Basically, I wanted an excuse to make cupcakes with Snowflakes on top. I made 12 vanilla (Obsessed with Baking) and 12 chocolate cupcakes (Yummy Mummy). For the frosting, I made a Vanilla Butter cream and split it in half. I added 1/4 unsweetened cocoa powder to one half to make it chocolatey. The other half, I added 2 drops of blue food coloring for fun.
Snowflakes:1 bag white chocolate chips
1 cookie sheet
wax paper
Snowflake clip art tracing sheets or just wing it
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Let cool, but not harden. Pour into a a pastry/ziplock bag with a small (#4) tip. Place snowflake clip art under wax paper on a cookie sheet. Pipe white chocolate over each snowflake. Let harden in refrigerator.
Optional: dust with edible pearl dust (available at craft stores) or sprinkle with the regular decorating sparkles from the grocery store while wet. Photo taken from Yummy Mummy- I did not use stencils.
Vanilla Cupcakes6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons
Preheat over to 350 degrees and line 12 cupcake tins.
In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
In a separate bowl,cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time making sure it's well incorporated. Beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk. Do not over beat.
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes.
Chocolate Cupcakes1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers. Set aside.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda.
In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate, mixing until well incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla. Do not over beat. Fill liners about three-quarters full.
Bake for 20–25 minutes.
Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
(+ 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder)
(Blue food coloring)
Cream butter and sugar; blend in milk and vanilla. If you want straight buttercream- stop here. If you want to a chocolate twist, add 1/2 cup cocoa power. If you want blue frosting, add food coloring to the desired shade. If you want both (like I did), split the frosting in half. In one half, add the 1/4 cup cocoa powder. In the other, add the food coloring. Add to frosting bag and pipe on top! I used about a 1/2 inch cut in a ziplock bag.
