Recipe: Champagne Cupcakes with Yellow Cake and Poured Fondant Glaze

CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES

"White or yellow cupcakes are topped with a poured white fondant glaze. After the fondant firms up, small champagne glasses are piped on top; edible glitter and very pearly dragees form 'champagne bubbles'."



23 paper liners
1 batch batter from white cupcakes or Yellow Cupcakes (recipe follows)
1 batch Poured Fondant Glaze (recipe follows)
Liqueur of your choice, such as Grand Marnier or Kahlua (optional)*
Wilton Icing Writer in White
White edible glitter, such as Wilton Cake Sparkles
Tiny pearl dragees (about 3 millimeters in size)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in 23 wells of two 12-cup cupcake tins.

Prepare cake batter. Divide batter evenly among paper liners. The liners will be only one-third full (so there is headroom for the poured glaze later on).

Bake for about 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center shows a few moist crumbs. Cool pans on racks for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to cooling racks to cool completely.

Place cupcakes on jelly-roll pan. Pierce each several times with a bamboo skewer. Sprinkle liqueur, straight out of the bottle, on each one. The amount used will depend on strength of liqueur and potency desired!

Use a teaspoon to pour the fluid fondant in the center of each cupcake, applying enough so that it spreads out on its own and flows to the edges of the liners. Make sure to cover cake completely while fondant is still fluid. Allow to set and dry, which will take just a few minutes. If you can still see the cake, or if the center of the cupcake is peaked, simply glaze a second time, adding enough fondant to create a smooth, fl at, opaque surface.

While surface is still slightly moist, use Icing Writer to pipe outline of a champagne glass shape, then fill in with Icing Writer. Sprinkle glitter and dragees above cup to mimic champagne bubbles (as in photograph). Allow to set and dry.

Cupcakes are now ready to serve.

*The liqueur is optional, of course. If you are expecting kids at your party, make some without. Just make theirs in a different color paper liner to keep track.

Makes 23 festive cupcakes

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YELLOW CUPCAKES
Makes 12 (standard-size) cupcakes

"This is a classic moist yellow cake in a mini form. The cupcakes will keep for 2 days at room temperature in an airtight container or for 1 week frozen in an airtight container."

12 paper liners
11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
3⁄4 cup sugar
11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1⁄2 cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper liners in all wells of one 12-cup cupcake tin.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl to aerate and combine; set aside.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in vanilla extract. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down after each addition, allowing each egg to be absorbed before continuing.

Add the flour mixture in 4 additions, alternately with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture, and beat briefly until smooth on low-medium speed after each addition.

(If not using the batter in the above recipe, bake as directed below.)

Divide batter evenly among cupcake wells. Bake for about 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs. The center should also spring back when lightly pressed. The cupcakes might color a bit around the edges, but they will not brown.

Cool pan on rack for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.

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POURED FONDANT GLAZE
Makes about 2 cups

"This is a simple poured glaze that firms to a satiny finish. It starts out as a white icing, but can easily be turned into a rich chocolatey icing by following the last step below. In fact, it is very easy to divide the recipe in half and make both flavors at once. This glaze is best if used immediately, but may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days."

1⁄2 cup water
1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
5 cups confectioners' sugar, whisked before measuring
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped (for chocolate version)

Place water and corn syrup in a medium-size saucepan, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, until fondant is completely smooth, creamy white, and lump free. Fondant is ready to use in this liquid form, or you can follow the next step to turn it into chocolate fondant.

(For chocolate fondant, stir in chopped chocolate. Allow to stand for a few minutes to allow residual heat to melt chocolate. If it isn't melting, or mixture is too thick, place over very low heat and gently stir until melted and smooth.)

Fondant is ready to use. The temperature might have to be adjusted. If the fondant glaze is too warm, it will be too runny. If it is too cool, a crust will form. Cool it just enough so that it falls from a spoon slowly, but is still fluid. (Rewarm after storing until it reaches desired consistency.)

Recipe copyright 2013, Used by permission from Harvard Commons Press
Source: A Baker's Field Guide to Cupcakes by Dede Wilson