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| Ⓒ Provided by Wilton |
From Wilton
Topped with fun stars and rosettes, these easy Valentine’s cupcakes are a great way to show someone how much you care. Easy for beginning decorators and great for whipping up on a weeknight, these Valentine’s Day cupcakes are also topped with sprinkles for added color and texture. Surprise the kids when they get home from school or sneak a cupcake (or two) into their lunch for a fun Valentine's Day surprise!
Prep Time: 3 hrs. 45 min
Total Time: 2 hrs. 30 min
Servings: 12 cupcakes
More Recipe: Strawberry Conversation Heart Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients
- Favorite cake mix or recipe
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)
- 2 tablespoons milk, heavy cream or water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure or imitation)
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Decorating Ingredients
- Violet food coloring
- Pink food coloring
- Burgundy food coloring
- Aster mauve food coloring
Tools
- Valentine's Day cupcake liners
- Cupcake pan
- Cooling grid
- Open Star Cake Decorating Tip 18
- Open Star Cake Decorating Tip 21
- Valentine’s Day sprinkles
- 4 16-inch decorating bags
More Recipe: Mini Pink Velvet Cupcakes Recipe
Instructions
Make cupcakes.
Prepare cupcake batter following recipe instructions. Bake cupcakes in Valentine’s cupcake liners and cool on a cooling rack.
Make buttercream frosting.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy for about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and scrape down the bowl occasionally.
Gradually add one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Start by mixing each cup on a low speed then beating well on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each cup of sugar is added. When all the sugar has been mixed in, the frosting will appear dry and stiff.
Gradually add milk or water, adding small amounts at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Continue to beat at a medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once more and beat again to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Add a pinch of salt if too sweet and mix until completely dissolved.
Tint frosting.
- Purple: Tint ½ cup frosting purple by combining Violet and Pink icing colors
- Pink: Tint ½ cup frosting pink with Pink icing color.
- Burgundy: Tint ½ cup frosting burgundy with Burgundy icing color.
- Mauve: Tint ½ cup frosting with Aster Mauve icing color.
Decorate cupcakes.
- Prepare four decorating bags separately with tips 21 and 18. Fill bags separately with desired frosting.
- Pipe stars and rosettes to cover cupcakes, varying colors and sizes.
- Top the cupcakes with desired sprinkles and any other Valentine cupcake decorations.
Notes:
How to pipe stars:
Using a decorating bag fitted with a star tip, hold the bag straight up, with the tip just slightly above the surface. Squeeze the bag to form a star. Use light pressure to form a small star and add more pressure to make a bigger star. Stop squeezing before pulling the tip away.
- To create a pull-out star: form the star, then continue squeezing and pull the tip up and away. Decrease pressure as you reach the desired length.
- For different size stars:
- Small star: try using Tip 13
- Larger standard star: try using Tip 22
- Extra-large star: try using tip 1M or 4B
How to pipe rosettes:
Hold the bag at 90° angle with the tip slightly above the surface. Squeeze out frosting to form a star. Without releasing pressure, raise the tip slightly as you drop a line of frosting on top of the star in a tight, complete rotation. Pull the tip away, continuing the circular motion so that the tail maintains the circular shape of the rosette.
- To make a rosette border: pipe a line of uniform rosettes, touching one another.
- To prevent a tip from forming, decrease the pressure as you close your rosette. Stop squeezing right before you connect, then pull away.
Use your favorite cupcake mix.
Chocolate cupcakes add a nice rich contrast against the frosting colors or opt for red velvet cupcakes for an extra pop of color.
More Recipe: Chocolate Heart Cupcakes Recipe
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