Cupcake Cakes

photo courtesy: Bev (sugarbloom cupcakes)



Cupcake Cakes: What are they? Where do I get them? How do I make them?

Cupcake cakes are probably exactly what you are picturing. It's not a big cake in the shape of a cupcake (yes, that exists too but it isn't what we're talking about). Cupcake cakes are seen most of the times at special events and holidays, namely weddings and sweet sixteens and birthdays. A lot of bakeries also use cupcake cakes to display their cupcakes.

So, in case you still don't know, a cupcake cake is simply many things. Cupcakes placed on a cupcake stand in the shape of a cake can be a cupcake cake. Sometimes there will be a small cake on top of the stand, but more often than not cupcake cakes are really just cupcakes. Cupcake cakes are also cupcakes placed down in the shape of something to create a shape, such as a snake, or numbers.

If you would like to know how to make cupcake cakes, here are some tips that are sure to help you out. As your base for your cupcake cakes, you should always use a cake board, or some kind of cardboard, wrapped in foil. This will make it easier to move your cupcake cakes, otherwise you'll have cupcakes falling all over the place.

Before you begin making your cupcake cakes, it would probably be wise to take a moment and decide what exactly it is you are doing. Map it out. Get a sketch book and sketch! Do the math, take measurements, make sure you have the right tools. While making cupcake cakes isn't brain surgery, it will be a lot easier if you know what you're doing before you do it.

My last piece of advice is to leave the cupcakes in the cupcake liners. While this may seem contradictory to the idea of a cake, your cupcake cake will have better presentation if you leave them in the liners. Also, to keep the cupcakes in place, it helps to put a little dollop of frosting beneath each one. It will make your cupcake cakes stable and magnificent!

With cupcake cakes, there really is no right and wrong way to go about doing things. Get creative and make it your own. As far as frosting the cupcake cakes go, there are many ways to do that, too. First you must decide whether or not you want your cupcake cakes to look like cupcakes, or to look like a cake. I prefer the cupcakes, but whatever floats your boat! The trick to frosting your cupcake cakes is to treat it how you want it to turn out. If you want each individual cupcake to stand out on its own, then decorate each one separately. But if you want the cupcake cake to appear as though it is one cake, treat it as a whole and don't think about each cupcake separately. Again it would be wise to map out the frosting and decorations for your cupcake cakes, especially if you want them to look more like cakes.

You may be wondering what the advantages are to having cupcake cakes over a regular cake. Well, I'll tell you. First of all, cakes are boring. We've seen them before and we want something different! Cupcake cakes are cute and unique and add a nice twist to the celebration. Another advantage of cupcake cakes is portion control. No worrying about cutting pieces of the cake and making sure they're the right size. Cupcakes are a no hassle kind of dessert.

So sit back and enjoy your cupcake cakes and come back soon for more recipes and cupcake ideas!

Cupcake Stands

photo credit: slimmer jimmer

Cupcake stands are the perfect way to display your cupcakes. Whether you are baking them yourself or buying cupcakes, a cupcake stand is an elegant and fun way to layout your cupcakes.
Cupcake stands come in all sizes, so you can use them for a big event like a wedding, or a smaller event like a birthday.
For a wedding cupcake stand, it is customary to buy a tiered cupcake stand and have the caterer replace cupcakes as they are taken off and eaten. I'm going to review a few different kinds of cupcake stands so you get an idea of differences, where to buy them, and what's appropriate for which occasion.

The most popular brand of cupcake stands is Wilton. The Wilton cupcake stand comes in many different sizes and styles. The variety that Wilton offers is one of the reasons that their cupcake stands are so popular. The Wilton cupcake stand is also extremely durable. They're very good quality and are sure to last you a long time. A lot of the Wilton cupcake stands are very simple, thus very versatile. You can find an excellent selection of their cupcake stands on amazon, and in stores throughout the US and in Canada.




There are a few brands that make cupcake stands made out of Styrofoam. I would strongly urge you not to buy one of these. Not only is styrofoam a flimsy and ugly material that might not hold your cupcakes if they are heavy, it is also extremely unsustainable and bad for mother earth. We can definitely stay away from these cupcake stands. Brands include Bakery Crafts and Deco.

If you are not satisfied by a Wilton cupcake stand, I would recommend you try out Pronto, which has a great selection as does NexTag. You can also try out a Good Cook cupcake stand. They are very sturdy and made extremely well to last you a long time. They cost around the same as a Wilton, so it really comes down to a matter of taste. They also make a cupcake stand that will collapse to allow for easy storage and that is extremely handy!

Cupcake stands come in a few different materials. Most commonly you will see Glass, plastic, wire, and styrofoam. Occasionally you will find a porcelain or ceramic cupcake stand. The best material for a cupcake stand, in my opinion, is glass. It's so easy to clean cupcake crumbs and dried frosting off of a glass cupcake stand and it's a versatile yet decorative material. Styrofoam comes in last place. A lot of people buy wire cupcake stands and these are very attractive, but I do have a few issues with them. They're not easy to clean and occasionally, if you buy a cheap one, it might start rusting and you wouldn't want a rusty cupcake stand.

Most good quality cupcake stands will run you anywere between $15-$70. The price varies depending mostly on the brand and the amount of cupcakes the cupcake stand holds. Anything under $10 is probably not resuable and poor quality so I would suggest going with something that will last. If you have a tiered cake stand and don't want to buy a cupcake stand, you can definitely use a tiered cake stand to display your cupcakes. You can always find the perfect cupcake stand for any occasion, whether it's the 4th of July, your 40th Birthday, or just for fun.

