Patriotic Cupcakes

June 24, 2015 by girlinspired 1 Comment

I started using a cool new tool from Wilton that combines three frosting colors into one spectacular swirl! Surely, you could achieve the same effect by piping three colors through one tip at the same time, but this little gadget snaps together to make it super easy. Patriotic cupcakes are in order this time of year and look how fun they turned out! You can also dress up your Fourth of July table with some Red, White, and Blue Jello Cups and a Fourth of July Poke Cake!

Ready to celebrate? Here are the supplies you will need along with my referral link when applicable for easy shopping.

Supplies:

cupcakes
white frosting
icing colors in red and blue
Wilton Tri-Color Coupler Decorating Set
Patriotic Foil Fun Pix or Flag Picks

Begin by coloring your frosting. Remember that your colors will deepen a bit as they sit. A big batch of red frosting can take a lot of dye, so work with smaller amounts and add just enough to get a bright, red color. Be careful that you don’t add to much dye or your frosting will start to taste gross! I like to use Americolor Super Red gel coloring. Scoop some frosting into a cup, add the dye with a toothpick, and then mix it well with a spoon or small spatula.

The trick for easy color swirling is this cool kit made by Wilton. It comes with differently shaped couplers so that you can fit the three bags of color together with one piping tip. Fill each disposable bag with a coupler and red, white, or blue icing. Then cut the tip off the the bag so that the top of the coupler is exposed. There are little notches for the couplers to snap together, which is easier if there isn’t any plastic in the way.

Add your piping tip – the kit comes with my favorite Tip 1M and also the round, open Tip 1A. Now, gently twist the ends of the three piping bags together and you’re ready to pipe!

Start on the outer edge of the cupcake top and squeeze the three piping bags together. Swirl in a counter-clockwise direction, gradually swirling up and in a smaller circle until you come to the center. Stop squeezing and lift the piping tip straight up to create a point. That’s it!

Add some “Fun Pix” for an extra burst of color and celebration!

If you like less frosting on top of your cupcakes or if you want to decorate a sheet cake, you can also use the same tools to make a flat “rosette” in red, white, and blue. Simply start your swirl in the center of the cupcake and create a flat swirl out to the edge! Pretty, right? You can read some of my tips for covering a cake with these swirled rosettes by clicking here.

What kind of fun plans do you have for Fourth of July? It will be our last holiday in this house and we are having some company over to watch the fireworks shows across the whole Sacramento valley from our deck. So bittersweet (sniff)!

Glossy White Mountain Frosting

April 17, 2015 by girlinspired 2 Comments

This glossy white mountain frosting is a tried and true recipe from mom’s recipe box, originally from Betty Crocker. It is a non-dairy icing that can be used to pipe gorgeous stiff peaks. This white frosting has no butter and is made from egg whites and sugar. It tastes like marshmallows and holds its shape wonderfully.

When it comes to whipping up frosting, it’s always nice to have a few go-to recipes on hand that can be used for different decorating needs. You guys know how much I love buttercream, but today’s frosting comes in handy when you need a gorgeous, glossy frosting and it’s also perfect when you need a no-butter alternative. It holds its shape at room temperature for up to a couple days and has a light, meringue-marshmallow flavor.

To make this meringue frosting, you’ll beat egg whites into stiff peaks while simultaneously cooking a corn syrup/sugar mixture. By pouring the hot syrup into the whites while still beating, you get the fluffiest, frosting peaks!

For simple cupcake decorating, I filled a piping bag with the frosting, clipped about a 3/4″ opening in the end of the bag and made a simple swirl onto the cupcake – no piping tip needed! Because it took me some time between making the frosting and getting my cupcakes ready, the frosting didn’t come out smooth and piped out with a lot of air pockets in it – as you can see on the left. No worries – I simply squeezed the bag of frosting back into my mixing bowl and whisked it up into a nice, glossy smooth frosting again. It piped out so much better – as you can see on the right. I’ve also used this frosting to cover cakes with some simple swoops of the spatula. It’s easy and looks great because it’s so glossy and will hold its shape forever!

White Mountain Frosting Recipe

White Mountain Frosting - great non-dairy alternative for a fluffy, glossy frosting!

Glossy White Mountain Frosting

A fluffy, glossy smooth frosting with an egg white base that holds its shape well and tastes like fluffy marshmallows!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Servings:

Author: girlinspired

Ingredients

2 egg whites at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Begin by beating the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer using the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. You can determine if the peaks are "stiff" by dipping the whisk into the mixture and pulling upward. If the egg whites hold their peak, they are ready. If they melt back into the bowl, whisk longer.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar, corn syrup, and water over medium heat. Stir well and cover with a lid until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the lid and boil without stirring for about 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 242 degrees on a candy thermometer (firm ball).
With the mixer turned on to medium, begin pouring the hot sugar mixture into the egg whites in a slow stream.
Add the vanilla.
Continue beating for 10 minutes on medium speed or until stiff peaks form once again.
Spread over a 13x9 inch cake, frost and fill an 8-inch round cake, or pipe onto cupcakes.

Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Love how this frosting tastes like marshmallows? Well, it’s also perfect for making some S’mores themed cupcakes!

Watch how easy this is! Crush some graham cracker crumbs – sprinkle onto piped White Mountain frosting!

Stick those cupcakes under the broiler (not too close and watch the peaks!) and watch them carefully to toast the frosting to a very light golden brown!

Wala! S’mores Cupcakes!!

Had I known how amazing they were going to look, I would’ve added some chocolate ganache to the middle of my cupcakes like my girls are always suggesting. (They’re a tad obsessed with Cupcake Wars currently!)

Alrighty! Have fun! Can you tell we have a theme going on around here? Just wait – there’s s’more!!

Easy Bunny Cupcakes

March 31, 2015 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Just in time for Easter, today we have a really simple cupcake decorating technique that anyone can pull off! Whip these up in a snap and you’ll be right back outside hunting for eggs with everyone else!

Have you seen these pre-made icing decorations? They are the ticket to easy cupcakes and you can find so many different varieties for all the occasions. I thought the bright, cheery colors of these bunnies was fun and adorable – they can be placed on the cupcakes lying down or standing up in the grass. The only work to do is to pipe grass onto the top of the cupcakes and your base is ready. Let’s get started!

SUPPLIES:

12 cupcakes baked in paper liners
icing stiff enough for decorating – buttercream works great
Wilton Icing Decorations – bunnies
16-inch disposable decorating bag
Coupler set
Decorating Tip #233
Green food coloring

With your cupcakes baked and cooled, fill your piping bag with green icing and fit it with tip #233. Starting at the outer edge of the cupcake and working in a counter-clockwise direction toward the middle, create a swirl of icing strands to mostly cover the top of the cupcake. This gives a background to the grass that will blend seamlessly with the grass spikes. Now, place the tip of the icing bag perpendicular and close to the top of the cupcake. Squeeze gently while pulling up and away from the cupcake. Release the pressure on the icing bag as soon as you begin lifting your hand away. This will keep the grass strands short. Continue piping across the top of the cupcake until you are happy with the grass bed. Gently place the bunny icing decoration on top of the grass to finish it off. If you would like the bunny tilted up just a bit, pipe a little extra grass underneath to lift it.

And there you have it! The cutest little Easy Bunny Cupcakes you ever did make! Now, I’m off for more spring break fun! What are you working on this week? Perhaps I should figure out Easter dresses for the girls….

**This post was first published on The Creative Spark.**

Peanut Butter Buttercream

February 4, 2015 by girlinspired 1 Comment

Yep! You read that right – I sat on my deck last week trying to decide on a sewing project, but I just kept wondering if I could take my regular swiss meringue buttercream recipe and make it peanut butter. I skipped the sewing and spent the rest of the day in cake heaven. Peanut butter buttercream, as it turns out, is extra delicious!! This recipe comes out a little soft for piping, and I originally used it in a chocolate peanut butter layer cake (which I’ll share soon), but I did put the extra in the fridge for a few days and when I rewhipped it, it actually did pipe just fine and hold its shape. I wouldn’t try to use this recipe to pipe any intricate designs, but if you need a peanut butter fix – this is it!

Basically, you’ll make a regular swiss meringue buttercream and then soften/melt peanut butter chips in a double boiler before stirring them into the buttercream. So good! Sweet and creamy, but fluffy and light at the same time.

When it comes time to pipe the peanut butter frosting onto cupcakes or a cake – you can use a nice big tip like #1M (my favorite) or #2D. The two tips pipe out pretty similar – they’re both star tips – but the 2D makes the swirl curve over on itself just a bit vs. the sharper swirl of 1M. The 2D would work especially well if you just wanted a simple flat swirl – like on my Swirled Roses Cake. Either the 1M or the 2D will work fine.. Fill your piping bag (fitted with tip) with frosting. Beginning just inside the outer edge of the cupcake, begin swirling in a counter-clockwise direction, slightly overlapping to the inside as you go around and up each time. When you reach the top, lift the piping bag straight up from the center to make a point as you release pressure from the bag. Done!

You can add sprinkles for extra fun! The gold is great for a more sophisticated look!

Okay! Ready for the recipe?

