Candy Apple Cupcake

It was a close call and it was really hard to say for sure who won, but these certainly got their share of rave reviews - especially from MM.  I guess it all depends on if you're a Candy Apple lover.  Either way, it was fun to make and funny to watch people eat this candy coated cupcake. To make this trick or treat favourite you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but we're replacing the water for this one)
• Apple Juice Concentrate (to replace the water your recipe calls for)
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• Candy Apple Kit (most kits require you to add lots of sugar and some water)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Candy Coated Apple Slice or Red Cinnamon Candy

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with Apple Juice Concentrate and mix in a teaspoon of Cinnamon. Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely. 

Step 2: Time to make your Candy Coating!  Follow the directions of your Candy Apple Kit.  Mine required the addition of sugar and water followed by almost 30 minutes of boiling!  I also bought a candy thermometer which was quite helpful and cost less than $5.  But there is a trick to know if it's done without one...just spoon a small amount of the sugar syrup into some cold water and if it forms a crack-hard string it's good to go.

Step 3: Now that your cupcakes are cool and the Candy Apple Coating is just finished, take a silicone brush and brush the HOT Candy Coating over the tops of your cupcakes.  You'll want to move fast but be careful because it is crazy hot. If you're planning on topping your cupcakes with Candy Apple Slices you'll want to dip them in right after.

Step 4: Don't ice your cupcakes yet! The candy needs to harden and cool.  The sugar takes a surprising amount of time to cool down and will be hard quickly but not cool enough to ice on top.  If you ice them too soon your icing will melt and slide off.  I waited 30 minutes to be safe.

Step 5: Mix together your White Icing and Butter on high until smooth. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar. Pipe your icing on top of your cooled cupcake and Candy Coating.  If you're garnishing it with an Apple Slice, be sure to wait until you're ready to serve your cupcake before placing it on top.

Happy Faking

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Caramel Apple Cupcake

Well, it's hard to say who won overall, but the first ones gone in both test groups were the Caramel Apple.  Plus, that one was my favourite so it's getting posted first!  The best part of this cupcake, other than the caramel apple slice on top, was the surprise caramel filling.  To make this sweet and caramely delight you'll need...

For the Cake: 

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but we're replacing the water for this one)
• Apple Juice Concentrate (to replace the water your recipe calls for)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish: Caramel Square or Caramel Apple Slice

For the Filling:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons Milk
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar

Alright, here's the recipe...

Step 1: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with Apple Juice Concentrate. Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely.

Step 2: On to the Caramel Filling!  Melt down the butter in a saucepan on the stove.  Add in the Brown Sugar and boil for around 2 minutes stirring constantly - be careful cuz this gets hot!  Next you'll need to remove it from the burner and mix in the milk.  Place it back on the burner and get it back to a boil.  Once it reached a good boil remove it and let it cool to lukewarm and stir in your icing sugar.

Step 3: Using a cupcake corer or small spoon, make a small hole in the centre of your cooled cupcakes.  If you're using a spoon, you may want to use a knife first to create a small circle and use a spoon to scoop it out.  Make sure you don't go too far down into the centre of your cupcake or your filling will fall out from the bottom when you unwrap it.

Step 4: Spoon in your Caramel Filling.  It's easier to do this when it's still a little warm.  Your filling will be plyable and have a consistency of a fudge.

Step 5: Mix together your White Icing and Butter on high until smooth. Give it a taste and if it's too buttery for your taste, add some icing sugar. Pipe your icing on top of your cupcake to cover the filling.  If you're garnishing it with an Apple Slice, be sure to wait until you're ready to serve your cupcake before placing it on top.

Happy Faking!

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Candy Apple vs Caramel Apple

It's getting close to one of my most favourite holidays - HALLOWEEN! I can't decide what I like more about this holiday...making my costume or getting candy! Now that I'm too old to trick or treat (note: I did not say too small, those who know me would understand why) I feel like I put more effort into this holiday than ever.  So naturally I will be making Halloween themed cupcakes for some upcoming fun.

