STABBED CUPCAKES
8 oz. black fondant 2 tsp CMC powder
lustre dust ? silver
? vodka or lemon extract
24 red velvet cupcakes (see recipe below)
cheese icing (see recipe below) ? cream
1/2 cup piping gel
? red food colouring
1 tsp cornstarch, optional
Place the black fondant on a very lightly dusted surface.
Sprinkle the CMC powder over it and knead until all the powder is evenly blended into the fondant.
Roll the mixture to a half-inch thickness.
Use a craft knife to cut out small knives, a few at a time as fondant tends to set quickly and you need to add detail. Using the small end of a No. 2 or No. 3 icing tip, indent three rivets along the handle of each knife.
With a coffee stirrer, imprint a thinner, flatter area along the edge of the knife blades. Repeat until you have 24 knives. Let set in a cool place for one to two days.
Mix silver lustre dust with a little vodka or lemon extract to form a thick liquid. With a small paintbrush, paint the blade and rivets of hardened knives silver on one side.
Let dry, then paint other side. Dry completely.
Ice the cupcakes with cream cheese frosting using a No. 12 icing tip and a piping bag, and finishing each with a swirly peak.
Insert a knife into each of the iced cupcakes at a "just stabbed" angle.
Mix piping gel with a few drops of red food colouring. You can keep it translucent or add a sprinkle of cornstarch for a more opaque look. Place in a small piping bag and squeeze out a trickle of "blood" onto each cupcake at the base of the knife, so that it seeps away from the "wound."
Makes 24 cupcakes
Note: Find fondant, CMC powder and silver lustre dust at cake-decorating stores.
Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp red food colouring
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Mix in sour cream, milk, food colouring and vanilla extract.
Slowly beat in flour mixture on low speed until fully blended. Do not overmix.
Spoon batter into 24 paper-lined cupcake pans (use black cupcake liners for Halloween) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Cream cheese icing:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting, use an electric mixer to blend the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Mix in sifted sugar, a little at a time, until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy.