Peanut Butter Buttercream

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Servings:

Calories: 201kcal

Ingredients

5 egg whites
1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/2 C. butter softened slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 C. peanut butter chips

Instructions

Combine egg whites and granulated sugar in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer.
Set the mixer bowl over a small pan of simmering water and whisk egg mixture until warm to the touch and completely smooth (check with your fingers to be sure all the sugar has dissolved).
Remove mixer bowl from pan and attach to your standing mixer.
Turn your mixer on low and gradually up to high speed with the whisk attachment.
Continue mixing for about 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom of the mixing bowl is cool to the touch.
The egg mixture should be glossy white and fluffy and COOL!
Add in butter, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, until completely mixed in.
Whisk in vanilla extract.
In a double boiler (or heatproof bowl over simmering pan of water), heat 1 cup of peanut butter chips until soft and you can stir them into a paste.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Whisk peanut butter paste into buttercream until completely mixed.
Switch to the paddle attachment and continue mixing buttercream for 2-3 minutes more.
If frosting is too soft to pipe, place in refrigerator for a little while to help firm it up.

Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Nutrition

Filled German Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

December 11, 2013 by girlinspired 7 Comments

The blend between the caramel buttercream and the rich, coconut filling in these deluxe German Chocolate Cupcakes will make you swoon. They are SO good – if you like coconut, that is. My husband does not and it makes me sad because it’s one of my favorite ingredients. Since he’s not eating these cupcakes, I’m sharing them with you!

I’ve been kind of into filling cupcakes with something yummy lately. It’s like a fun surprise between the crumbly cake and the fluffy frosting. In this case, the gooey center is a traditional German Chocolate Cake filling/frosting – made from egg yolks, butter, sugar, and coconut. But the caramel buttercream frosting added to the top leaves you with the whole package.

While I like to make decadent desserts and experiment with new flavors and recipes, it’s nearly impossible to find the time to make everything from scratch. I use boxed cake mixes most of the time because they taste pretty darn good. Sometimes adding a few alternate ingredients can really dress up a cake, sometimes adding a homemade frosting is all that is needed to produce a delicious cake. And I should note that I always, always make frosting from scratch – that’s the part I’d rather put my time into. Anyway…I used a boxed German chocolate cake mix for the basic cupcakes here. My mom makes a great German Chocolate cake from scratch, if you want to whip up the whole shebang.

For the filling, mix 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan – cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 cup sweetened coconut. Let cool. Scoop about a 1 teaspoon of cake out of the top of each cupcake (a grapefruit spoon works well for this). When the filling mixture has cooled, spoon it into the whole in the cupcake.

Finish the filled cupcakes with a piped swirl (use tip 1M) of Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream (to die for!!). Toast a little shredded coconut in the oven for 5 minutes or so, just until it starts to brown. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Sprinkle cooled coconut over the top of the cupcakes – it looks fancy plus it gives people an idea of the flavors hiding within!

So tell me, do you like some filling in your cupcakes? Do you prefer to make the cake from scratch or the frosting or both…or neither?

Not into cupcakes (what??!?)? I have a really easy oilcloth gift card holder/coin purse sewing tutorial over at I Heart Naptime today – perfect for quick gifts!!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

October 31, 2013 by girlinspired 15 Comments

If you’re watching your waistline this holiday season, you best click on because these pumpkin pie cupcakes are irresistible. The pumpkin cake is moist and just dense enough to hold a center of pumpkin pie-like filling before being topped with homemade cream cheese frosting. De-lic-ious!

The cupcake batter was made by adding several ingredients to a 2-layer cake mix. After partially filling the cupcake tins, I piped about a tablespoon of filling into the center of each tin of batter. The cupcakes with filling bake up together.

Cream cheese frosting is so easy to whip up and is the absolute best compliment to these cupcakes. If you ice big swirls of frosting onto the cupcakes, you’ll probably need a plate and fork to eat them – they’re a little top heavy once you start eating, but look so pretty, particularly with a little sprinkle of cinnamon.

I preferred the cupcakes with just a single swirl of icing. My husband and I were in disagreement about this as he was loving the big mound of frosting! However you like them finished off, this recipe is not to be missed!

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Cupcake Batter:

1 box of white cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 can of pumpkin puree (7.5 oz.)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup water

Instructions: Mix together all ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on med-high speed for about 2 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cupcake liners in a muffin tin. Fill liners with cupcake batter about 1/2 full. Set aside while preparing filling (do not cook yet!!)

Cupcake Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

dash cloves and nutmeg

Instructions: Beat all ingredients together. Place in piping bag and pipe into the center top of each unbaked cupcake. Pipe no more than 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake and try to keep the filling toward the top. Place entire muffin tin into 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the centers are set and the cake portion of the cupcake springs back when you press it gently with your finger. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

6 Tablespoons butter (softened)

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-3 cups of powdered sugar

Instructions: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy and desired consistency. Add more powdered sugar as needed. Place in large piping bag and pipe a single layer swirl using tip 1M onto each cooled cupcake.

Enjoy!

Patriotic Cupcakes

Glossy White Mountain Frosting

White Mountain Frosting Recipe

Glossy White Mountain Frosting

Ingredients

Instructions

Easy Bunny Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Buttercream

Peanut Butter Buttercream

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

Filled German Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

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