Valentine Tutorial: Pink Champagne Cupcakes!

With Valentine’s Day literally just days away here’s a lovely cupcake recipe and tutorial for you to re-create at home for that special someone. We had such fun whipping these up in the Juniper Cakery kitchen and studio as you can imagine; cue lots of champagne, gold hand painting, miniature champagne bottles from fondant and decadent swirls of lovely vanilla buttercream! These adorable little pink champagne bottles nestled into silky vanilla buttercream atop soft rosy champagne infused cupcakes are bound to be a show-stopping hit with loved ones; they definitely were with ours! If you’re feeling extra adventurous why not paint, indent or pipe the recipient’s initials onto each bottle label for a sweet and impressive personal touch.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

As an alternative to using real champagne, as this can get costly, in your cupcakes why not try utilising 6-12 drops of champagne essence.

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

 Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

Miniature Fondant Pink Champagne Bottles

You’ll need…

Pink or a dark green fondant / sugarpaste if creating normal champagne bottles
White or ivory fondant / sugarpaste
Raspberry pink fondant / sugarpaste
Edible glue
Paintbrush
Gold lustre dust or edible metallic paint
Vodka
Small plunger cutters (optional)
Blade tool
Candy melts
3mm thin ivory ribbon
Disposable piping bag
Fondant rolling pin
Icing / confectioner’s sugar

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

Step one: Take some fondant the colour you wish your bottle to be and roll into a ball then a tapered oblong and shape carefully into a bottle whilst it is stood up on a flat surface. 

Step two: With a approximately 2-3 drops of vodka added to some gold lustre dust  OR some gold metallic edible paint hand paint the neck of the bottle. This may need a few coats if your bottle if a dark coloured fondant.

Step three: Take some 3mm ivory ribbon and cut to a length that fits around the bottle’s neck and crosses at the front well. Attach with a few tiny dots of melted candy melt (melt these quickly by filling a disposable back with the melts and microwaving until ready before snipping off the end of the piping bag). Hold gently until set.Step four: Roll out some white or ivory fondant / sugarpaste to 2mm thick onto an icing sugar dusted surface

Step four: With the blade tool cut out a rectangular shape an appropriate size for the front of your champagne bottle. Attach using a little edible glue. Imprint or add any detail to the label now.

Step five: Take a small amount of red or pink fondant and roll into a ball then into an oblong shape.

Step six: Shape into a dumb bell or bone-like shape by rolling the middle of the red fondant oblong with a finger.

Step nine: Take the dumb bell / bone shaped red fondant and carefully pinch in half into a heart shape. Smooth the centre over a little.

Step seven: With a little melted candy melt attach the heart where the ribbon crosses and meets at the front of the champagne bottle.

Step eight: Repeat all above steps until you have the desired amount of champagne bottles.

Now all that is left to do is to pipe your cupcakes generously with vanilla buttercream, add any decor you wish (edible glitter, sprinkles, sugar pearls etc) and nestle your tiny champagne bottles atop at a jaunty angle!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes by Juniper Cakery

After all your hard work you should now be left with an array of delicious and adorable cupcakes waiting to steal the heart of all who cast their eyes upon them. If you’re making these for yourself, however, we really wouldn’t blame you at all!

 

Valentine Tutorial: Love Letter Cupcakes!

With February 14th right around the corner we’re sure you probably have lots of romantic projects in progress, however, there’s always some time to fit in another sweet treat. Why not whip up a batch of cupcakes to decorate with adorable love letter toppers for your loved ones.  Here’s a lovely and quick tutorial to help you make little fondant love letters for your sweetheart! One of the best things about this cupcake decorating tutorial is that you only need a few tools and materials and a few spare minutes!

Love Letter Cupcake by Juniper Cakery

Love Letter Cupcake by Juniper Cakery

Also, because we’re so generous we’ve included a lovely recipe for Strawberries & Cream cupcakes for you to whip up and nestle your love letters atop of!

For the Strawberries and Cream buttercream you’ll need a bottle of fruity natural strawberry essence which we stock via our e-store and some lovely pink gel paste food colour

Fondant Love Letter Cupcake Decor

You will need…

White fondant / sugarpaste
Red or pink fondant / sugarpaste
Blade tool
Edible glue
6 inch fondant rolling pin
Icing sugar to dust surface

steps

Step one: Dust your work surface with icing sugar and roll out some white fondant to a thickness of 2mm.

Step two: With the blade tool cut out a house shape approximately 3cm by 4cm out of the white fondant. This will be the envelope.

Step three: Indent a ‘V’ shape from the bottom of the white envelope that reaches about 2cm into the centre.

Step four: Take the top (shaped like a house’s rooftop) of the envelope and carefully fold over to match the indented ‘V’ shape. Affix with a dab of edible glue. 

Step five: Take a small amount of red or pink fondant and roll into a ball then into an oblong shape.

Step six: Shape into a dumb bell or bone-like shape by rolling the middle of the red fondant oblong with a finger.

Step seven: Take the dumb bell / bone shaped red fondant and carefully pinch in half into a heart shape. Smooth the centre over a little. This is the heart that sits at the seal of the envelope!

Step eight: With some edible glue attach the heart where the envelope flap and indented ‘V’ on the envelope bottom meet.

Step nine: Repeat all above steps until you have the desire amount of love letters.

Love Letter Cupcake by Juniper Cakery

You should now be left with a wonderful flurry of eye-catching yet simple love letters! If you’re feeling brave and adventurous and handing out cupcake adorned with these to family why not try hand painted their names onto each envelope! All you need is a fine paintbrush, some black gel paste food colour mixed with a tiny amount of vodka (the alcohol will evaporate before consumption so it will be safe for kids) and a steady hand. Also, to add a little sparkle why not dust edible glitter or lustre onto your little hearts.

 Love Letter Cupcake by Juniper Cakery

 

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