Martha Stewart’s
cupcakes 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone’s Favorite Treat From the Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Photographs by Con Poulos and others
Clarkson Potter/Publishers New York
introduction page 16 cupcakes f or any day 18
swirled sprinkled 20
page
and
chocolate chip cupcakes 22 carrot cupcakes
devil’s food cupcakes 34
25
yellow-buttermilk cupcakes 26 coconut cupcakes
29
red velvet cupcakes 3 0 rhubarb cupcakes with whipped cream
contents
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. contents
33
chocolate malted cupcakes 37 tiramisu cupcakes
38
mocha cupcakes
47
tres leches cupcakes 48
date-nut mini cupcakes
51
banana-pecan cupcakes 41
ginger and molasses cupcakes 52
blueberries-andcream cupcakes 42
applesauce-spice cupcakes 5 5
zucchini-spice cupcakes 4 4
peanut butter and jelly cupcakes 56
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Fourth of July Cupcakes
Tiny blue buttercream stars and red-licorice stripes create a patriotic batch of grand old cupcakes to celebrate Independence Day. Festive cupcake liners carry out the theme; look for similar ones at TK. makes 24 24 Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes page 26
+ Swiss Meringue Buttercream page 304
+
1. Tint
1 cup buttercream blue with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (Ateco #4). Using an offset spatula, spread each cupcake with a smooth layer of untinted buttercream. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before decorating. 2. To finish, cut licorice laces into seventy-two 1A-inch-long pieces and
s eventy-two C-inch-long pieces. Arrange three longer pieces and three shorter pieces to form a flag pattern on each cupcake. With blue frosting, pipe nine dots in the open corner on each cupcake for stars.
Blue gel-paste food color
+ 1
226
small bag (about 5 ounces) red licorice laces
. special days: holidays
special days: holidays
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Creepcakes
For Halloween, create silly and scary-looking faces with green and yellow buttercream, candy, marshmallows, and, of course, cupcakes. Decorating the cakes is a great activity for kids and parents to do together: Simply lay out a number of candies and frosted cupcakes and let everyone create his or her own aliens, monsters, and beasts. makes 24
24 standard and mini cupcakes
+
Swiss Meringue Buttercream page 304
+ Leaf-green, lemon-yellow, forest-green, and black gel-paste food colors
1. Tint
buttercream desired color with gel-paste food color. For the bright green used on some of the cupcakes (opposite), use a mixture of leaf-green and lemon-yellow. Use forest-green for others. Mix a small amount of black into the buttercream to create gray frosting (used for a few of the creatures on page 231). Leave some buttercream untinted, if desired. 2. Make the candy features as shown on page 230. Using an offset spatula,
spread cupcakes with plain or tinted buttercreams, as desired. To create some of aliens (opposite), use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to slice off the top of the cupcake, then spread buttercream generously over bottom part and replace tops (unfrosted). 3. To finish, attach candy features to frosted (or filled) cupcakes. Cupcakes
are best eaten the day they are decorated; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.
Assorted candies 1/2
228
cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted (optional; page 323)
. special days: holidays
special days: holidays
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Meringue Bouquet Cupcakes
Any bride would blush to such fanciful cupcakes on her special day: The exquisite bakes meringue bouquets are lovely to look at, and their crip, delicate texture makes them a delight to eat. Bakers, too, will relish making the meringue “flowers,” which are first piped onto parchment-lined baking sheets, then baked until firm and dry. makes 24
24 White Cupcakes page 154
+ Swiss Meringue page 317
+ Seven-Minute Frosting page 303
Preheat oven to 175°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer Swiss meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a coupler. Pipe flowers and other shapes, such as shells and stars, on lined baking sheets, using different tips to create a variety of shapes and sizes (shown, from left to right): a multi-opening tip to pipe drop flowers; two leaf tips for daisy petals and leaves; a three-opening 1.
tip for piping plumes; two plain tips for five-petal flowers; a fluted shell tip for traditional shells; and a medium open-star tip for more drop flowers. You will need about 16 shapes for each cupcake, depending on their size. Bake until meringue does not take on any color, at least 30 minutes. Transfer shapes on parchment to a wire rack to cool. 2. To
finish, spoon a mound of frosting on a cupcake, and spread into a dome with an offset spatula into a dome shape. Working quickly (before frosting sets), arrange the baked shapes onto cupcake as desired, gently pressing them into frosting to adhere. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature. m e r i n g u e h o w-to Here are the tips used to create the corresponding shapes; use other tips— and your imagination—to produce your own designs. Prepare the Swiss meringue just before you plan to pipe the flowers, as it can turn grainy quickly.
piping shapes with tips 26 4
. special days: celebrations
special days: Birthdays
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