Page 26 - Cupcakes

violets on cupcakes for the sheer beauty of it. Should you want to go beyond

frosting and sugar sprinkles, here are some ways to branch out, be creative, and
yet not spend a weekend or a fortune in the process.

5 Ways to Decorate a Cupcake Effortlessly

1. Chocolate curls

2. Shiny gold or silver dragées

3. Toasted pecans

4. Lemon or orange zest strips

5. Edible flowers

DECORATING STENCILS: Buy a set of plastic stencils (from Kaiser

Bakeware, found at WilliamsSonoma). These sets are designed for cakes, but
many of the designs are small enough to be placed on top of a cupcake,
including the leaf, flower, horse, and so forth. Dust confectioners’ sugar, cocoa
powder, or spices over the stencil openings and remove the stencil carefully.
Wash the stencil in warm water and dry it before storing.

INTERESTING FOOD COLORINGS: Shop the supermarket for classic
primary colors, but should you want to go a step further into buttercup yellow or
teal blue, Wilton, the cake-decorating supplier, has lovely specialty sets that
contain more subtle shades. The Wilton colors are pastes, so you need less and
can easily increase the color intensity by adding a bit more. You can dye your
favorite buttercream frosting and coarse decorating sugar to match, which is a
really elegant touch.