Friday 8 July 2011

Roses - Cupcake Bouquet (Tutorial)


Aren't cupcake bouquets beautiful ? So different, inexpensive to make and a lovely home made gift.

My first ever attempt was a mini cupcake bouquet. That later evolved into my idea for the rosebud fudge candy bouquet.

More recently, I had been admiring photos  last week of one a customer had made, and she directed me to some YOUTUBE videos (try searching for cupcake bouquets)



I made this on Monday (I think) - could have been Tuesday. I forget as much of this week has become a blur. Certainly, I started it one day and finished it the next ! That's what happens when you start a project at 2am. I made two lots of  the framework at some silly hour of night and made / iced the cupcakes the following morning.

To make the framework / base cupcake bouquet you will need the following :

1 sheet of green tissue paper
2 sheets of tissue in colours of your choice
1 piece of cellophane (optional)
an old cardboard box (preferably double wall thickness)
a staple gun
double sided sticky tape
glue gun (optional)
7 disposable plastic cups
1 metre length of ribbon

The first thing I did was fold the green sheet of tissue into four along the long side and then the opposite way into thirds. When cut, this gave me 12 squares. These tissue pieces were for going inside the cups to create a leaf effect.

I folded each square in half (across the diagonal to give a triangle) and each triangle in half to give a more elongated triangle. Then, snip the bottom 20mm / 3/4" off. It's just like the photos for cutting the circles - except you care cutting off the bottom part rather than the top.

When you unfold it, you will be left with a square which has a circular hole in the middle.

Originally, I tried taping them to the outside of the cup, but that did not give as good an effect. Taping them to the inside was a really slow job and very fiddly. Through trial and error, I found it was easier to do it as below :


Take two plastic cups. Put the cup base through the hole in the tissue square. Secure with a small piece of double sided tape approx 1/3 of the way up from the base of the cup. Put another piece of double sided tape on the opposite side of the cup.

Peel off the backing tape from both bits of tape. Gently squash the top of the cup with one hand. Take a second cup and insert the cup (with tissue on outside) about 1/2 way in. The tape will grip the inside of the cup and stick the tissue on the inside as you  remove the inner cup.

With all the cups done, it's time to piece them together. You have three choices here. A stapler is the fastest and easiest. It is likely to split the cups though, so put some sticky tape on them before you staple. Alternatively, you can use double sided sticky tape as I did on one of mine. It's possible to also use a glue gun - but be careful - the plastic cups melt a bit with the hot glue. I stuck my fingers together. Hmmm.

You want one cup in the middle(rim higher than the rest, and fasten the other cups round the outside



Take another sheet of tissue. Fold one corner up to meet the side across the diagonal. Cut the remaining strip off. Opened up, you now have a square. Keep folding across the diagonal and then cut the top piece off in an arch. When you open the paper up - you should have a circle (or something that resembles one !). If you want a really full and fluffy wrapped bouquet, also cut a piece of cellophane wrap in the same way


Draw round a 6" / 150mm saucer on to a piece of card and cut it out. You need to stick this to the bottom of your plastic cup to complete the frame. Glue gun works best, but I also had good success with double sided sticky tape. 

Put the glue or tape round the outside edge of the base of the cups and press the cardboard disc to the bottom. Place this on top of your tissue / cellophane circles. Bring the sides of the tissue / cello up. It's handy to have someone hold this for you - but if it's 3am and your husband is asleep.... I'd suggest a bit of double sided tape on either side to help keep it in place !

Tie the ribbon around the base to secure.

Now the base is done, all you need to make is a batch of standard size cupcakes and some buttercream icing. This mould is ideal. We also keep a wide selection of paper case cake liners

I used the vanilla cupcake and buttercream recipe I posted back in February here.

To pipe the roses, I used a disposable piping bag and a closed star tip..... But I believe a Wilton 1M tip gives even better results !


Take the piping bag, and using a small brush, apply some gel paste food colouring to the inside of the bag. You need only a very small amount. Rub the sides of the bag together. Snip the end off and insert the tip. You may need to wipe excess colour off the tip end with a cloth after insertion. The colour on the inside of the bag is going to create the two tone effect on the edge of the piped rose swirl.

Squeeze a little of the buttercream through. The colour will follow. After that, you can pipe the swirls. 

Start on the inside and pipe round the outside in a circle. Super video of it being done here

Once the buttercream on my cupcakes had hardened off, I popped them into the plastic cups. The cups hold them securely in place. Nothing else is needed.


I've been keeping my husband busy this week. We've been building a run for the chickens. It's not totally finished yet as the company that supplied it have not sent all the correct parts for the roof and there are loads of bits missing. Pah. They've promised twice to phone me back and sort it - nothing yet..

Chickens have been free range in our garden for almost 2.1/2 years now and give us loads of lovely fresh eggs. At this time of year, too many. Scrambled, fried, boiled, omlet, in cakes and still excess to sell. In the winter, very few.

Korma, Dansak, Tikka, Terminator, Custard, Blackie, Feathers, Henrietta and Fancy Pants.

 I really didn't want to pen them in - but the garden is pretty much destroyed. They've dug massive craters in the garden that used to be a  lawn (WHAT LAWN ??). Craters big enough they can jump in and hide.

 Open the kitchen window just a little, and they squeeze in and sit on the sink draining board. Leave the back door open for two seconds and they're in the house. In as quick as you can turn round, there will be a chicken in the living room watching tv or sitting on the sofa. I swear - they are taking over !

Korma likes to sneak in and stand in front of the kitchen cooker. We joke she's oven ready.