Good luck finding the cupcake stand that is right for you and come back soon for all of your cupcake recipe needs!

Cupcake Liners

I recently discovered cupcake liners are now coming in reusable silicone. I know this is good for the environment and all, but there's something about the good old fashioned paper cupcake liners that I really love. I remember as a kid peeling the cupcake liners off the cupcakes and scraping down their sides, making sure I ingest every cupcake crumb, no survivors.
And paper cupcake liners can be recycled!
Another great thing about disposable cupcake liners is that you can buy them themed. They come in all different varieties, there are Christmas cupcake liners and Hanukkah ones, there are Halloween liners and birthday cupcake liners. Plus I like the way they form to the cupcake. They become the cupcake.

I know this may sound silly, but eating cupcakes is an experience and is not to be taken lightly. It actually makes people happy, and I think part of it is peeling away those cupcake liners. You can get them in pink, blue and yellow and white. I'm not talking about the foil cupcake liners, I'm talking about the the paper ones!

I'm pretty sure whole foods even sells them made from recycled paper. All I'm saying is this: new kitchen gadgets are good. But cupcake liners are just too traditional. You can't replace them. I just love seeing a table full of used cupcake liners and happy, smiling people.

I know in the midst of the earth's current situation maybe I'm being a little bit too nostalgic about my baked goods, but I'm speaking from the heart. I love cupcake liners and I'm not afraid to admit it. The cupcake papers that make my mouth water and my feet tingle. Yes, I have a crazy physical reaction to all things having to do with baked goods. I just found out about the silicone liners and I was taken aback and here I am venting about my love for paper cupcake liners. Maybe I'm over reacting (probably) but I really do love 'em. Three cheers for cupcake liners.

What are your thoughts on the whole cupcake liners situation?

Cupcake Pans and Other Cupcake Tools

photo credit: www.hankuan.com.tw


We are almost ready to start making cupcakes. But first, I want to talk a little about the non-ingredients of cupcake recipes. Cupcake pans and other tools you will need to start making your perfect cupcakes.

Cupcake pans are more commonly referred to as muffin pans, so if you have your muffin pan, don't worry it's the same thing!
There are 2 main different kinds of cupcake pans. There is aluminum cupcake pan and then there is the increasingly popular silicone pan (silicone muffin pan).

The silicone cupcake pan is becoming more and more popular since it makes cupcake clean up easier and it's also easier to get cupcakes out of a silicone cupcake pan than it is an aluminum one. I still use aluminum. I've been in the cupcake baking business for decades and I like tradition. But I would recommend, especially if you're not quite a seasoned baker yet, the silicone cupcake pan as it will be easier for you to use and create less fuss. Both aluminum and silicone cupcake pans come in an array of shapes, sizes, colors and amounts. You can get a silicone cupcake tray for up to 36 cupcakes. I think the smallest amount is 6, but and generally increases from there in increments of three. Silicone cupcake trays come most commonly in red and blue, but I've seen them on occasion in pink and purple and yellow. Colored kitchen tools are just more fun to use! I myself prefer using pink kitchen gadgets.
You can get mini silicone cupcake pans or regular size silicone cupcake pans. The same goes for aluminum cupcake pans. If you are using the aluminum variety, make sure you use a generous amount of non stick spray or butter (I prefer butter but non stick spray is healthier). You can also use a little non stick for silicone cupcake pans. It won't hurt! It will only make things that much easier.
Silicone cupcake pans also come in a variety of shapes. The most standard - the cupcake shape (or muffin shape). I've also seen silicone cupcake pans in the shape of hearts, pumpkins, stars and a few other things. If you're desperate for a specific shape and you can't find a silicone cupcake pan in that shape, you can always custom order it!

Now that you have your silicone cupcake tray ready to go, here are a few other things that you will need to complete your cupcake recipe.

You will need two mixing bowls. One for wet and one for dry. You will need a mixer (handheld electric will do). Measuring cups and a pyrex (a glass measuring cup). Measuring spoons. A clean workspace. Clean hands.

To make the cupcake frosting you will need:
Mixing Bowl. A standup mixer is preferable for the frosting but if you don't have one a handheld will do just fine.
A long flat metal spatula to mix the frosting and to frost the cupcakes! That's it!
I will have a whole section of frosting cupcakes which is also something that you need to practice to get right.

No you're ready to make your cupcakes! Take out that silicone cupcake pan and get ready!

Cupcake Recipes

image courtesy of clever cupcakes


For years and years I tried to find the best cupcakes in all the world. Ambitious, yes, but wholly worth my time. I've loved cupcakes since I was a little girl. It came as no surprise to anyone that when I grew up I became a baker - a cupcake baker. Yes, it is true. I work in a cupcake bakery. I won't mention it's name, but it's definitely got a reputation and competes for the title of best cupcakes in New York City. I'm not here to spill the bakeries secrets (okay, maybe a few), I'm here to spill my own cupcake secrets. Over the years I have perfected the art of baking cupcakes. Chocolate, vanilla, red velvet cupcakes. The list goes on. Frostings from butter, chocolate, cream cheese, to boiled vanilla. This is the resource for all you cupcake needs. You won't be left in the dark. Every week I will give you at least one cupcake recipe, maybe more. If you have any requests for any kind of cupcake just go ahead and ask! If you aren't a fan of my cupcake recipes, there are other places that have excellent cupcake recipes. Ivillage has excellent recipes, as does nibbledish. Good luck!

You will find the best cupcake recipes here, coming from someone who has dedicated her life to those mini cakes me all love so much!