Reindeer Cupcakes

These sweet little faces are almost too cute to eat. A carrot cupcake topped with cute decorations to make a festive party treat!

My Christmas baking is running a little behind due to the celebrating starting early. Hangovers make baking seem like a mammoth task...or a reindeer task? But Christmas is important and Santa waits for no one.

And these are cute as hell. You know I can't stop saying "as hell". I finish every sentence where I want to be emphatic with it. "That's rude as hell!", "That's pretty as hell!",  "I'm confused as hell!" And my favourite, "That's DUMB as HELL!" Try it. You won't be able to stop.

But do you know what, these are as cute as hell. Of course they're perfect for Christmas but...okay I can't think of any other time of year they'd suit. But that doesn't mean they're any less cute! Perhaps somehow they could be made in to bunnies for Easter. Bunnies like carrots too.

So anyway. These darling little cupcakes are carrot cupcakes! Do you know why? Cos what do you leave out for Santa and his reindeer? Carrots, that's what! How twee is that! Carrot cupcakes with reindeer faces! Cute central. If you put 'cute central' into Google Maps, your address will come up with these guys in your kitchen.

Here are some step by step photos for the fondant work.

Select a round cutter a little larger than your cupcake.
Knead together white and pre-coloured brown fondant to make a darker shade and lighter shade of brown. Keep the fondant tightly wrapped when not working with the fondant.

Ice the cupcake with buttercream to a slightly domed shape.

Cut a round of darker brown fondant.

Lightly press the large over the buttercream.

Using the back of a piping tip, cut a smaller circle from the lighter brown fondant and attach to the darker brown with a tiny dab of buttercream.

Lightly press the edge of the piping tip in to the light brown circle to make the mouth of the deer.

Attach a dark brown M&M to the light brown circle to make the nose of the deer, then add the premade eyes.

There is a bit of fondant work with this but it's basically the easiest fondant use ever. Rolling and cutting circles. You'll need two shades of brown for these cupcakes. I purchased pre-coloured brown fondant the colour I wanted to the head of the reindeer to be and then I created the lighter brown by rolling some white fondant in to a bit of the darker fondant. This was easier than buying only white and colouring it. Less mess, less fuss and more consistent results.

I used my old standby cupcake recipe and altered it a bit by adding carrots, vegetable oil and some pulverized walnuts. A lot of carrot cupcake recipes out in the great big world seemed more like muffins. They were dense and didn't have the height of a light and fluffy traditional cupcake. Being the Dr. Frankenstein that I am, I simply altered a vanilla cupcake. And it worked.

The reindeer also have cute little eye which I made by piping royal icing. I can't tell you how sick of piping icing I was by the end of this, this made far more than I needed. However, once the discs are well dried, you can store them in an airtight container for other projects. To create the pupils, I dotted the discs with a food safe pen. I purchased a specific food pen for this but since making them, I've read that you can use a non-toxic pen purchased from the supermarket, the type kids use for their colouring books.

Finally, you will just need to pipe the antlers with some melted chocolate. You can use this template or freestyle it if you've got a steady hand. Make sure you pipe the base of the antlers nice and thick, I found the thinner ones broke easily. To make the chocolate antlers easier to use, make sure they're cold from the fridge and use a small knife to make an incision in the fondant first, then stick the chocolate antlers in.

Also, cos it's Christmas, enjoy these photos of my own little reindeer.

Reindeer Face Carrot Cupcakes
*Royal icing eyes need time to set so make at least 24 hours in advance. Royal icing eyes can be made well in advance and kept in an airtight container once completely dried.

Prep time: 60 mins, not including drying time

Cooking time: 20 mins

Total time:  1 hr and 20 mins

Servings: 18 cupcakes

Royal Icing Eyes

2 egg whites

1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Black food safe pen

1. Combine the egg white and sugar in a medium bowl and beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping down sides as necessary.
2. Beat til icing is a thick but pipeable consistency, like molten lava. Add water if the icing is too thick or more sifted icing sugar if too thin
3. Add the frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip
4. Lay a large piece of baking paper on to a baking sheet and pipe small circles to make an eye shape.
5. Allow to dry at room temperature for at least 24 hours before removing from baking sheet. Once dry, dot each eye with the black pen to make an pupil.