This year, I will be hosting a cupcake off between two natural Halloween competitors...well... natural in my mind.  First up is the Candy Apple - a hot cinnamon treat with a tough exterior.  It's competitor, and biasedly my favourite, the Caramel Apple - a sweet caramel treat with a chewy-gooey exterior that makes parents and dentists cringe.

Both the Candy Apple and Caramel Apple will be cupcake-ified for this round.  A select group of friends and colleagues who get try them also get to vote for their favourite.  Who will win?  Everyone who gets to try them of course:)  But the cupcake with the most votes will get bragging rights in their feature recipe post.  And so my Saturday baking begins! 

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Bring on the Bacon Cupcake

What more do you need than the name...Bring on the Bacon!  But if you really need to be persuaded, I made these as part of my IWK debts some time ago and one of the recipients said "the Bring on the Bacon Cupcakes are like an awesome breakfast pastry and dessert in one."  So there you have it....yum! To make this bacon delight you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're replacing the water with Milk)
• Milk (to replace the water)
• 2 cups grated Cheddar Cheese (or whatever cheese you want really)
• 1 cup Bacon Bits (plus more for the top if you want) 
• Store Bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Bacon Bits, 1/4 slice of bacon

Here's the recipe...

Step 1: Follow the directions on your White Cake Mix from preheating your oven through to adding the oil, eggs, but don't add the water. Instead, replace the water your recipe calls for with Milk.  Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth. Stir in 2 cups of grated Cheddar Cheese and then stir in 1 cup of Bacon Bits.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: For the icing, mix together your White Icing and butter on high until smooth.  Taste your icing and if it's it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery add in some icing sugar. Top your cupcake with the icing using a piping bag, knife, or spoon it on - whatever you prefer.  To garnish, I sprinkled a few Bacon Bits on top, but you could go big and add 1/4 slice of fried bacon....just make sure you blot the grease off and let it cool!

Happy Faking!

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Baby's First Fancy Cupcake #8

What a surprise for JS and TC, ARC arrived a whole month early!  I hope you, Mom and Dad get to visit the Rock soon and maybe get a chance to pop over my way on your way up or back.  This Baby's First Fancy Cupcake is extra special because my two cats help me make it - or should I say deconstructed it twice.  I guess they wanted to make sure it was extra loved and extra perfect before you got it.  And as your mom pointed out, it has little blueberries just like the theme of their wedding.  I can't wait to meet you!   

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Lil' Deb Cupcake

Here's a treat inspired by a blast from the past - a classic looking old school Little Debbie Cupcake. These cupcakes are not only fun on the outside, but on the inside too with a hidden icing filling.  For this cupcake you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Chocolate Milk  (replace the amount water it calls for) 
• 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (melted)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing 
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)

And now, on to the recipe...

Step 1: Sort of follow the directions on your Chocolate Cake Mix. Start by preheating your oven and add the oil and eggs...but DO NOT add the water.Replace all of the water your cake mix calls for with Chocolate Milk.  Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: On to the icing! Mix together your store bought Vanilla Icing and Butter on high until smooth.  Add some icing sugar if it's not sweet enough for you or just too buttery for your taste.

Step 4: Take your cooled cupcakes and, using a cupcake corer or small spoon, make a small hole in the centre.  If you're using a spoon, you may want to use a knife first to create a small circle and use a spoon to scoop it out.  Make sure you don't go too far down into the centre of your cupcake or your filling will fall out from the bottom when you unwrap it.
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Step 5: Using a spoon or piping bag, fill the centre of your cupcake with your icing.  Fill it all the way up to the top of the hole then, using a knife or spatula, spread a thin layer of icing over the top of your cupcake.  Place the cupcakes in the fridge to firm up the icing.

