In 2020 lots of people picked up some new hobbies. We’re predicting that 2021 is going to be just the same. So we thought it’d be handy to put together a post listing some of the tools we can’t bake without. They’re also perfect for beginners. When people get really into a hobby they generally end up buying eevvverything to do with it. Then 5 months down the line they realise how much stuff they never even used! Our list includes the basics that are super useful. No crazy gadgets or odd contraptions… we’ve tried them all.
A good cupcake baking pan is definitely a must-have. It pretty much goes without saying that it’s going to keep your cupcakes in shape and mess free! This 12 cavity pan is also in the chicest shade of rose gold. Perfect for the on-trend baker. They’re also easy to clean and store away ready for your next tasty batch!
This handy set of pink and burgundy cupcake cases are so great. A lot of liners end up see through or flimsy once baked with. These keep the shape of the cupcake incredibly well and they’re a little larger than most (who is going to complain about more cake right?). You can also nab them in a range of cool colours.
You wouldn’t think that ice cream scoops would be an essential when it comes to whipping up perfect cupcakes. They’re perfect for filling up cases with batter minus the mess. You’ll also get a more even separation of batter between liners too. This set includes three different sizes… great for baking up mini cupcakes. We’ve linked the set that we use, but if you’re looking around make sure to opt for the one with a release! That’s going to help push the batter out into your cases.
A kitchen or oven timer is one of those essential purchases that a lot of people forget about. So… it helps to pick out a fun novelty design like this pink strawberry. Using one is easy just twist to the minutes you need and set aside to wait for the alarm. For the baker in your life this is going to also make the cutest little gift in a hamper.
We get asked all the time what tips we use for our cupcakes. Ateco is our go-to cupcake nozzle brand. Their tips are larger than most so no straggly looking swirls on top of cupcakes. These three are possibly our most used. An 809 plain round is perfect for a simple modern look. The 869 or pastry tip adds a cool texture. For a bolder linear look try the Ateco 828!
Sprinkles are always a super fun and quick way to add the final touch to your cupcakes. Simply swirl your finished cupcakes with buttercream and add on top. They’re also perfect on top of cakes or as a little added texture with a fun fondant topper.
All photographs and written content (including recipes, bespoke designs, collaborations, videos, tips, graphics, and tutorials) belong to and are copyright to Juniper Cakery unless otherwise stated. Do not copy. This also includes using our copyrighted work to garner sales or teach whether generating income or not for your own business. We work hard to create content for our readers to enjoy and use so please do the same for your own site, blog, social media account or publication. Copying and publishing our work without permission or claiming it as your own work may lead to legal action from us. If you wish to feature our work please do contact us for info.
With the cold winter months here AND a 3rd strict nation-wide lockdown (in the U.K. at least) we thought everyone would need a project or two! It’s easy to camp out on the sofa with a Game of Thrones box set feeling down, but why not make something fun? Like this cute winter cupcake decorating idea! Plus you get to eat it afterwards. Here is our super easy tutorial on how to pipe a knit hat cupcake. You can even watch a video version on our Instagram reels! It’s fun and pretty adorable too. Plus, like us, if you are missing Christmas you’re going to want to hold on to anything remotely festive.
1: With a piping bag of buttercream fitted with a plain round tip pipe a ring of buttercream around the top of your cupcake. This is going to be the base of your cute knitted hat!
Note: This part doesn’t need to absolutely perfect because you’ll be covering it with sprinkles soon so don’t worry. You can even use a different piping tip if you like. We used a plain round as we think it gives a nice smooth buttercream surface to work with.
Winter cupcake decorating idea!
2: Pour your sprinkles or sprinkle mix onto a dish or plate. This is going to make it a lot easier for you to coat your buttercream with them. We created a sprinkle mix of our own with sugar pearls, sanding sugar, snowflakes, hearts etc.
3: Again, with your buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a round tip pipe a ‘blob’ in the middle of your sprinkled coated circle!
Note: This is going to be the foundation of your hat. If you want to have less buttercream then you can also use a tasty chocolate truffle, medium to large marshmallow or even a fresh strawberry instead.
How to pipe a knit hat cupcake!
4: Now using the ‘base’ you created in step 3 you can being piping your hat! Fit a piping bag with a closed star tip and then add your buttercream. Carefully pipe vertical lines up the ‘base’ to the centre of the top. Work your way around the cupcake until it’s covered.
5: Pipe a small ‘blob’ of buttercream on top using your plain round tip. This is so you have something to pipe your cute pom-pom onto!
Easy winter cupcake decorating idea!
6: Now with a piping bag fitted with a grass piping tip add the fun pom-pom on top.
Tip: Simply pipe onto the ‘blob’ you made in step 5. Have a few practice tries at first if you’ve not used a grass tip before.
You should now have one cute and winter-y treat in front of you. Or several if you’ve made a few. This tutorial is great if you want to add extra customisation too. Change the colours or sprinkles for different people. Add fondant decorations or characters for some added sweetness. However you decorate yours we hope you have fun!