Well - they are going to have a massive run. Between that and Oliver's trampoline, there isn't a great deal of space left....but ..... I'm looking forward to being able to open the door again and not be falling over a rabble of chickens begging for some pasta or rice !  Shame we have to restrict their free ranging, but it's got a bit silly.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this slightly different blog entry. It's a bit more crafty this time - but still food orientated :-)

Sarah-Jane Nash - www.siliconemoulds.com - silicone bakeware / cookware -  July 11

17 comments:

  1. WOW Sarah! This is very impressive, so pretty to look at :)

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  2. These are such pretty cupcakes!

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  3. Beautiful cupcakes, the icing is amazing! Love the names of your chickens, that run looks huge!

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  4. Nice presentation. Tutorial is great I never knew about brushing gel color on the inside of bag makes for a really nice look.

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  5. Wow, this looks great!! Tnx for the tutorial, I'll have to try this!

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  6. Thanks so much for this tutorial, presentation does play a part when you are creating cupcakes for someone else. Your instructions are very clear.
    Regarding the chickens, they can do quite a bit of damage so penning them up is a good decision. Have great weekend.

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  7. I always wanted to know how to do this kind of bouquet, thanks!!!

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  8. What a lovely bouquet! I have neevr piped using the colouring technique. Ive always been a lttle unsure about how it'll turn out but I think ill be brave enough to try after your tutorial. :) a lovely creative post.

    Your chickens gave me a good laugh..LOL I can imagine them taking over the couch , living room and the kitchen. How fun is that. Of course it could be tiresome too...but really fun especially with all those eggs you get...oh my...free eggs! :P I have to buy mine at the supermarket..imagine that.

    I never thought of naming chickens...Korma is so cute a name. lol...terminator!? and fancy pants! oh sooo cute :DD how great it wld have been if you had some fotos of them!

    hugs
    zurin

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  9. Awesome chicken coop! They're going to have quite a home when it gets finished :)

    Love these cupcakes, very clever and very beautiful! Bzzzz

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  10. Oh my gosh! I am so envious of your roses and creativity!!! They are gorgeous! Too funny with the chickens. It reminds me of the chicken house on our farm when young and bringing little chicks into the kitchen if it was too cold outside. It looks like yours will have a nice home soon!

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  11. A really great tutorial - you explained it very clearly. They are SO beautiful! I always wondered how you got a two-tone frosting!

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  12. Another pretty bouquet Sarah-Jane. I love all the ones you've done. One day I'll have to try it for myself. Your chicken story is very funny :) It's good you'll have part of your lawn back.

    (BTW I emailed you again. Hope you received it. )

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  13. So beautiful, well done :-)

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  14. OK, so come on, I want to see a photo of that chicken sitting on your sofa watching TV!! ;o) And oh Sarah Jane your bouquet is beautiful - what a labour of love and a wonderful centrepiece for a special occasion.

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  15. Ann - thanks - I had great fun making it !

    SV - thanks. Lovely to have you visit my blog :-)

    Hanna - thanks. The run is pretty massive 15ft x 9ft. It takes up a huge space in the garden !

    The Culinary Lens - this is the first time I've tried the technique, but I'm really pleased with the results :-)

    What's For Dessert - do have a go - it's actually very easy !

    Tina / Flourtrader - I hope it helps anyone who wnats to have a go. I feel a bit guilty about locking the chickens up :-( Needs must however - they are being VERY destructive ! Still - if those were battery hens, there would be 160 in that run..... not just 9 .... so they do have loads of space.

    mividaenundulce - Hope it helps ! :-)

    Zurin - the chicken were getting really cheeky. Chickens are supposed to go to bed before it gets dark. However, if I'm working late in the kitchen with the light on, they'd come and sit on the windowsill and peck at it ... "Tap, Tap Tap" demanding bread / cereal / pasta - even at 2am ! Nothing beats really fresh eggs. Since I moved to Norfolk 9.1/2 years ago, I've not bought supermarket eggs. Way before we had our chickens. There are loads of local farms selling them by the door. The Chickens are very much pets. I feel a chicken post coming on soon.... I think I have photos of them somewhere in the house !

    Parsley-Sage - MOST of them seem to like it. Friday and Saturday, I was met at the door by one solitary chicken. I'd put Tikka back, and a few minutes later, she was back tapping at our door asking to get in. I couldn't figure out HOW she was getting out. After all, chickens cant REALLY fly. Well - I think this one can. Tikka can get out that run, and it's 7ft high ! There is wire on the top now until we get the remaining bits t0 put the roof sheets on. Should stop her for a while.

    Pam - I made mine after seeing photos of one Charlene (a customer made). Unfortunately, the concept for this particular one wasn't my own.. It's easy though. Great fun and very effective !

    Ann - the youtube video is super. Do have a little look at the link. If using a disposable bag, painting the inside right to the bottom before cutting the end off (and putting in the tip) means the colour comes through almost instantly.

    Nancy - I've got your email now. Emails are next on my "To Do" list. I've been warned by my husband not to leave a screwdriver in the chicken run. I think most of them would do anything to escape at the moment !

    Ann - you are crafty. You'd pull this bouquet off no problem. In fact, you'd probably do it 10 times better than me ! I don't have that level of crafting skill. Hmm - ok.... another chicken photos request. I'll see what I've got, maybe take some new. They are NOT getting back in the house just for a photo shoot. I'm done with them raking the kitchen bin and snuggling up in the living room. You think I'm kidding - honestly, I'm not !

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  16. This is absolutely beautiful! Really inventive and looks stunning x

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  17. This is by far the best tutorial I have seen. Thank you xx

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