Step 6: While you cupcakes are chilling out, melt down your Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Using a pasty brush, brush the chocolate over the top of your cupcakes and put them aside to set.  To top off the look of your Lil' Deb Cupcake, pipe the signature Little Debbie Swirl on top of your cupcake.

Happy Faking!  

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Faking Fancy Cupcake Wedding Centrepieces #4

If you're looking for a more real looking flower centrepiece that can double as dessert, this is the perfect arrangement for you.  You can make this as fancy and elaborate as you like with leaves, butterflies and other accents, but here's the basic gist of how you create a cupcake bouquet centrepiece.

For the cupcakes, if you want to have a real looking bouquet of flowers, you'll need to have them iced to look like flowers.  Feel free to mix up the sizes of your cupcake for visual interest.

To create the bouquet you'll need:

• low rise glass cylinder vase
• half ball Styrofoam circle (that fits snug in the base of your vase)
• wooden dowels (cut down so that when you stick it in the Styrofoam an inch or so is sticking out)
• tissue paper (you can use any colour, but white is the most subtle)

Step 1: Bake, cool and ice your cupcakes.

Step 2: Cover your Styrofoam half ball with the tissue paper and place in the vase flat side down.

Step 3: Push a wooden dowel in the tissue paper wrapped half ball of Styrofoam.  Push in one dowel at a time and push a cupcake on top of the piece of dowel sticking out.  Continue sticking in dowels and cupcakes until you have covered the entire surface to your satisfaction. I start at the edge of the vase and work my way around.

Step 4: Next, add in your accents to dress it up like the leaves and butterflies in the bouquet shown above.

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Chocolate Sundae Cupcake

This is a fun cupcake you can breakout in the summer and not be afraid it will melt into a puddle.  It's also a great cupcake for those who LOVE icing.  For this recipe you'll need a few ice cream sundae fixins and...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water...but you won't need the water for this one!)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing (you may want to double your icing depending how big you want your ice cream scoop to be)
• Room Temperature Whipping Cream (enough to replace the water your cake mix calls for plus another 1/2 of a cup for your chocolate sauce)
• 1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (1/4 of a cup for your chocolate sauce and more for your icing if you'd like)
• Garnish Ides: chopped peanuts, maraschino or fresh cherries, mini coloured spoon

And here's the recipe...

Step 1: Preheat your oven as directed on the cake mix package.  Add all the ingredients your Chocolate Cake Mix calls for EXCEPT for the water.  Instead of the water, replace the called for amount with Whipping Cream - feel free to whip your cream a little before you add it. Mix the ingredients together until it is smooth.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: While your cupcakes are cooling, start mixing your icing.  Using you mixer, throw in the Store Bought Vanilla Icing and butter on high until smooth. Give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking or too runny, add in some icing sugar. Place your icing in the fridge so that it's easy to scoop!

Step 4: Now it's time to make your chocolate sauce. You'll want to make this around 10-20 minutes before you  ice your cupcakes because you want it to be warm enough to go on easily and look like chocolate sauce.  Melt one cup of Milk Chocolate Chips in a saucepan on low.  Slowly whisk in your room temperature cream. Turn off heat and whisk in 1/4 of a cup of icing sugar (you can sift if you want, I'm lazy and didn't) and mix until smooth. Stir for a few minutes off the burner and let stand until warm (so no longer HOT).

Step 5: It's assembling time. To get the full effect of the ice cream, you'll want to use an ice cream scoop.  Using your ice cream scoop, top your cupcake with a scoop of icing.  It will be a lot of icing, so feel free to spoon some of the icing out of the centre of the scoop before adding to the top of the cupcake. For the chocolate sauce, take your lukewarm chocolate sauce and put in a piping bag with a small-medium sized tip opening or a Ziploc bag with the end cut off will work too. Drizzle the chocolate sauce on top - this sauce should be thick enough to stay where you drizzle it and firm up more once it cools. To garnish sprinkle chopped peanuts and top with a cherry.  If you wanted to get really creative you could track down little mini coloured spoons and stick them in the icing.

