Gourmet Cupcakes Made Simple
Cupcake decorating can seem intimidating. It can seem fussy. But when you do it right, it can be a ton of fun, and the ultimate in creativity.
On "The Early Show" Monday, Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, the authors of "What's New, Cupcake?" showed how, with a few simple tools and ingenuity, you can make captivatingly creative cupcakes that will wow your family and friends.
RECIPES:
Chinese Take Out Lo Mein
The kids will love to make the broccoli for these cupcakes, green fruit chews with green frosting and non pareils on a pile of low mein noodles made of frosting squeezed from a ziplock bag. You can serve with fried rice cupcakes on the side.
DEMO:
LO MEIN
6 Vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
6-8 green fruit chews (Jolly Rancher or Laffy Taffy)
3 pink fruit chews (Jolly Rancher, Laggy Taffy or starburst)
1 1/2 cups of vanillla frosting
Green and yellow food coloring.
1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey's)
1/2 cups of dark green sprinkles (round small balls are best)
1 strand of green licorice twist (Twizzler's Rainbow Twists) thinly sliced diagonally
Large Chinese Food take out containers (optional)
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. For the broccoli stems, make a lengthwise slit halfway down the center of each green fruit chew and open slightly. Place the stems on the prepared cookie sheet. Microwave the pink fruit chews for 2 to 3 seconds to soften. Press the pink fruit chews together and roll out into a 2 by 3 inch rectangle about 1/8 inches thick. For the pork slivers, cut the flattened fruit chew rectangle crosswise into 1/8 inch wide strips.
Tint 1/2 cup of vanilla frosting bright green with green food coloring, spoon the frosting into a ziplock bag, press out the excess air and seal. Tint 2 teaspoons of the remaining vanilla frosting with the 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of water and mix to make a smooth brown paste. Tint the remaining frosting light brown with one drop of yellow food coloring and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder. Spread the darker brown paste down the side of a ziplock bag and then fill in with the light brown forsting. Press out the excess air and seal.
Place the green sprinkles in a small bowl. Snip a small (about 1/8 inch) corner from the bag with the green frosting. For the broccoli florets, pipe mounds of the frosting on the tips of the split ends of the green fruit chews on the cookie sheet. Holding the broccoli by the stem, press the frosted end lightly into the sprinkles to cover completely and return to the cookie sheet.
Snip a small (about 1/8 inch) corner from the bag with the brown frosting. To make the lo mein noodles, pipe the frosting in an irregular pattern all over the cupcakes, piling it high and letting it hang over the edges (the darker brown frosting will look like soy sauce). Arrange pink fruit chew slivers randomly on top of the cupcakes. Add one of two pieces of broccoli on top. For scallions, scatter a few green licorice slices on the top of the cupcakes.
To get the full effect, carefully place the cupcakes in a Chinese Food takeout container if using.
FRIED RICE CUPCAKES
6 Vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
2 tablespoons small slight green jelly beans (Jelly Belly)
4 orange fruit chews (Tootsie Fruit Rolls)
3 yellow fruit chews (Tootsie Fruit Rolls, Starburst)
1 1/4 cups puffed rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
1 1/4 cups of canned vanilla frosting
1/4 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder
2 strands of green licorice twists (Twizzlers Rainbow Twists) thinly sliced diagonally)
2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce (optional)
For the peas, cut the green jelly beans in half crosswise with a small knife or clean scissors. For the carrots, cut the orange fruit chews in 1/4 inch cubes. For the scrambled egg, cut the yellow fruit chews into small strips and pinch to soften the sharp edges. For the rice, place the rice cereal in a medium bowl.
Tint the vanilla frosting beige with the cocoa powder. Spread the tops of the cupcakes with a thin layer of frosting; use about 1/2 cup of the frosting. Heat the remaining 3/4 cup of frosting in small microwavable bowl in the microwave until it has the texture of lightly whipped cream, about 15 seconds. Pour the heated frosting over the cereal, tossing to coat evenly. Reserve a few of the cut jelly beans and fruit chews for finishing and toss the rest with the cereal mixture. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cereal mixture on top of each frosted cupcake, pressing down to secure. Arrange the reserved candy pieces on top of the cupcakes. For scallions, scatter a few licorice pieces on top.
Carefully place the cupcakes in a large Chinese takeout container, if using. For the soy sauce, pour the chocolate sauce into a small dish if desired.
FORTUNE COOKIE CUPCAKES
24 mini chocolate cupcakes baked in white paper liners
1 can (16 ounces) of vanilla frosting
48 caramels (Kraft) unwrapped
24 3/8 by 2 1/2 inch slips of paper with printed fortunes (make your own on computer or write them by hand and cut them down to size)
Orange candy fruit slices (optional)
Spread the tops of the cupcakes with vanilla icing and smooth.
For the cookies, mircrowave several caramels at a time for 2 to 3 seconds to soften slightly. Press 2 caramels together and roll out to an approximately 3 inch round. Cut out a 3 inch circle using clean scissors, a cookie cutter, or the rim of a glass. Repeat with the remaining caramels. Place a paper message down the center of a ceramic circle, allowing it to overhand on one side. Fold the opposite sides of the round up over the message to enclose it in a half moon shape. Bring the ends together to make a fortune cookie shape.
Place the caramel fortune cookies on the top of the cupcakes, pressing down lightly to adhere and place the orange candy fruit slices on the side if using.