If you follow us regularly then you’ll know that we LOVE Instagram‘s relatively new feature… reels. A reel is a 15 second video that can be a quick behind the scenes clip or a fun product launch. We use reels for a few different things, but our favourite are tutorials! Here are some sweet cupcake ideas you can try for Valentine’s Day. We’ve included links AND the video reels for each just to make it super handy.
Firstly, here’s our romantic love letter tutorial. Doesn’t that edible envelope make the sweetest cupcake decoration? It’s sealed with a small heart shaped sprinkle too. If you’re not to experienced with fondant or sugar paste then this is a great beginner project for you. It’s quick and not as daunting as an icing entire cake. You’ll get to use a couple icing tools for the first time too.
Looking for something on the cute and fuzzy side? Why not try our love bug cupcake how-to! It’s pretty quick and easy to re-create this adorable little character. You can give our reel a watch OR, if you prefer to sit and read check out our written tutorial here.
Finally, here’s a tutorial you can adapt so many different ways. We used a cupcake, but how cute would this idea be on the sides of a buttercream cake or on lots of mini cookies! It’s a fun and fast way to pipe out buttercream or royal icing hearts.
Whatever treats you create for your Valentine (it can definitely be yourself too) have a gorgeous day!
Here’s a ridiculously easy (and fun) Valentine cupcake idea that you can re-create at home for February 14th! It’s the perfect sweet treat for any loved one. What’s great about this quick how-to is that you can always change it up. Make it unique with different colours. Add cool sprinkle mixes on top for fun. Use tasty Pocky sticks for the antennae instead. There are so many playful options to make this cutie all your own! To find how to make a Love Bug cupcake for your Valentine keep reading. You can also check out our Instagram reel if you prefer video tutorials!
Royal icing or melted white chocolate or candy melt
Heart sprinkles
Easy Valentine cupcake idea!
1: With a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip pipe a ‘blob’ of buttercream on top of your cupcake. For this we used an ateco 809 tip. You can also simply fill up a piping bag and snip the end instead if you like.
Note: Don’t worry if you don’t want to use as much buttercream. You can always pipe a tiny dab and then nestle a strawberry, large marshmallow or chocolate truffle to pipe on instead. Wouldn’t that make a cute surprise!
2: Use a piping bag of buttercream with a grass tip to then pipe your little bug’s fuzz all over the ‘blob’ (or strawberry, marshmallow, truffle) from the first step. Make sure it’s completely covered. You can also adjust the size of your love bug at this point… just keep piping more in top.
4: Cut down a metallic paper straw (the metallic coating helps stop the buttercream from seeping into the paper) to make two antennae. You can also use Pocky or pretzel sticks for this step. Then gently push them into your bug’s head at either side.
Love Bug cupcake tutorial!
5: Pipe a small amount of royal icing or melted chocolate to the ends of your straws or sticks. You can also use a little bit of candy melt too.
Tip: Don’t use too much or the excess will squish out and leave a bit of mess. Definitely something you’re not going to want.
6: Take two heart shaped sprinkles and carefully attach onto the ends of your straws or sticks. Leave to set!
Yay! You now have one sweet little Valentine cupcake to either treat yourself with or give to someone you love. Why not box it up and add heart printed ribbon and little message to make it extra special. Remember… you can add decorations like sprinkles or fondant pieces to make this super unique. This tutorial is also pretty great for turning into cartoon creepy crawlies for themes birthdays or even Halloween too.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and we can’t wait too! Full of sweet little treats, lots of pink and more heart shaped sprinkles than anyone could count it’s such a cute holiday! This year we are kicking off the love-filled season with these Cherry and Rose Bellini Eclairs. Pretty choux pastry desserts filled with rose extract infused cherry preserve and whipped prosecco swiss meringue buttercream… then topped with cherry flavoured fondant, fresh cherries, sprinkles and elegant roses!
Ingredients and tools needed… (makes approx. 10 eclairs)
Firstly. pre-heat your oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/Gas mark 6. After that add your butter to a saucepan with the water on medium to high heat on your stove top. When the two ingredients melt together bring them to the boil! Don’t worry… this shouldn’t take too long. For us it takes around 5-7 minutes.
Step 02:
Next remove the pan from the heat and also add in your flour. Quickly start to stir. The mix will thicken at this stage (try not to stir too much as this will over mix the dough).
Step 03:
Once your flour has been incorporated it’s time to add in your beaten eggs a little at a time (make sure to add the egg on top of the dough and not right onto the pan’s surface… the heat will instead start cooking up scrambled eggs). We’d recommend pouring in whatever you estimate to be an egg’s worth then stir vigorously (this part takes some arm muscle). Repeat this until all your eggs have been added.
Tip: This part is, however, a lot easier with someone to kindly help you. Whilst you mix everything together have your helper add in the egg.
Step 04:
When your choux dough is ready it should be thick and look a little glossy! Next you’ll need to scoop it into a disposable piping bag. You can use a large round piping tip or go rogue and just snip the bag when you’re ready to pipe!
Step 05:
Spritz your silpat lined cookie tray with water. You don’t need a lot so make sure you don’t drench it!
Step 06:
Now you can pipe out your eclairs. Snip your disposable piping and pipe thick lines of your dough along your tray. You’ll need the scissors to cut the dough off. It’s got a lot of elasticity in it’s texture so it won’t snap or break off easy. Place in your oven and bake for 30 mins. When the 30 mins are up turn the tray around and bake for a further 10 minutes. When baked leave to cool before filling and decorating.
To fill
Step 08:
Take your cherry preserve and then add a few drop of rose water to it. Most importantly, make sure you taste test so can get the exact flavour you like. You may need a few drops more depending how strong you’d like the rose flavour to be. Make sure the mix doesn’t end up runny though. Add your rose water infused cherry jam to a piping bag fitted with a bismarck tip. At two points along the flat base of your eclair pipe a little of the preserve in. Don’t pipe too much!
Step 07:
If you’ve already whipped up our prosecco swiss meringue buttercream (or SMBC) then bag it up in a disposable piping bag with your bismarck tip at the end. Now pipe the SMBC into your eclair at 3 alternating spaces between where you piped in your preserve. You can, however, use whipped cream to fill.
To decorate
Step 08:
To decorate we added some cherry extract to pink fondant and mixed it in, however, you can leave this plain if you like. We love the added cherry flavour though! When ready roll out your fondant and cut oblong shapes using for fondant eclair cutter.
Step 09:
Add a little light corn syrup onto your filled eclairs and gently lay your pink cherry fondant on top!
Step 10:
Finally, you can add your roses, cherries and sprinkles! Why not use melted chocolate to attach (use a cocktail stick to apply the chocolate) each piece on top of your fondant covered eclair. We opted for light pink roses in the middle surrounded with fresh morello cherries and sweet white heart sprinkles!
Now enjoy! Aren’t these fun and boozy inspired eclairs perfect for a Valentine’s Day dinner? Whip these up for your crush, your best friends or just for yourself (seriously, we won’t judge). They’ll be such a treat paired with some rose gold prosecco (our favourite is by Bottega)!