All photographs and written content (including recipes, bespoke designs, collaborations, videos, tips, graphics, and tutorials) belong to and are copyright to Juniper Cakery unless otherwise stated. Do not copy. This also includes using our copyrighted work to garner sales or teach whether generating income or not for your own business. We work hard to create content for our readers to enjoy and use so please do the same for your own site, blog, social media account or publication. Copying and publishing our work without permission or claiming it as your own work may lead to legal action from us. If you wish to feature our work please do contact us for info.
One of our most read posts is our 5 Tips for Perfect Buttercream. It makes sense. There are sooo many different recipes and techniques out there to try. It’s easy to get bamboozled. If you don’t have go-to recipes or a method you like to stick to finding tips can be handy. So with that in mind here’s our top tips for perfect bakes! If you’re finding your loaves sinking or your cupcakes overflowing why not sit down with a cup fo tea and read though our advice!
Tips for Perfect Bakes
1: Read
This one seems silly, but it is amazing how many people don’t read every word of a recipe or tutorial before starting. It’s easy to skim read… especially if you’re in a rush. Don’t worry, everyone at some point ends up doing it. One of the simplest ways to end up with a baking fail, however, is to not pay attention to the ingredients list or instructions. If it’s for a weekend treat sit down with a coffee, a few minutes and your chosen project. It’ll save you the stress in the long run. For bigger or more ambitious recipes like a festive centrepiece it may be worth printing out your recipe and making notes. A trial bake isn’t going to hurt too… plus that means a trial treat!
2: Plan Ahead & Don’t Rush
Another sure fire way to find yourself in the middle of sinking cupcakes is to not plan ahead. Make sure you check those cupboards to see if you have everything you need in. If not pre-plan a trip to buy all your ingredients. Or remember to order any specialist items you need in advance. Also, try to set aside more time than you think you’ll need to bake and decorate. It’s easy to think that pretty drip cake is just going to take an afternoon to whip up, but it won’t. (We do this for a living and it takes longer than that for us!) De-clutter or prep your work area. Set up your stand mixer, bowls, etc before you start. You can even pre-weigh all your ingredients too. Why would you want to cause yourself more stress and anxiety? Whether you’re a complete novice or have more experience every project should be a fun project.
3: Check Your Ingredients
Always make sure that your ingredients are in date… even things like baking powder or bicarbonate of soda. They generally have long shelf lives, but if they are past their Best Before date they start to lose potency. The last thing you want is your levelling agent to give up mid-bake right?
Another part to checking your ingredients involves weights and measurements. Weighing ingredients is a lot more accurate than relying on the cups (or volume) system so this is the method we recommend. All our recipes are in this format. We know there are recipes out there that just involve cups with no conversions though. Converting those kinds of recipes are usually hit and miss too. Why? Because a cup are just not as accurate as scales! So each different ingredient needs its own specific conversion. A cup of milk is not going to weigh the same as a cup of icing sugar. If you’re used to cups then that’s great and if it’s never failed for you then stick with it. Weighing ingredients or looking at a weight lead recipe really isn’t hard though. Some people can be put off by it, but it’s just a case of investing in some kitchen scales!
4: Practice, Practice, Practice
If you know you’ve got an event or dinner coming up then make your life easier and practice! So if you’re hoping for a cute Christmas dessert table start a few weeks before with a little time set aside. Don’t go crazy and think you can practice several bakes in one day. We’d recommend testing one or two. Keeping a set of notes on your progress is going to help. We know not everyone is going to be this in-depth, but even a couple post-it notes would help. You might even think of some cool flavour or decoration options for next time.
5: Think Before You Substitute
If you need a recipe that uses a substitute (low fat, no gluten, vegan friendly etc) then look for that recipe. We wouldn’t recommend just taking a standard recipe and swapping ingredients out. We’ve had people ask why certain bakes haven’t worked and that all they did was replace the butter with a low fat margarine. The two things aren’t the same and they definitely don’t have the same ingredients. Simply put, margarine (especially low fat) has a higher water content than butter so your bake isn’t getting the right ratio of fat it needs.
Another example is a panicked email we received one Christmas. Someone used our go-to gingerbread cookie recipe, but swapped plain flour for gluten free plain flour. Everything seemed great, but after a few hours the cookies were soft and falling apart. The problem was that there was nothing to replace the gluten that was taken out when the plain flour was replaced. Gluten helps bind ingredients in a bake together so without an alternative like Xanthan Gum it was always going to easily crumble or break. Our recipe wasn’t a gluten free specific recipe to begin with too.
Hopefully, with these handy tips you’re on your way to perfect bakes. The key here really is to not make life harder for yourself. If you don’t have the time then try and go for a simpler bake. Don’t be so hard on yourself and instead have some fun!
All photographs and written content (including recipes, bespoke designs, collaborations, videos, tips, graphics, and tutorials) belong to and are copyright to Juniper Cakery unless otherwise stated. Do not copy. This also includes using our copyrighted work to garner sales or teach whether generating income or not for your own business. We work hard to create content for our readers to enjoy and use so please do the same for your own site, blog, social media account or publication. Copying and publishing our work without permission or claiming it as your own work may lead to legal action from us. If you wish to feature our work please do contact us for info.
