Winter Fantasy Poinsettia Cupcakes Recipes

WINTER FANTASY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost cupcakes, reserving some frosting for decorating as desired., For snowmen cupcakes: Dip the top of each cupcake in coarse sugar; gently shake off excess sugar. For stovepipe hats, microwave chocolate wafers for a few seconds to slightly soften as needed. Use a serrated knife to cut two narrow strips from opposite sides of each wafer. (Large center piece will form crown of hat; one strip will form the brim.), Add chips and mini chips to cupcake to form eyes and mouth. Cut a small piece of orange slice to form the nose. , Stick brim of hat, rounded side up, into top of cupcake; insert hat crown into the top edge. Secure with additional frosting. Color frosting if desired; place in a resealable plastic bag. Cut a small hole in corner of bag. Pipe a decorative hat band; add dragees and sprinkles if desired. Sprinkle cupcakes with glitter if desired.,

POINSETTIA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C and place cupcake liners in baking pans.
• Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 1/2 tsp baking powder into a large bowl and gently combine with a large spoon or whisk.
• In a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 large egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp of peppermint extract, and 1 squirt of red gel food coloring (optional). Whisk together until the ingredients are combined.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir together until just combined.
• Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. If you want to accelerate the cooling process, pop the pan into the freezer for about 30 minutes.
• Beat 1 cup of room-temperature butter on a high speed for 30 seconds with a whisk attachment until smooth and lighter in color.
• Mix in 2 tsp vanilla extract on a low speed. Slowly mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add 1/3 cup of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
• Mix on low for a couple minutes until the ingredients are combined and the desired consistency is reached.
• If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
• Color 2/3 cup of frosting red with gel food coloring and place in a small piping bag fit with a small leaf tip.
• Color 1/2 cup of frosting green with gel food coloring and place in a small piping bag fit with a small leaf tip.
• Color 1/4 cup of frosting yellow with gel food coloring and place in a small piping bag fit with a small round piping tip.
• Place the remaining uncolored frosting in a large piping bag fit with a round frosting tip.
• Cover the top of each cupcake with the white frosting, then pipe a poinsettia on top. Pipe 5 green leaves first around the outer portion of the cupcake, followed by two rows of red petals (5 petals per layer). Fill in the center with small dots of yellow frosting.

POINSETTIAS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Combine the butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla; increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk as desired. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature and mix on medium-high until smooth.
• Put 1/3 of the frosting into a medium bowl and the remaining 2/3 into a second bowl. Color the smaller amount of frosting with the green food coloring and stir to combine. Color the larger amount of frosting with 5 to 10 drops of red food coloring - until a dark red color is achieved. Transfer the green buttercream to a disposable piping bag fitted with a #63 leaf piping tip. Transfer the red buttercream to a disposable piping bag fitted with a #366 leaf piping tip.
• Pipe a dollop of red buttercream on the tops of each cupcake and smooth with a small offset spatula to cover the tops.
• Pipe red buttercream on top of each cupcake creating petals in a star shape. Pipe a second star shape pattern on top of the first but offset the points so they are in between the first layer of petals. Pipe the green frosting with the flat side of the piping tip facing towards the cupcake and make leaves in between each of the bottom layer of petals. Pipe a cross shape with the red frosting in the center of the flowers. Sprinkle the centers with silver dragees.

POINSETTIA CUPCAKE WREATH

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Grease and flour muffin cups or spray with baking spray with flour. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/ teaspoon salt; set aside
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about one-third of mixture at a time, and milk, half at a time, beating just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until two-thirds full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter and the shortening with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/8 teaspoon salt. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, scraping down side of bowl occasionally. Add 2 tablespoons milk; beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Frost cupcakes.
• In small microwave bowl, microwave 2 candies uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until warm enough to be pliable. Cut candies in half. Form each half into flower petal, 1 1/4 inches long. Use toothpick or paring knife to make marks on petals to look line veins. Repeat with remaining candies.
• On each cupcakes arrange 5 candy petals in shape of poinsettia. Using leaf tip, pipe green icing between some of the petals for leaves. Using round tip and yellow icings, pipe dots in center of petals for stamen. To form wreath, arrange 12 cupcakes in circle on serving platter. Serve remaining cupcakes on another platter.

WINTER FANTASY SNOWFLAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost cupcakes, reserving some frosting for decorating as desired., For snowflake cupcakes: Place clear decorating sugar in a small shallow bowl; roll top edge of each cupcake in sugar to form a decorative rim. Set aside., With a pencil and paper, draw assorted snowflake designs. Cut into individual patterns. Melt candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl; stir until smooth. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in corner of bag. Place waxed paper over the drawings and pipe candy coating over designs. Sprinkle with blue decorating sugar and edible glitter. Refrigerate until set., Gently lift candy flakes from waxed paper; arrange snowflakes on cupcakes. Sprinkle with additional edible glitter.