Chocolate Antlers

150g chocolate melts

1. Print out the template and place on a baking sheet. Lay a piece of baking paper over the top.
2. Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals until completely melted.
3. Add melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a fine piping tip and pipe antlers on to baking paper, following pattern as on the template. Use a skewer or toothpick to move chocolate in to the gaps as required.
4. Allow to dry and chill in fridge.

Carrot Cupcakes
110g softened butter
230g caster sugar
2 eggs, free range
150g plain cake flour
125g self-raising cake flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup freshly grated carrots
125g crumbled walnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 12-hole cupcake tin.
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until lighter in colour.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift the flours into one bowl and stir the cinnamon and nutmeg into the flour.
5. Add the vanilla extract and vegetable oil into the milk.
6. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, in three lots, starting and finishing with the flour.
7. Gently fold the grated carrot and walnuts into the batter until combined.
8. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full, or about 50g on scales.
9. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, leave in the tin for 5 minutes then turn on to a rack to cool. 

Vanilla Buttercream

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 cups icing sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1. Using the whisk attachment of a stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as required.
2. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the icing sugar. Once all of the sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla and milk, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

Assembly
Pre-coloured brown and white fondant
Colours will vary, use as much fondant as required.
Brown and red M&M's

1. Ice each cupcake with vanilla buttercream and set aside.
2. Dust a rolling mat or benchtop with icing sugar.
3. Knead white fondant into pre-coloured brown fondant to create a dark brown colour for the reindeers face.
4. Using a little more white fondant, make a lighter brown colour for the reindeers muzzle.
5. Dust more icing sugar onto bench as required and roll out the dark brown fondant.
6. Use a circle cutter to cut a circle at a time. Cover remaining fondant with plastic wrap when not in use.
7. Gently work the circle on to a cupcake. Repeat until all cupcakes have fondant applied.
8. Roll out the lighter brown colour and use the larger end of a piping tip to cut smaller circles.
9. Use a dab of buttercream to attach the lighter brown circle to the face of the reindeer, then use the piping tip to lightly indent a mouth into the lighter brown circle. Repeat for all cupcakes.
10. Using a tiny dab of buttercream, attach an M&M to each reindeers face and a pair of royal icing eyes.
11. Finally, push a pair of chocolate antlers into each of the cupcakes.

Visit my other Christmas Baking Posts:
Christmas Star Cherry Tart with Cinnamon Honey Roasted Macadamia Ice Cream
Raspberry Jam Drops
Rum Ball Trifle
Eggnog Cake
Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Shortbread
Bauble Macarons

RSPCA Puppy Cakes

Make these delicious honey flavoured cupcake with a sweet peanut butter and cream cheese centre and toasted meringue topping to raise funds for the RSPCA and share them with your four legged friend!

Obviously don't top the human cupcakes with dog-chocolate and bone treats...unless you want to.

Now. I don't know if you know but I love dogs. I adore them. I'm obsessed with them. I have a folder on my phone full of photos I've met on the street. I have over 60 kilos of dog that lives inside my house, two dogs who literally are my children. My puppies are a 6 year old German Shepherd named Stompypants and a 5 year old yellow Labrador named Puca but her name really should be Cheekypants. And I'm working on getting a rescue pug who I plan on naming Sausage.

Two dignified ladies, ready for their picnic.

As you can see, when I am on the topic of dogs, I can talk forever and I do get sidetracked in lovely puppy kisses and wet noses and wagging tails. My puppies are so spoilt, treats, fresh food, water, daily walks...but not all dogs are so lucky. Some dogs, through no fault of their own, have no warm place to put their fluffy bum and no one to pet their pretty heads. Some dogs are born into puppy farms or on the street. Some puppies are mistreated or suddenly can't be looked after anymore.

Oh that looks good..

...can I have it?...

AWESOME!

But thank the canine stars that we have the RSPCA. The RSPCA do vital work. They house and feed and give life saving medical attention to literally tens of thousands of dogs across Australia each year. And their care and welfare doesn't just stop with woman's best friend! They care for cats, birds, horses, chickens, snakes, Guinea pigs, rats, mice, lizards...all of our furry, scaly, feathery friends. Haven personally volunteered at RSPCA, I can tell you the care they give to animals is outstanding and wonderful.

