of green in DS's eggs (he loves green eggs and "ham" (sausage), but I got some on me once and it took a shower to come out.

It doesnt, but it will stain. Im pretty sure DS' birthday boy bib is now ruined from yesterday's bday party.

[bubbaray]

This thread is useless without pictures.

And recipes.

[MommyAllison]

This is a delicious, super easy from scratch recipe (don't be scared off by her incredible decorating!) http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/01/vanilla-buttermilk-cupcakes-and-fantastic-easy-buttercream-frosting.html

Calls for regular flour, and all pantry ingredients - eggs, sugar, buttermilk, salt, baking soda, baking powder, butter, vanilla.

I would not mess with fondant if I were you, but if you decide to: regular fondant does not taste good. Like, I peel it off and leave it on my plate at weddings :bag You can make marshmallow fondant, which I assume would taste better. My friend loves this recipe: http://candy.about.com/od/fondantcandyrecipes/r/mm_fondant.htm?r=et

I used the frosting recipe from the cupcake recipe link, and it is great! It made more than enough for the cupcakes, so I ended up making frosted sugar cookies too.

[happymom]

Hey Fairy, I loooove decorating cupcakes and I'd be happy to answer any questions. First of all, it is as surprisingly simple as it seems. What kind of cupcakes do you want to make? You can really use any basic cake recipe and put it into muffin tins. I have an easy chocolate cake recipe thats really moist and yummy. I don't have a great basic white cake yet....I've been using a recipe that calls for orange juice, and evryone thinks the cupcakes taste like corn muffins! Good corn muffins, lol, but that's probably not what you're looking for. Oh, and btw, I bake a ton and have never used cake flour.

About the filling- I've never actually tried it (keep meaning to), but I really think you can just stick the filling into a Wilton's icing bag with a small round tip, poke it into the cupcake, and squeeze. It may not have a TON of filling, but I think it would be enough.

About the fondant- as PP mentioned, it tastes icky. Everyone just peels it off. You're much better off with a yummy frosting on top. But if you really want fondant, you can buy Wilton's fondant at Michael's. Don't say I didn;t warn you though! Its icky and expensive too!

About the food coloring- it should definitely not affect the taste. I use Wilton's color gels (also from Michael's)- you only have to use a drop to color it, and it doesnt affect the texture. Honestly though, that's more important for fondant. For frosting you can use regular food coloring.

You can buy tip 1M from Michael's to pipe the frosting like a bakery cupcake. Its so much easier than you'd think. Here's a pic of cupcakes I did a while back....white cupcake, fudge frosting, fondant rosette, and sugar pearls from Michaels. Sorry, cannot for the life of me figure out how to make this smaller!!

http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53835%3Enu%3D334%3B%3E858%3E767%3EWS NRCG%3D3488486766336nu0mrj

[larig]

I WANT that cupcake NOW. That is my favorite combo and yours looks divine!

[LMPC]

I don't know much about cupcakes but I will say that one trick to a good cupcake is NOT to over bake them. Nuthin' worse than a dry cupcake!

Oh, and Wolfpackmom.....soak the bib in lots of oxyclean for 24 hours and then wash...I bet the stain will come out! ;)

[Fairy]

http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp53835%3Enu%3D334%3B%3E858%3E767%3EWS NRCG%3D3488486766336nu0mrj

I am totally in love. Wow!

[marie]

here's my favorite easy chocolate cupcake recipe:
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/monster-chocolate-cupcakes

i will fourth, fifth, sixth, whatever the "fondant is nasty" statement. For me, I'd rather have something really tasty than looking absolutely perfect, smooth, etc.

I used this yummy, ridiculously easy frosting on the above cupcake recipe and it came out delish.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,176,150169-244196,00.html

and it you want to be fancy, put a a dab of wilton food color paste on the inside of the piping bag in a few places. carefully scoop frosting into bag. pipe frosting on cupcakes using a star tip in a swirl (like happymom did) and the swirl will have stripes of the color. (perhaps yellow - that way steelers and packers fans will be happy :tongue5:)

i want a cupcake right.now. (oooh! I have some in the freezer!! :boogie:)

[crl]

Oops, forgot to post the allrecipes link.

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/desserts/cakes/cupcakes/top.aspx

Catherine

[etaylor75]

This is a great little kit to get you started....comes with the bismark tip to use for filling cupcakes, my favorite filling is vanilla or chocolate pudding mix made with whipping cream.

http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=2A9AFACA-423B-522D-F5C6F759E9566956

Erin

[Indianamom2]

If you're going to have a Super Bowl party, this cupcake cake looks pretty easy and cute:

http://video.kaboose.com/food.html

Scroll down on the right to find the "How to Make a Football Cake" video. I think even I could do this, and I am not crafty!

[Fairy]

If you're going to have a Super Bowl party, this cupcake cake looks pretty easy and cute:

http://video.kaboose.com/food.html

Scroll down on the right to find the "How to Make a Football Cake" video. I think even I could do this, and I am not crafty!

Cool link, Christina, thank you :-)

[Pepper]

Here's the recipe that I use for cupcakes. The cake itself is rich, buttery, and a teeny bit dense - closer to a pound cake than the lighter cake in a bakery cupcake, but that's what I like.

I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose flour for everything, even cakes. I don't usually get too carried away with decorating b/c my kids go gaga over sprinkles...If you want to cover the whole top of the cupcake with sprinkles (or colored sugar, jimmies etc.), pour about 1/2 cup of sprinkles in a wide, shallow bowl. Frost the cupcake, then hold on to the bottom, turn it upside-down and gently "roll" the cupcake top around in the bowl of sprinkles. This method consumes a LOT of sprinkles but kids seem to love it.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Vanilla Cupcakes with White Butter Frosting (recipe from The Boston Globe, sometime in the summer of 2003).

Cupcakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole milk
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 350 F and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Put the butter in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer and beat the butter until it appears creamy and smooth. Gradually add the sugar and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 1 minute more.

Mix in the milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until they are moist.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cupcakes for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when pressed gently with a fingertip. Do not overbake, because the cupcakes will continue to set up as they cool.

Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then ease them out of the pan to cool completely on the rack.


Frosting

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3 cups confections' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whole milk, heated to lukewarm (I didn't do that!)

Cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and milk until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.