dots using the no. 2 tube around the outside of the cameo. Once these have dried pipe small dots between the large ones using the no. 1 tube.
5 Once dry, paint over the golden brown paste with edible gold lustre dust mixed with clear spirit.
decorating the cupcakes
6 Add a layer of buttercream or ganache to the cakes.
7 Knead the cream modelling paste to warm and roll out between the spacers. Cut the paste into 4cm (11⁄2in) wide strips.
8 Cut two 12.5cm (5in) lengths. Fold each length in half and gather both ends together to make a bow. Arrange both loops on top of a cupcake.
9 Cut two 10cm (4in) lengths of the cream paste. Cut one end of each at an angle and gather the other for use as the tails. Position on the cake. Cut a short length, pleat it and then tuck around the centre of the bow, to neaten.
10 Attach the prepared cameo to the bow, using royal icing to keep it in place.
afternoon tea
These cupcakes are quick and easy to make, so are ideal if you have to make large quantities. Try experimenting with the design by using different cases and topping with a complementary colour to change the look.
you will need
cupcakes baked in Swedish violet paper cases
buttercream of your choice
piping bag, coupler and tubes: petal (57R PME), round (4 PME),
purple sugarpaste
1 Place the coupler into a large piping bag and attach the petal tube, then half fill with buttercream.
2 Starting at the centre of a cupcake, hold the bag so that the thick section of the tube is pointing inwards and the thin section outwards. Start squeezing the bag and draw it out towards the side of the cake and then back into the centre.
3 Repeat, using even pressure for each petal and turning the cupcake in your hand as you pipe.
4 Add a second layer, making the petals shorter.
5 Once you have piped all your cupcakes, roll marbled sized balls of purple sugarpaste and place into the centre of your flowers.
6 Change the tube in the coupler and pipe a circle of small dots around the centre of the flower to complete.
zen garden
The Chinese symbol for happiness, which adorns the top of this elegant cupcake, also means ‘blessing’ or ‘good fortune’.
you will need
cupcakes baked in black paper cases
ganache or buttercream
5mm ( 3 ⁄ 16 in) spacers
pastillage: red
modelling paste: white, dark pink, light pink, yellow and green
sugar shaper
chinese happiness character cutter (LC)
foam pad
daisies (x 2 per cake) and white blossom flowers (x 2 per cake)
leaves
sugar glue
If the paste does not come out of the sugar shaper easily it means that the paste is still too hard. Remove and re-soften.
1 Thinly roll out the pastillage and cut out the happiness characters. Using a palette knife, lift them onto the foam pad to dry.
2 Add a thin layer of buttercream or ganache to the cupcakes.
3 Soften some of the light pink modelling paste and place in the sugar shaper together with the small mesh disc. Squeeze out approximately 8cm (3in) of paste. Place in a curve on top of a cupcake to form the first section of the tassel. Squeeze out more lengths and build up the height.
4 Take a shorter section and wrap around the top of the tassel as the binding. Change the disc in the sugar shaper to the large rope and squeeze out a length. Attach this to the top of the tassel, and coil it around inside the curve to give height to the centre of the cupcake.
5 Insert the pastillage characters into the soft paste of the tassels, securing with sugar glue.
6 Add leaves and flowers, securing with sugar glue.
card trick
These card deck-themed cupcakes are guaranteed to be trumps with anyone. They are the ideal cake to make with children for Father’s Day, or perhaps for a grandpa’s birthday.
you will need
cupcakes baked in red foil cases
complementary flavour of syrup, alcohol, buttercream or ganache
sugarpaste: white
5mm ( 3 ⁄ 16 in) spacers
cutters: circle to fit the top of your cupcakes, card suit cutters (LC)
playing
5 Once dry, paint over the golden brown paste with edible gold lustre dust mixed with clear spirit.
decorating the cupcakes
6 Add a layer of buttercream or ganache to the cakes.
7 Knead the cream modelling paste to warm and roll out between the spacers. Cut the paste into 4cm (11⁄2in) wide strips.
8 Cut two 12.5cm (5in) lengths. Fold each length in half and gather both ends together to make a bow. Arrange both loops on top of a cupcake.
9 Cut two 10cm (4in) lengths of the cream paste. Cut one end of each at an angle and gather the other for use as the tails. Position on the cake. Cut a short length, pleat it and then tuck around the centre of the bow, to neaten.
10 Attach the prepared cameo to the bow, using royal icing to keep it in place.
afternoon tea
These cupcakes are quick and easy to make, so are ideal if you have to make large quantities. Try experimenting with the design by using different cases and topping with a complementary colour to change the look.
you will need
cupcakes baked in Swedish violet paper cases
buttercream of your choice
piping bag, coupler and tubes: petal (57R PME), round (4 PME),
purple sugarpaste
1 Place the coupler into a large piping bag and attach the petal tube, then half fill with buttercream.
2 Starting at the centre of a cupcake, hold the bag so that the thick section of the tube is pointing inwards and the thin section outwards. Start squeezing the bag and draw it out towards the side of the cake and then back into the centre.
3 Repeat, using even pressure for each petal and turning the cupcake in your hand as you pipe.
4 Add a second layer, making the petals shorter.
5 Once you have piped all your cupcakes, roll marbled sized balls of purple sugarpaste and place into the centre of your flowers.
6 Change the tube in the coupler and pipe a circle of small dots around the centre of the flower to complete.
zen garden
The Chinese symbol for happiness, which adorns the top of this elegant cupcake, also means ‘blessing’ or ‘good fortune’.
you will need
cupcakes baked in black paper cases
ganache or buttercream
5mm ( 3 ⁄ 16 in) spacers
pastillage: red
modelling paste: white, dark pink, light pink, yellow and green
sugar shaper
chinese happiness character cutter (LC)
foam pad
daisies (x 2 per cake) and white blossom flowers (x 2 per cake)
leaves
sugar glue
If the paste does not come out of the sugar shaper easily it means that the paste is still too hard. Remove and re-soften.
1 Thinly roll out the pastillage and cut out the happiness characters. Using a palette knife, lift them onto the foam pad to dry.
2 Add a thin layer of buttercream or ganache to the cupcakes.
3 Soften some of the light pink modelling paste and place in the sugar shaper together with the small mesh disc. Squeeze out approximately 8cm (3in) of paste. Place in a curve on top of a cupcake to form the first section of the tassel. Squeeze out more lengths and build up the height.
4 Take a shorter section and wrap around the top of the tassel as the binding. Change the disc in the sugar shaper to the large rope and squeeze out a length. Attach this to the top of the tassel, and coil it around inside the curve to give height to the centre of the cupcake.
5 Insert the pastillage characters into the soft paste of the tassels, securing with sugar glue.
6 Add leaves and flowers, securing with sugar glue.
card trick
These card deck-themed cupcakes are guaranteed to be trumps with anyone. They are the ideal cake to make with children for Father’s Day, or perhaps for a grandpa’s birthday.
you will need
cupcakes baked in red foil cases
complementary flavour of syrup, alcohol, buttercream or ganache
sugarpaste: white
5mm ( 3 ⁄ 16 in) spacers
cutters: circle to fit the top of your cupcakes, card suit cutters (LC)
playing
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