This care doesn't come cheap. RSPCA QLD needs $42 million a year to keep running. And 99% of their funding comes from donations from people like me and you! And here's where you get to make a real difference. August 15 is RSPCA Cupcake day. All you need to do is register, bake some delicious cupcakes, (like the ones I have made here!) and raise some much-needed funds for those saints at the RSPCA.

What could be more awesome than baking some delicious cupcakes and raising money for a important cause AND EATING THEM! Can you show me the downside? No! Cos there isn't one!

The fun thing about these cupcakes is that you can eat them...and your dog can eat them too! Bake these Honey and Peanut Butter cupcakes, then sit down and share one with your dog! How much fun is that? And then whip another bunch and sell them at your work or your school or invite some people over and have a fundraising puppy cupcake party!

Head on over to www.rspcacupcakeday.com.au and register. Print out some posters and get all your friends and family involved and raise as much money as you can for RSPCA! And enjoy these photos of the puppy picnic I put on for Stompypants and Puca. They were such ladies.

Honey and Peanut Butter Puppy Cakes
These cupcakes are safe for your dog to eat, but please be treat-wise. Dogs don't need sugar. For this reason, these cupcakes are smaller in size. Top with dog treats for the doggies and a rice marshmallow crispy for you!
Prep time: 60 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Total time:  75 mins

Servings: 24 small cupcakes

Honey Cupcakes

125g butter, softened 

125g caster sugar

3 tablespoons honey

2 whole eggs plus 3egg yolks (reserve the whites)

1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 cup lactose-free milk

Peanut Butter Filling

3 tablespoons sugar free peanut butter

3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

Meringue Icing

3 egg whites

1/2 cup caster sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with smaller cupcake liners
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until lighter in colour
3. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift the flours into one bowl and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, in three lots, starting and finishing with the flour
5. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full
6. Bake for 23 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, add the peanut butter, cream cheese and honey to a small bowl and stir thoroughly to make the peanut butter filling.
8. Allow to cool while you prepare the meringue. 

Meringue

1. Wipe a mixer bowl with a paper towel dampened with lemon juice.
2. Add egg whites to the bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
3. With the mixer running, gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until thick and glossy.

Assembly

1. Scoop out a small amount of the cupcakes with a teaspoon or a melon baller. Put the bit aside.
2. Fill cavity with a generous teaspoon of peanut butter filling.
3. Replace the cut-out cupcake piece.
4. Pipe or spoon on the meringue on each cupcake and pass a kitchen blowtorch over the meringue is toasted. Alternatively, place the cupcakes back into a 200°C oven until golden.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Triple Choc Brownie Hearts

A traditional red velvet cupcake with tangy cream cheese frosting topped with a triple chocolate brownie heart...



Look at those darling little sprinkles.



 

Ahhh Valentine's Day. The scourge of many and the disappointment of many others. I joke, I joke. I love Valentine's Day. Many people disparage Valentine's Day as a commercial money grab but to me, if there's a day celebrating love, what's wrong with that? Love between your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your bestie, your furbaby...all types of love are for celebrating! And it doesn't have to be commercial or expensive. Why not bake something for your sweetheart? Like these cupcakes!
 

This is the brownie ingredients...



And here we have the cupcake ingredients.


Many recipes were going through my mind for Valentine's but when I thought about what really felt like Valentine's, I couldn't go past red velvet cupcakes. And if I were thinking of my Vvlentine, there would have to be copious amounts of chocolate. So these little bambinos are topped with heart shaped triple chocolate brownies.
 

Making the brownies!

I was pretty late to the red velvet party. They really came onto the scene a few years ago and I refused to be swept up in the red velvet hysteria. You know they're just chocolate cupcakes with red food colouring. I couldn't see the big deal. But then I was asked to make them for an order and well, I came around. They're pretty nice after all! And with that cream cheese icing, come on. Who wouldn't be swayed!

Now this isn't the most economical way of making hearts, you will have a lot of brownie left over.

 


But there's no such thing as too much brownie.

I use this recipe for Heritage Red Velvet cake from Sprinkle Bakes for both my cakes and cupcakes. As a general rule, a 8 - 9 inch two layer cake will make about 24 cupcakes. This red velvet cake uses vinegar to keep the colour nice and bright, and I always mix a little vinegar into my cakes if using food colour.


Making a paste with the food colour.



