How to Make Avengers Cupcakes

I was actually quite worried about this post. After taking lots and lots of step by step pictures for this tutorial, I came to the conclusion that I might be violating some sort of blogger (a.k.a me) - reader (you, of course) unwritten rule. I counted and I originally came up with 29 pictures.

 

Yep, 29. I mean, should I post all or cut try to cut it down? If I post all, I have a feeling you'll just be bored and completely stop reading. Or if I try to cut it down, I might be excluding something that could be important. After all, this is a life changing post. What could be more important than learning how I make Avenger Cupcakes? Do tell :)

Anyway, thank heavens for techie friends who suggested I use the Frame Maker App which can combine several pictures into one thereby lessening the chances of me boring the living daylights out of you. Yey!

I have been waiting for the movie to come out since last year. After totally enjoying watching Iron Man and Captain America (yeah, I missed Thor and Hulk), I wondered how they would come together as a team. It definitely is an interesting mix.

So here it is, guys! Here's a cutie-fied version of the Avengers. I made them cute because they are all soo serious in saving the world, I thought it couldn't hurt if somewhere in the blogosphere, there exists their happy, cute as can be alteregos.  But before that, here's a before and after.

 See these fondant round cut-outs (4 flesh colored, one electric green and one super red)? They'll be transformed from this -

 To this! Ta-daahhh! And I am going to show you how.  Let's start?

The Avengers Cupcakes

What We Need:

Fondant in black, while, flesh, royal blue, red, electric green, ivory, orange and two shades or purple

Rolling pin

Small scissors

Luster dust in silver and gold

Fondant cutters - heart in 2 sizes, circle in 2 sizes, rose petal, 6 petal flower cutter

Fondant ball tool (the green stick thingie on the picture)

#7 small round tip

Tappit alplabet for letters A and H (Optional)

Extra small pink heart sprinkles (Optional)

Small white round sprinkles

Avenger #1: Captain America (Steve Rogers)

Here's How:
(1) Roll out flesh fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(2) Roll royal blue fondant. Using the larger fondant cutter, cut out a circle. This will be Captain America's mask. To complete it, using the 6 petal flower cutter, cut a small portion to give way to his nose and lips. Use the #7 small round tip to cut two holes to give way to his eyes. Widen it with the ball tool. Attach the mask to Captain America's face.

(3) Roll out white fondant, cut out a small heart, divide into two and fashion it as wings to both sides of his mask.

(4) Use the Tappit to cut out an "A". Or, if you don't have a tappit, just roll the white fondant and shape to an "A". Attach to the center of Captain America's mask.

(5) Half press the #7 small round tip to produce a smile on his face.

(6) Finish with the details on the eyes.

Avenger #2: Iron Man (Tony Stark)

Here's How:
(1) Roll out red fondant. Cut out a circle using the larger round cutter.

(2) Roll out ivory fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(3) Using the heart cutter, cut out small triangle on top head of the ivory fondant.

(3) Using the smaller circle, cut out a small portion of both cheeks.

(4) Brush it with gold luster dust.

(5) Attach gold part to the center of the red fondant.

(6) Finish with the details - eyes and lips.

Avenger #3: Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff)

Here's How:
(1) Roll out flesh fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(2) Roll orange fondant into a cylinder and curl to shape Black Widow's hair.

(3) Attach a small round flesh fondant to serve as her nose. 

(4) Paste a pink heart sprinkle as her lips

(5) Finish with the details - eyes

Avenger #4: Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Here's How:
(1) Roll out green fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(2) For his hair, to achieve the disheveled look, roll black fondant into a cylinder. Using the small scissors, "cut" "large" "strip" of hair in disarray.

(3) Attach a bog round green fondant to serve as his nose.

(4) Finish with the details - eyes and lips

Avenger #5: Thor (a.k.a Thor)

Here's How:
(1) Roll out flesh fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(2) Roll white fondant. Using the larger fondant cutter, cut out a circle. This will be Thor's helmet. To complete it, using the 6 petal flower cutter, cut a large to give way to his eyes.

(3) Again roll out white fondant, cut out 2 rose petals and fashion it as wings to both sides of his helmet. Cut out a strip and attach to the center of this helmet

(4) Brush all of the helmet with silver luster dust.

(5) Half press the #7 small round tip to produce a smile on his face. Attach a small round flesh fondant to serve as his nose.

(6) Finish with the details on the eyes.

Avenger #6: Hawkeye (a.k.a Clint Barton)  

Here's How:
(1) Roll out flesh fondant. Cut out a circle using the smaller round cutter.

(2) Roll darker shade of purple fondant. Using the larger fondant cutter, cut out a circle. This will be Hawkeye's mask. To complete it, using the 6 petal flower cutter, cut a small portion to give way to his lips.

(3) Roll out lighter shade of purple, cut out a heart, divide into two and fashion it as a cover to his eyes. Use the #7 small round tip to cut two holes to give way to his eyes. Widen it with the ball tool. Attach the mask to Hawkeye's face.

(4) Use the Tappit to cut out an "H". Or, if you don't have a tappit, just roll the white fondant and shape to an "H". Attach to the center of his mask.

(5) Half press the #7 small round tip to produce a smile on his face. Attach a small round flesh fondant to serve as his nose.

(6) Finish with the details on the eyes.

From 29 pictures, I was able to cut it down to an acceptable (I think) 14. Whew! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial as much as I had fun making it! Till next time! :) And, relax, life is short, enjoy the rest of the week, see a movie.

Love, 

Aikko

How to Make DJ Cupcake Toppers

You probably noticed that Bake Happy posts where just few last month. 

