Easter Cupcakes!

So before I begin to describe my tastefully experience let me point out a few MAJOR things about baking in general:

1. What you "copy" from the book may not turn out the way it looks in the picture (for me it turns out better 8 times out of 10)

2. It's REALLY MESSY! So for you clean freaks... Good luck!

3. Accept Mistakes and it can be time consuming when you first start out because these are "experiments" until you are an expert.

Now that that's said and done with, here's how my experience went:

Since this was my first try from the book, I just started with boxed cakes and "canned" frosting. I also always plan on giving these out so of course I try to do more than one flavor; vanilla and chocolate mainly. So I baked these Saturday morning to get them baked and cooled on cooling racks (a must for baking!). I don't really care for fancy liners, white will do just fine; it's what's on top that counts to me (unless it's a wedding or the client requests certain colored-liners).

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to decorate these until late that night. I finished (including  clean-up) at midnight (started around 9-10ish)  So what you want to do before decorating was obtain all your proper ingredients and get them out; along with a clean, open space to decorate on. I used a cookie sheet and container. My first step is always the basic icing; and I started with white. To make it green, you can go about this 2 ways: food coloring in liquid form or in Wilton's "goo". (I not sure what it's called, but it comes in little plastic containers and it's potent!) So I use the "goo". And I mix it with a skinny spatula. Afterwards, I (according to the book) take a storage size ZIPLOCK bag (that's right no pastry bag used) and fill it with the green frosting, and you put it on 1 side of the bag; make a darker green and add on the other side (two colors). Take scotch tape and tape the corner you are going to use (6 layers) and cut a v out of it (for leaves and petals) or M shape (for fur or grass). Now unfortunately, I did the M shape, but my frosting ended up being "gooey" so the exact shapes didn't turn out like in the book; it turned out better!

A messy grass look was much more appropriate for my Easter baskets! So, using the "stabbing" method, I decorated the basket and peeps's cupcakes. Then I cut the licorice in half and pressed the ends into the baskets and placed the peep's on theirs. Next, I specifically and individually placed the "eggs" on the baskets and peeps. And viola! I have peeps and baskets!

My next mission was the bunnies. Now in the book they are hiding and all you can see are the feet and tail. I begin with this idea but ended with them peeking out at you! (Again it's ok!) Now you wonder how?

So in the book they use white soft peanuts as the feet (those things taste bad so I used cookie strips). And they use chocolate covered sunflower seeds and regular M&M's. I used peanut butter &M's and was going to put slight "dots" instead of the sunflower seeds. Before I get ahead of myself, let me begin with creating the "bunny". So the color of the bunny is dark brown so I used cookie crumbs (oreos or the off-brand) and I used the filling to hold the crumbs on the cupcake. After I frosted and applied the crumbs, I used some of the left over frosting (from the grass) and stuck the cookie strips to the bunny (the crumbs get in the way); then the M & M's to the strips. So after applying this, I realized that WOW! Those are some big M & M's and with the "tail" on there (mini-marshmallows), it kind of looks like a face; volia! ( I didn't use the red M & M's because you would have a "demon" bunny haha!). Ten I cut the left over twizzlers in individual strips then in smaller sizes and created whiskers (also applied with the leftover frosting).

So overall, I believe this was a semi-success when comparing to the book and a complete success when comparing to me and my talent in this! Now I realize that Easter isn't about bunnies or spring time, it's about Jesus being risen again, proving life over death after he went through Major torture and pain to die on the cross for our sins so we can be saved! I was intending to put crosses on some of the cupcakes and realized that I forgot after I finished them.