Happy Faking!

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Faking Fancy Cupcake Wedding Centrepieces #3

Here's a cute cupcake centrepiece that can incorporate your wedding colours, act as dessert and be used for an unconventional toast that is kid and adult approved.  For this piece you could buy or rent the glassware or simply buy some plastic glasses instead.

To create this centrepiece simply fill a Pilsner beer glass approximately half way with your favourite candy that is conveniently in the colours of your wedding.  Take your cupcake and place it in the glass on top of the candy.  To add more pizazz you could easily add a fun themed cupcake pick and  a personalized tag for each of your guests.

To bring the centrepeice together, you could place the candy and cupcake filled glassware on top of a square or circle shaped mirror, loosely wind some ribbon around the base of the glasses, add tea light candles and/or create a single flower arrangement in a larger Pilsner glass and put it in the centre of the cupcake toast glasses arrangement.

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Chocolate Potato Cupcake

When a friend of mine jokingly asked me to make a Potato Cupcake, I couldn't help myself...and it was actually quite delicious!  When you bite into this cupcake all you can taste is a deliciously moist and rich chocolate cupcake - the only hint of potato is the garnish.  For this spud-tacular cupcake you'll need...

• Chocolate Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Store bought Vanilla Icing
• Milk (enough to replace the water your cake mix calls for)
• 2 Cups Grated Potato (I didn't bother removing the peel if you're wondering...but you can)
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Green Gel Food Colouring (Optional)
• Garnish Ideas: Plain Potato Chip or Chocolate Covered Potato Chip (you'll need chips and melted chocolate chips to do this...see below for instructions)

And here's my simple recipe...

Step 1: Preheat your oven as directed on the cake mix package.  Add all the ingredients your Chocolate Cake Mix calls for EXCEPT for the water.  Instead of the water, replace the called for amount with Milk. Mix the ingredients together until it's smooth. Stir in Grated Potato until fully incorporated.

Step 2: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on the package.  Once they are done baking, let them cool completely.

Step 3: For the icing, I decided to make Vanilla Icing and dye it green, but you could leave it white or use Chocolate Icing instead.  So, for my Vanilla Icing, using your mixer beat the vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth. Give your icing a taste and if it's too buttery for your liking add in some icing sugar.  At this point I added in my Green Gel Food colouring until I was happy with my icing.

Step 4 (optional): If you'd like to top your cupcake with a chocolate dipped chip simply melt down 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and dip half your chip in the melted chocolate.  Place the chocolate dipped chip on a piece of wax paper and repeat for as many garnishes as you need.  If you get tired of dipping, don;t worry about it.  Simply garnish some with chocolate dipped chips and some with plain - no one will ever know!

Step 5: It's time to ice your cupcakes.  Spoon or pipe your cupcake with the icing you just mixed up.  Top your cupcake with the garnish of your choice and enjoy the reactions of your guests.

Happy Faking!

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Baby's First Fancy Cupcake #7

A belated CONGRATS to SR and WR who welcomed their baby boy, HNR, in June.  He was a little late to say the least and was quite the sack of potatoes (10 lbs 2 ounces to be exact), which reminds me of a cupcake dare from a friend to make a Chocolate Potato Cupcake...perhaps that will be my next recipe.  Anyways,  I'm sure you'll keep Mom and Dad hopping for many years to come and I can't wait to meet you in August!

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Faking Fancy Cupcake Wedding Centrepieces #2

Before you tackle this Cupcake Wedding Centrepiece, be sure to check out my entry on Cupcake Stands because it will come in handy as you shop.  This centrepiece is another three in one! Not only does it give you a beautiful centrepiece filled with each guests tasty cupcake dessert, but it also serves as the table number.  You can keep it as simple as that, OR you could put each guests name on the cupcakes to add a personal touch.  As for the cupcake featured at the top with the table number...may the best guest get seconds.