A few have asked if I was okay and were quite curious as to why there were just a few posts. The thing is, I got sick and was not able to do much the past month. Wasn't able to go near the oven as much as I want to, not even blog. Guess I have too much on my plate so I have to take it easy for a while. 

Anyway, I'm am sooo back and I thought I'd make a tutorial on making DJ themed cupcake toppers. You see, while I was in the ER when I was sick, my sister read to me Chico and Delamar's The Morning Rush Top Ten. I was laughing so hard I have forgotten that I was anxiously waiting for the results for the tests the doctor has run. So as a thank you, I dedicate this post to Chico, Delamar and Gino for keeping me company (in spirit) while I was sick.

And oh, look here, my friends even gave me a signed copy of their book! Thank guys!

DJ Cupcake Topper #1: Record

What We Need:

Fondant in Black and Orange

Fondant round cutters in 4 sizes

Toothpick

Rolling pin

Brush

Water as glue

 Here's How:
(1) Roll black fondant thinly. Do the same with the orange fondant. Using the biggest cutter, cut a circle out of the black fondant. Using the smallest cutter, cut a circle out of the orange fondant. Paste the orange fondant on the center of the black fondant. 

(2) Using the remaining round cutters, lightly press them on the black fondant.

(3) Lastly, poke a hole in the center of the record. 

DJ Cupcake Topper #2: Earphones

What We Need:

Fondant in Gray and Orange

Small fondant round cutter

Knife

Rolling pin

Brush

Water as glue

Here's How:
(1) Roll gray fondant thinly. Cut out 2 circles and a long rectangle. Roll orange fondant into small balls.

(2) Paste orange fondant into the the gray circles and attach the gray circles to each end of the rectangle

(3) Curl the rectangle to a "C" shape

DJ Cupcake Topper #3: Microphone

What We Need:

Fondant in Orange

Silver luster dust

Brush

Water as glue

 Here's How:
(1) Roll some fondant into - 

     a. round shape

     b. cylinder

     c. long rope

(2) Brush the round shape fondant with luster dust
(3) Assemble the microphone. 

Here are the toppers on top of the cupcakes.

And, as a thank you, my friend Bernie and I are giving these cupcakes to Chico, Delamar and Gino tomorrow. I hope you like them, guys! And if it is not too much to ask, can you please greet me on your show? Thanks soo much! :)

Oatmeal Cookies {Like How Ma Used to Make}

I have this thing for pre-baked cookies. 

I liken them to puppies. Staring at them makes me go, "awwww" and all gooey and giddy inside. They are my all-time favourite things to look at (fine, next to frosted cupcakes). They look so well behaved little kids waiting to get out of the pan and into the fire to become the tough (but all soft on the inside) soldiers they're supposed to be. I'll tell you a secret. I like them better pre-baked than baked. It doesn't really matter what kind of cookies, as long as they're pre-baked. 

Like this one from the Oreo Kahlua Cookies post

Or this one from the Saffron Pistachio Cookies post

Or this one from this post, pre-baked Oatmeal Cookies. See? Soo pretty, perfectly neat little thingamabobs. 

I got the recipe for these oatmeal cookies from my ma's recipe book. You remember the magic of a notebook? The one which housed the recipe for the Perfectly Moist Chocolate Cake as well as the one for the ultimate Banana Bread? Like those two, this Oatmeal Cookie recipe is definitely a keeper. See? Fresh out of the oven and I can not wait to dig in. 

Too bad I can't seem to find my ma's notebook, I know I tucked it somewhere safe but just can't remember where. I am so eager to try the Cupcakes, Upside Down Cake and the Apple Pie. I haven't made a traditional pie on this blog, right? I just realized that. Anyway, good thing ma made a copy of this recipe in another notebook. So here it is - 

Oatmeal Cookies

350F/oops I forgot to count how many the recipe makes. Will bake another batch and let you know. Or how I wish my tummy can talk so she can tell you.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

6 tbsp white sugar

6 tbsp brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp water

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Here's how

(1) Cream butter and sugar

(2) Add in the egg

(3) In a separate bowl, mix in flour, baking soda and salt then add to the butte-sugar-egg mixture.  
(4) Add in vanilla and water
(5) Fold in oatmeal and the chocolate chips.

(6) Roll into small balls and bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown

 At the end, I lost my patience in making regular sized cookies so I decided to make 2 big ones with what's left of the dough. Though I must admit, I like them regular sized, there's much more surface area that's crunchy. 

Cupcake Decorating 101- How to Fill a Piping Bag

You might probably be wondering why I have a big glass as the first photo for this post. Nope, I made not making cocktail or a mocktail for that matter. I am going to show you a trick on how to quickly fill the piping bag with frosting.

You see, I have been born with ridiculously small hands. How small? My hands are just slightly bigger that the average CD. Pinky swear. That's why I have given up on learning how to play the piano or the guitar. I could probably play a ukulele, but guitar or even the piano... well, let's just say I have given up hope.


So you see my dilemma when filling up frosting? Normally, what is done is to hold the upper part of the piping bag with your left or right hand in a "C" or "inverted C" position, open up the bag and fill the piping bag. But then things get clumsy in the kitchen if I go this route. Hence, the glass. 


So how do I do it? Pretty simple. 
First, prepare the piping bag and place it inside the big glass.

Then, open up the bag with the rim of the glass as the guide.

Finally, using a spatula, fill uo the bag with frosting. 

Simple huh? Make sure to run a stick or the end of a spoon through the frosting in case there are air bubbles/space unfilled when your filled up the  bag.

Make sure to fill up just 1/2 up to 2/3s of the bag, otherwise, you'd have issues controlling it once the piping on the cupcake begins.