May 16, 2010

Cute and Easy Cupcakes

As a mom it feels like I am always making cupcakes for SOMETHING.
Whether it be for a birthday party, soccer snack day or indulging a craving on any given day there is a cupcake being baked, or being planned.
I want to help you ladies (or gentlemen?).
A few tips on how to make cute and tasty cupcakes for any occasion.
We will stick with vanilla for the sake of ease on this one...
Tip 1: If you choose to use boxed cake mix, MAKE YOUR OWN ICING.
It is easy people, and by leaps and bounds better.  People care about the frosting.  The end.
How often have you ever seen a cupcake bottom being eaten with the frosted top left over?
Let me answer that for you:
NEVER.
Very few people will know (or care) that you have used a box mix if you top it off with delicious, easy homemade buttercream.
Trust.

Tip 2:  Sprinkles.  Sprinkles make everything better.
They hide imperfect frosting swirls, they add color and let's be honest...they're just cute.
When adding sprinkles, if you have beautiful swirls, add a pinch for cute embellishment.
If you have slapped on that icing here's what you need to do:
pour your sprinkles in a small bowl and dunk your cupcake.
Cuteness made simple!

Now, for you overachievers:
Tip 3:  White candy melts + foodwriter = adorable personalized cupcakes that people will die for!
(Like I have said before, AmeriColor is the way to go with the foodwriters.  I haven't had such great luck with Wilton, but that's just my opinion!_
You could easily do the same idea with fondant as the decorated cookie  does so well, but if you are a little afraid of the fondant, or don't have a ton of time try the candy melts.  
Flip them over and draw whatever you want.
 I did these on mini cupcakes, but you could easily do them on regular sized cupcakes as well!
Now, get out there and make those cupcakes :)
I am linking these up to Hoosier Homemade's Cupcake Tuesday...go check it out!

32 comments:

Meghan @ Domestic Sugar said...

I totally agree with you, the sprinkles make the cupcake. As a kid, I would always pick the cupcake with the sprinkles! ♥

Unknown said...

CUTE!!! Mini cupcakes with the little melts is genius!

Joanne said...

I think everything in life is better when dipped in sprinkles. These are adorable!

Cookbook Queen said...

How cute!! Love the mini cupcakes...and I agree totally on the Americolor markers...they are the only way to go!!

Snooky doodle said...

these are so cute!!! really special.

Laura said...

mmmm ... cupcakes... shoot, now i'm going to have to make some...
blessings
~*~

Leslie said...

Oh how cute! I would have never thought to flip the candy over and write on the bottoms! genius!!!!

bridget {bake at 350} said...

That is pure genius!!! Candy melts! I just "organized" my chocolate basket...meaning I took everything out and looked at it...this morning. I have TWO opened bags of white candy melts. Cute toppers, here I come!!!

animeshon said...

I love the little toppers. I'm baking cupcakes for the SPCA Cupcake Fundraising Day and I was looking for something simple to "fancy up" my cupcakes. These will be perfect :) Thank you so much!

Lorraine said...

Great tips! Thanks! What a great idea with the candy melts. I have to get out and get me those pens. Those cupcakes are adorable.

Diane Schmidt said...

very cute and creative! The cupcake with all the multi colored sprinkles reminds me of an ice cream cone rolled in sprinkles, which they do not tend to do out her on the west coast and it brought to mind all the ice cream cones I miss being rolled in sprinkles in NJ...thanks for reminding me of "home"

La Bella Cooks said...

You are so creative. Sprinkles just make everything a bit better, right?

grace said...

great tips!
the frosting is definitely the key for me. i can eat just about anything if there's enough fluffy, sweet stuff on top. :)

Lucie said...

These are adorable...AND they look delicious!

Lauren @ Crave. Indulge. Satisfy. said...

You are right...sprinkles are the best part of cupcakes! My favorites are the rainbow colored non-pareils! So much fun!

Pink Little Cake said...

These are so cute, what a great idea.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Okay, I felt like you wrote this for me. 'Cause my cupcake decorating skills needed help and I don't want to invest a tremendous amount of time of them. :) Thanks!

Oh, how do you get your frosting so nicely mounded (the top is round)?
~ingrid

Molly said...

I love the idea of covering the ENTIRE cupcake top with sprinkles!

Cupcake Activist said...

I admit it, I'm a box cupcake baker sometimes. I like the idea of making my own frosting. It usually doesn't take very long and should make a huge difference. The sprinkles idea is good too. Thanks!

the decorated cookie said...

Aw, thanks for my link :)! What a great idea, this is, too!!

Monica H said...

How genuius are you to use ehite candy melts as decorations. I've got to get my hands on some of those writers!

Hoosier Homemade said...

How cute are those! I'll have to admit, I've never tried the writers, guess I need to find some!
Thanks so much for joining in the fun at Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz

GrapeSugar said...

I love the mini! I really like the idea of writing on the backs of the candy melts, instant personalization.

Jaime said...

great idea w/the candy melts! those are adorable

MommyTopics.com said...

I love your site! I just found you today through Hoosier Homemade's Cupcake Tuesday. You have so many great creations on your blog that also look delicious!!!

Blessings
Rachymommy - MommyTopics.com

rosasdolcevita said...

These are soooo cute! My kids would go gaga for them (and the mommy too)! Mmmmmm.

Eliana said...

Amazing! They are super cute. You are incredibly talented.

Barbara said...

Agreed! Decorations and extra frosting make the cupcake! I won a giveaway recently and was sent something called Ticings. Adorable little discs of decorated fondant. The easy way out. :)

Bella Baker said...

Its SO true - the frosting makes all the difference! Great idea with writing on the candy melts! So simple, yet so clever!

Sinful Southern Sweets said...

I agree, homemade frosting is always a must. You can get away with a boxed mix if you use homemade icing. And I love the idea of the candy melts decorated with the foodwriters. Too cute!!

Mary Bergfeld said...

I have only now found your blog but I've loved every minute I spent here. I had planned only to comment on this entry and then move on. I was lured by your earlier posts and stayed far longer than I intended. I'll be back as often as I can. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

Abby said...

Flipping candy melts. That is so simple. AND SO GENIUS.

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