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Tie-Dye Cupcake

I LOVE these cupcakes! Just looking at them makes me smile. They are playful and have fun written all over them.  Whether it's a kids birthday, a small celebration or a big retro party blowout, these cupcakes are versatile enough to serve up at most any occasion.  To make this colourful treat you'll need...

• Vanilla Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're subbing out the water for this one)
• Buttermilk (to replace the water)
• Assorted Gel Food Colouring (as many or as few colours as you'd like)
• Store Bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: This cupcake doesn't really need a garnish, but if you wanted to up the colour insanity you could always sprinkle rainbow coloured candies or chocolate chips

Now how to make them...

Step 1: Follow the direction of your Vanilla Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs and oil BUT replace the water it calls for with Buttermilk.  Mix together the batter until smooth.

Step 2: Here comes the COLOUR. Decide how many colours you want to include in your batter.  For simplicity, let's say you go with 6.  Take 6 medium-small sized bowls and divide out your batter evenly - or not...no one will know.  Add your selected Gel Food Colouring to each bowl and mix well.  Now you have 6 different colours of batter!


Step 3: Using a teaspoon,  spoon in a single colour of batter into your cupcake liner.  Alternate between all the colours until you've filled your cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full.  While you're filling each cupcake liner, try tipping the pan slightly as you add a colour so that the layers aren't lying flat on each other.  Bake as directed on the package.


Step 4: While your cupcakes are baking, why not whip up the vanilla icing. Mix together your Vanilla Icing and Butter on high until smooth.  Taste your icing and if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery add in some icing sugar.

Step 5:  To make your Tie-Die icing, you'll need a piping bag, tip of your choice (I used tip 1M - my favourite!), assorted Gel Food Colouring and a small paintbrush or long stick.  Take your piping bag and brush or scrape on a long stripe of Gel Food Colouring on the inside of the bag.  Alternate around the colouring around the inside of your bag until it looks like a multicolour peppermint wheel.  Carefully spoon in the icing trying not to mess up the sides - you'll touch the sides a bit but it's not a big deal.  Pipe the icing on as you normally would and it will come out rainbow streaked!

Happy Faking!

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Baby's First Fancy Cupcake #6

This past weekend I was lucky enough to meet HB and BB's newest addition to their family.  AB was two weeks early and definitely surprised his parents with his arrival having not finished his room.  He is SUPER sweet and I miss him already, but I left this Baby's First Fancy Cupcake behind.  Hopefully him and his parents will be in my neck of the woods to visit in the near future.  And if they do, maybe I'll make him my Tie-Dye Cupcake, if he's old enough that is.

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Tutti Fruity Cupcake

Here's a great summer recipe that will please kids and adults alike! Perfect for the patio party or Canada Day get together, this fruity cupcake is refreshing and fun!  To make this summer treat you'll need...

• White Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water)
• Frozen Fruit Punch Concentrate (you'll be replacing the amount of water it calls for...and you'll want it to be thawed too)
• Reg Gel food colouring (optional)
• Store bought White Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: fresh strawberry, fruit flavoured candy

Now for the recipe...

Step 1: First things first, you'll want to thaw your Fruit Punch Concentrate because it's pretty hard to mix it in frozen solid! Once it's thawed to a liquid, you can start making your batter.

Step 2: For the most part, follow the direction of your White Cake Mix - preheat your oven and add in your eggs and oil, but replace the water with your Fruit Punch Concentrate. If you'd like to make them a pink or deep pink colour, add some Red Gel food colouring. Mix the batter until it is smooth. 

Step 3: Spoon the batter into your cupcake liners and bake as directed on package. Once done, cool completely before icing

Step 4: On to the icing. Mix together your vanilla icing and butter on high until smooth.  Taste your icing and if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery add in some icing sugar. To ice them, you can use a piping bag or whatever icing method you prefer. To garnish your cupcake try topping them with a fresh strawberry or fruit flavoured candy..

Happy Faking!

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