Camp Cupcake: Cupcake Caterpillar

Believe it or not, this one had its own recipe. Lots of times, when Martha has a good decorating idea, she pairs it with a recipe she's used earlier in the book. Not so with this one.

I made the cake part for my dissertation proposal, which happened the first week of March. One of my committee members has followed my blog since I started it, and he often comments to me about the cupcakes. It seemed cruel not to bring some to my proposal meeting. Because I was more preoccupied with the actual meeting, I did not make a frosting for them at that time. Instead, I dusted them with powdered sugar and froze the remaining cupcakes for a different day. A day when I had enough time to do this:



It doesn't look as much like a caterpillar as it should, mostly because the cupcakes are crammed on the tray pretty tightly. Also, I added antennae later (strawberry Pocky for anyone who cares or knows what that is).

This was the first recipe that called for fondant. Fondant is somewhat similar to marzipan, in that it has some of the same properties as Play-Doh, but is made of sugar and can be eaten, if you are so inclined.


Martha and Bakerella use biscuit cutters to cut their fondant into circles to put over cupcakes. I could not find biscuit cutters at the store, so I improvised:


I do not claim to have any amount of expertise on using fondant to decorate cupcakes, so I have added this helpful link to the Pioneer Woman's site, and a tutorial that Bakerella gave there.


Cupcakes:


2 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use Special Dark)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. plus 2 Tbsp. (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. packed dark-brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. buttermilk


For decorating:

15 oz. fondant
Gel-paste food colors (I used red and purple)
Cornstarch (for dusting. Don't use flour)
Swiss Meringue Buttercream-this is mostly to attach the fondant to the cupcakes, and considering it is quite a process, I did not make it
2 candy canes or other stick-like candy for antennae


Preheat oven to 350F. Line 28 standard muffin cups and 1 jumbo muffin cup. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.


Cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well-incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and mixing until just combined after each.


I filled the jumbo cup first, and then filled the rest, all about 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 25-30 minutes.


To get good results, follow Bakerella's instructions.