This colour is called Oxblood and it's really in this season. Rub this into your clothes to be in fashion.



 I use gel colours to colour my icings and frostings but in cake batter, I use liquid as it spreads evenly through the batter and gel tends to be expensive to use a lot of it. Liquid works just fine.

 

This batter is getting fashionable.

 


So oxblood, so cool.



The red colour of the red velvet is pretty Valentinesy by itself, but when I bake for my valentine, Mr. Cakes there needs to be chocolate. And a lot of it. To say Mr. Cakes is a chocoholic is possibly the understatement of history. And these brownies are the shiz. Then cut into little hearts and boom. Valentine's Day in a cupcake.


You put the icing in the bag and you put the bag on the cupcake.



Donna Hay's Triple Chocolate Brownies are my go to brownie recipe, they're so easy. And as I think I've said before, I love a recipe that can be done by hand. I use a mixture of sugars to give both a fudgy, soft brownie and a nice chewy top and edges.


I bought strawberry Nesquik just for these photos.



The brownies need to be cooked in a pan that's about the same height as your heart cutter. So as the pan depth will be shallower than a normal brownie pan, you need to bake them for less time and keep an eye on them as to ensure they don't get overcooked. You could always just cut them into squares to put on top but it's Valentine's Day, goddamit! You get that heart cutter out!

And I bought these doily's just for this too. You'd be surprised at how hard they were to find,

I'm partial to using either plain white or brown cupcake wrappers as I think simple is best, but it's Valentine's Day! Time to break out the fancy pants wrappers!

Symmetry.

 

So cute.



Topped with the traditional smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting, a brownie heart and some heart sprinkles if you've got them, these cupcakes are a great gift from your heart to your valentines.
 

And there's more! Photos, that is.



 


Aerial shot.



 


Mr. Cakes ate these cupcake almost exclusively for 3 days.



 



Love the colour!



Red Velvet Cupcakes with Triple Choc Brownie Hearts

Prep time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 1 hr 10 mins

Total time:  1 hr 50 mins plus cooling time

 

Servings: 24

 

Triple Choc Brownie Hearts

200g dark chocolate, chopped       

250g butter, chopped

1 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup caster sugar      

4 eggs

1/3 cup cocoa powder      

1 cups plain flour  

1/4 cup self raising flour    

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

150g dark chocolate melts       

150g white chocolate chips

150g milk chocolate melts  

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
250g butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons liquid red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting

250g cream cheese, softened

125g butter, softened

4 cups icing sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      

Triple Choc Brownie Hearts

1. Preheat oven to 160°C
2. Melt 200g of dark chocolate and butter together over a low heat in a small saucepan. Set aside.
3. Place eggs, brown and caster sugar into a large bowl and stir to combine.
4. Add the melted chocolate and butter and stir to combine.
5. Sift the flours, cocoa and baking powder into the bowl.
6. Fold through dark, white and milk chocolate bits into the bowl.
7. Spread mixture into a 30 cm tray lined with baking paper.
8. Bake for 40 mins, or until edges are firm.
9. Allow to cool and cut in to hearts with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Dust with icing sugar.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Line a 12 cupcake tray with chosen liners.
3. Sift flour and set aside.
4. In a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until creamed and lighter in colour.
5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add flour to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour then mix in the vanilla.
7. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and the red food colouring til it forms a paste, then add to the batter. Mix well.
8. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and vinegar. Mix vigorously then add to the batter. Mix well, until batter is well mixed.
9. Add heaped tablespoons to the cupcake liners til two thirds full. They should weigh around 50g each.
10. Bake for 22 mins and repeat with remaining batter.
11. Allow to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting 

1. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Add vanilla and icing sugar and beat until fully combined and smooth.
3. Refrigerate until required.

Assembly

1. Add frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large, open star piping tip.
2. Pipe a large swirl onto completely cooled cupcake.
3. Top with a brownie heart and sprinkle with sprinkles, if desired.

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

 

That one up there in a left got a little charred! It was a lot of fun to use the blowtorch...


I love lemon meringue pies. There are not that many sweet pies that are widely served in Australia, in comparison to the US where when you say pie, it's assumed you mean a dessert. In Australia, when you say pie, people will want to know if you want the tomato sauce on top or on the side.

I simply adore this book. It's an heirloom.

