Friday 20 July 2012

Cupcaking Competitions!!

Just returned from an amazing trip to Estonia, where we met some long lost relatives! Sadly I’ve not got a trip to NYC planned next as I didn’t win the Dr Oetker Cupcake Challenge!!!!!!!!!!! Realistically I knew I wasn’t in with a shot but it was fun to come up with some ideas for original cupcakes!!!



My favourite one to create and make was the Tea for Two. I even handpainted the pattern in my fave purple colour!!! The whole thing is completely edible (and tasty too!!).





These are very simple to make, Here’s how I did it;

Step 1 Bake or buy some cupcakes!!

Step 2 Take some ready roll icing (of course I use the Dr Oetker variety!!!) and roll out thinly. Gently drape the icing over an upturned glass, covered in cling-film, and trim with a sharp knife. Leave to harden. These will form the cups!





Step 3. Run across the road and borrow some plastic Barbie saucers from your 6 year old neighbour and use to mould the edible saucers, just like you did with the cups!





Step 4. Next roll out some ready-roll icing in your hands to make a small flat sausage for the handles. Using your cups as a guide curve the handle so they will sit happily on the cups. Leave to harden again!!



Step 5. Using edible glue, attach the handles to the tea-cups and leave to dry. You may need to support the handles with some sponges cut to size. When dried pop the cups and saucers off their moulds. Wash and return the Barbie saucers to generous neighour!!





Step 6. Pick your colours for the pattern on the tea-cups. In a paint palette add a few drops of water and a few drops of the chosen colouring to each paint grove and mix. Note; I use gel icing colourings as I think the colours work better, but liqud food colouring will work just as well, just use straight from the bottle, no need to dilute!!!! Sit down, pour yourself an actual cup of tea and get arty!!! Paint your pattern straight onto the tea-cup, using a cotton bud if needed to mop up any drips!! Leave to dry!






Step 7. Place a cupcake in the tea-cup and decide on your topping!! I used a chocolate cream, made by whipping together double cream and melted chocolate, but traditional ganache would look great too. I chose the whipped cream as I felt it would be lighter and not put too much pressure on the fragile tea-cups!!





Step 8. Finally display your fabulous creations on a tea tray with a mini version of your fave biscuit (Mine is dark chocolate caramel digestives, but sadly all we had were jammie dodgers  ) and an edible flower created in cake decorating class!!!! Photograph to your hearts content!!!!





Step 9. Devour with a real cuppa while watching ‘Revenge!’





Hope you enjoy my Tea for Two!! I thought it was an original idea but since the comp have been googling teacup cupcakes loads and discovered that others did get there first....... Oh well there’s always next year!!!



Here are my other entries, which failed to make the grade, but which entertained me for hours so himself could watch the Euros!!!!!


A bite out of th Big Apple (from the Hello Cupcake series of books!)

Up, Cake and Away!! (Modelled by Dylan!! My first attempt at basket weaving icing!! The balloon bit is Dr. Oetker mini marshmallows melted with rice crispies and shaped into a balloon!)


Fairy Cake of New York! The wings are made from Dr. Oetker edible paper. Her skirt is an up-side down cupcake and the rest is Dr Oetker Ready-to-roll icing, and their edible stars!!
Think I may have entered some others too, Will hunt down the rest of the pics!! Have a great weekend!!

xXx