National Cupcake Week tutorial: How to make sugarpaste doilies and roses!

 

You will need:

Pink sugarpaste
Cream or white sugarpaste
Green sugarpaste
A small or medium PME leaf plunger cutter
A toothpick
A rolling pin
Some styrofoam 
Edible glue
Some paintbrushes
Ivory or White lustre dust or cake glitter
A crinkle cookie or scone cutter (We recommend Tala's scalloped scone cutter set)

 

National Cupcake Week tutorial: How to make cupcake toppers!

What you need:

Cocktail sticks/tooth picks
Card (two contrasting patterns/colours)
A button
Ribbon
glue
Tape 
Hole punch 
Scissors 

Step one: Cut the card into two circles ensuring one is larger than the other. Using the glue stick the smaller circle in the centre of the larger circle. 

Step two: Pierce two holes in the middle of the small circle once it is securly glued to the larger of the two using the hole punch. Once the hole is made use a needle or a cocktail stick to push the ribbon through both circles, from the back. Once both ends of the ribbon have been pushed through the holes made with the hole punch thread the ribbon through the button, one hole at a time. 

Note: If this becomes tricky try cutting your ribbon so it tapers at each end thus making it easier to thread.


Step three: Once the ribbon is in place secure it by tying a bow in the centre of the button and cupcake topper.

Step four: Now flip your cupcake topper over. On the back will be a 'loop' where the ribbon was pushed through. Carefully slot one end of the cocktail stick through that loop and apply a small amount of tape over it to secure it futher.

Now you have a very simple but elegant cupcake topper to adorn your baked goods!

 

National Cupcake Week: How to make a sugarpaste pumpkin!

What you will need:

Tala’s straight edged tool
Tala’s star modelling tool
Orange sugrpaste
Brown sugarpaste
Green sugarpaste
A kebob stick (you can also use a lollipop stick or a paintbrush to wind the tendrils)
Edible glue

Step one: Mould the orange sugarpaste into a ball and shape. Once you have your desired pumpkin figure use your flower leaf modelling tool to score grooves into the ball. In the centre of your pumpkin use the star modelling tool to indent a space for a stalk and tendril.

Step two: Now it is time to make your pumpkin tendrils! Using the green sugarpaste roll it out with your hand until you get a thin ‘sausage’ shape. Take your kebob stick and gently wind the tendril around to form a spiral. Once you are happy with the tendril’s form carefully slide it off the kebob stick.

Step three: To make the pumpkin stalk take small amounts of brown sugarpaste and mould until you gain the appropriate shape (the tapered end should neatly slot into the indentation you made earlier)

Step four: To secure the tendril use a small amount of edible glue. Also, paint the stalk with edible glue and sit it atop of the pumpkin tendril.

Now you have your edible sugarpaste pumpkin!