Such awesome photography.

I don't actually make many lemon meringue pies as I love them but Mr. Cakes does not. So if I were to make one, I would eat the whole thing. Probably in one sitting. With a tub of ice cream. And some chocolate. And a brownie.


Sexy lemons.

My lemon meringue pie recipe comes from the 'Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery'. This version was my nanna's and my mum had a copy too. Does everyone's mum have a copy? Was it handed out in the maternity ward? I loved this book and I remember pouring over the retro recipes and the strange way the dishes were presented. But behind the salmon mousse in the fish shaped mould, there are actually a lot of wonderful recipes. They're classics. The lemon meringue pie is one such classic! But because I really would eat the whole pie, I decided to make lemon meringue cupcakes! Portion control, y'all.

I love the yellow colour of this curd, which really comes from the yolk, not the lemon.

I took the lemon filling from the Complete Book of Cookery and paired it with a simple, plain cupcake with a few tablespoons of lemon juice in the batter. I like my lemon curd to be very tart and lemony. When in a cupcake, it won't be overwhelming and too tart, rather it will be a lovely little burst of sunshine.

The cupcakes start like this...

...then they go like this...



...then they go like this!


With these cupcakes, I decided to pair them with a Swiss Meringue. Personally, I get a little weirded out by raw meringue. I love lemon meringue pie but if I start to think about the egg whites being raw, it can totally turn me off my slice.


Perfectly baked little cupcakes.

With Swiss Meringue, the egg whites are cooked with the sugar to 55°C. This just makes me feel better about eating egg whites. Generally, the nasties are just in the yolks and egg whites are safe to eat raw (unless pregnant or in some other delicate state) but just knowing they're cooked reassures me.


Lovely, glossy Swiss Meringue!

I used my go-to vanilla cupcakes from a lovely book I've had for a few years now, 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery' and made them into lemon cupcakes. I didn't want them to be hugely citrus flavoured, rather to be subtlety lemony to pair with the curd and meringues.

Lovely, lemony cupcake. I love that melon baller.

A nicely swirled pile of meringue, before being subjected to FIRE!



Action shot! Notice the charring of the cupcake wrapper. Oops!

Try out this cupcake recipe, they're perfect for a morning tea or to take on a visit with friends. The perfect springtime cupcakes! 


Ahhhhhh *angels singing*



A little bit of cupcake styling.





Cupcake and lemon, sitting in a tree...

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes with Swiss Meringue
Adapted from the Australian and New Zealand Complete Book of Cookery and Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery

Prep time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Total time:  60 mins

 

Servings: 15 cupcakes

Lemon Curd Filling
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon cornflour
20g butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
Rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks, free range

Lemony Cupcakes
110g softened butter
230g caster sugar
2 eggs, free range
150g plain cake flour
125g self-raising cake flour
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Swiss Meringue
6 egg white, free range
300g caster sugar

Lemon Curd Filling

1. To make lemon curd filling, place water, cornflour, butter, caster sugar, lemon rind and juice in a small saucepan.
2. Whisk over a medium heat until at a fast simmer and then whisk continuously for a further 22 minutes.
3. Take off the heat and stir for another minute then add egg yolks, while continuing to whisk.
4. Allow to cool while you prepare the cupcakes and Swiss meringue.

Lemony Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 12-hole cupcake tin.
2. Beat the sugar and butter together until lighter in colour.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift the flours into one bowl and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, in three lots, starting and finishing with the flour.
5. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full, or about 50g on scales.
6. Bake for 23 minutes.
7. Allow to cool while you prepare the Swiss Meringue. 

Swiss Meringue

1. Wipe a bowl with a paper towel dampened with lemon juice.
2. Add egg whites to the bowl with the sugar and simmer over a pot of water whisking constantly but gently until temperature reaches 55°C or until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Whisk egg whites and sugar until the meringue is thick and glossy and egg whites have reached room temperature.

Assembly

1. Scoop out a small amount of the cupcakes with a teaspoon or a melon baller. Put the bit aside.
2. Fill cavity with a generous teaspoon of lemon curd filling.
3. Replace the cut-out cupcake piece.
4. Pipe or spoon on the Swiss meringue and pass a kitchen blowtorch over the meringue until nicely golden. Alternatively, place the cupcakes back into a 200°C oven until nicely golden.