Big Top Cupcake Cake!

Some time ago I purchased a Big Top Cupcake Silicone Bakeware kit... very cute and looked like a fun and easy time. I don't usually make cake because I'm honestly not a big fan of it. I really don't remember the last time I got a Birthday cake... I always have cookie cake and Mrs Fields makes the best cookie cakes! I worked there forever ago (aka High School).

This was my second attempt at making a cupcake cake. I say attempt because both times have not turned out entirely as planned. The first attempt was quite a blunder but I'm saving those pics for a blog post dedicated to all of my baking blunders (well at least the ones I have taken pictures of). I was not sure if the blunders were due to the bakeware or myself. After reading a few reviews of the product I think the baking instructions that come with the Big Top Cupcake need some work (Review 1, Review 2, Review 3).  Either way the cake and icing tasted awesome!

Tools Needed:

The Usual

Big Top Cupcake

Pam cooking spray

Cookie sheet

Stand or handheld mixer 

Ingredients:

1 Box of chocolate cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker)

11/3 Cups water

1/2 Cup vegetable oil (I don't use olive oil... it changes the taste.)

3 Eggs

Icing (Martha Stewards Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting Recipe)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If you have been reading my blog since the beginning then you know that I don't make cake... I buy a box. What you can make at home is just as good if not better then what you can buy in a box! That being said prepare the cake batter according to the directions on the box. I suggest buying Betty Crocker Super Moist. 

Spray the molds with Pam and place them on a cookie sheet. The Big Top instructions say to poor half the batter in each piece... I disagree.  I was using the filling top so pour 2 1/2 to 3/4 cups of the batter into the bottom mold and the remaining 11/2 to 11/4 cups into the top mold.

Place the filling top securely on top of the bottom cupcake piece.
The directions say to bake the top for 30 to 35 minutes and the bottom for 45 to 50 minutes... again I disagree. It actuality takes more than an hour to fully cook the cake. Check the cake top in 45 min by sticking a knife or tooth pick into it. If the knife or tooth pick comes out clean then the cake is done. Check the cake bottom for doneness in an hour. Continue baking until tooth pick or knife come out clean. 

The cake filler has never been much of a help but I use it anyway... Once the cake is done carefully scoop out some of the center. This is kind of difficult and frustrating because the bottom piece cracks the cake and scooping out more of the cake can crack it further so... BE CAREFUL! 

Fill the center and cover the top of the bottom piece with icing (use the icing to mold together any cracks). I used Martha Stewards Sprinkles Strawberry Frosting Recipe and it tasted fantastic but you can use whatever frosting you like best!

Carefully place the top cupcake piece on the bottom cupcake piece and ice it!

Here is my Boomer Sooner Breast Cancer Awareness Cupcake Cake!

Despite the numerous baking problems... the cake and icing tasted awesome! Enjoy!

Birthday Cupcake Pops!

Going along with the theme from last weeks Birthday post I decided to do yet another Birthday beauty with cupcake pops! I have been wanting to make birthday pops ever since I discovered them on Bakerella. Bakeralla of course does a much prettier and cleaner job then I did but my cupcake pops turned out delicious and I am so proud!

The recipe I used is from from Martha Stewart and it is as follows:

Tools Needed:
The usual
Baking sheet
Parchment paper or foil
Lollipop sticks ( I could not find lollipop sticks in my grocery store so I used some craft sticks and that worked very well. You can find lollipop sticks at Hobby Lobby, Michael's or (probably) a specialty food store).
Double boiler, crock pot or microwave
Food Processor
Mini flower-shaped cookie cutter
Styrofoam square (found these puppies in the craft and the flower arrangements aisle at Wally World)

Ingredients:
9-by-13 Inch - Chocolate cake (You can use whatever flavor cake you want... I read a recipe which used red velvet cake and it looked wonderfully delicious!)
2 Cups - Cream Cheese Frosting (Again any flavor and conveniently one regular size icing container equals 2 cups!)
1 Package - chocolate coating bark
1 Package - white coating bark or candy melts (white coating bark can be found at your grocery store but you will have to venture to Hobby Lobby, Michael's or (probably) a specialty food store to get the candy melts).
Sprinkles - for garnish
Candy-coated chocolates - such as M and M's or Reese's Pieces, for garnish

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside. Trim about 1/2 inch from the perimeter of the cake. Working in batches, crumble cake into the bowl of a food processor; process until fine crumbs form.

Add the frosting and blend together until well combined. Roll mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (I personal think you can do whatever size you want... within reason. Obviously a baseball size cupcake pop will not stay on the stick)! Transfer cupcake balls to a prepared baking sheet. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 2 hours or to a freezer for about 10 minutes.

I felt like a video was needed here instead of just a photo. Since I am not the best at video recording and because there are several ways to form cupcake pops here is a link to a video of shaping cupcake pops. Begin to shape balls into cupcakes by rolling balls first into logs. Fit logs into a mini flower-shapedcookie cutter. Push cake mixture into the cutter halfway so that some of the cake mixture extends beyond the top of the cutter. Shape extended cake mixture into a cupcake-shaped top. Push cake from cutter to remove.

Transfer molded cupcakes to freezer until chilled, 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt chocolate... if you read last weeks post then you will remember there are several ways to melt chocolate. Here is the article on ways to melt chocolate... pick your favorite method! I went a new way this week and used the microwave because crock pots are slow and my double boiler is satan.

Remove cupcakes from freezer and dip the bottom of each cupcake into the chocolate; transfer, bottom-side up to back to baking sheet. You can place dipped cupcake pops on to the same baking sheet but it may be easier if you have two prepared baking sheets.

Insert lollipop sticks into dipped cupcake immediately after you dip them! If you allow the dipped cupcake pops to sit to long the sticks may crack the chocolate coating. Let chocolate set, 15 to 20 minuets.

Melt white chocolate or pink candy melts. Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the chocolate and place right-side up on prepared baking sheet or stick lollipop sticks into a styrofoam square. Place a candy-coated chocolate in the center of each and top with sprinkles. Let dry completely in refrigerator. And... Enjoy!

As always this baking blog was edited for fantasticalness by The Lady In Red (who promises to update her new blog with fantastic Movie, Book and TV Show thoughts, reviews and opinions!).