These ruffle cupcakes don’t take a lot of time to decorate once you have your frosting made and piping bags filled. I couldn’t quite make up my mind if I should go with uniformity or variety, and, being as fickle minded as I am, opted for the latter. The flavors weren’t exceptional; it was a standard yellow cake recipe and buttercream frosting. Actually, the yellow cake recipe I used here wasn’t my favorite, as it bordered on the dry side. It was a recipe that was printed on a label that you peel off of a baking pan. But if there was anything positive I gleaned out of this project, it was that tip 104 is very versatile and does more than piping roses it is typically used for.
To make a flower, hold the cupcake on your left hand, and using a piping bag with tip 104 in your right hand with the narrow end facing out, pipe frosting with an in and out motion starting at the outer edge of the cupcake. Continue with another row until you have a small unfrosted circle in the center. Then with any star tip, using a different color frosting, swirl more frosting in the center.
I won’t include the yellow cake recipe here as it wasn’t really my favorite, but the buttercream frosting is pretty much standard.
The ruffles were made also with that multi-tasker of a tip 104. Start at the bottom, pipe the icing with a slightl up and down motion. If desired, you can alternate each row with a different color frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) butter at room temperature
14 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons powdered egg whites (optional)
One 2 pound bag powdered sugar
Directions:
- With a flat blade, cream the butter until smooth and creamy
- On low speed, add the milk a teaspoon at a time followed by the vanilla. Beat well until fully incorporated
- Still on low speed, add the dry ingredients gradually and mix well
- Beat on medium speed for 1 -2 minutes
- If the icing is too stiff add a teaspoon of milk, if it is too soft add some more powdered sugar
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days and in the refrigerator for up to a week
