rack – to cool cupcakes
Flexible plastic spatulas – for scraping out bowls
Muffin baking cases (liners) – keep a variety of the many fantastic designs available, both paper and foil, on hand for spontaneous events
Large disposable plastic piping (pastry) bags – for piping your mixture into cases (liners)
Oven thermometer – a must if unsure of your internal oven temperature
Microwave or double boiler – for melting chocolate
Plastic or glass microwave-safe bowls – for melting chocolate and butter
Sieve (strainer)
We usually use muffin or mini muffin-size baking cases (liners) because they are just the right size to be flat-frosted to present your cupcakes beautifully and still give a perfect amount of sponge. Smaller cupcake or fairy cake cases are not suitable for these projects.
Basic decorating toolbox
Non-stick work board with non-stick mat beneath to prevent slipping – to roll out icing and cut out and model paste shapes
Non-stick rolling pin – for rolling out sugarpaste (rolled fondant) and flower (petal/gum) paste
Icing spacers – to achieve an even 3mm (1⁄8in) thickness
Large disposable plastic piping (pastry) bags, 46cm (18in) or 53cm (21in) – for piping frostings
Paper piping (pastry) bags – made from baking (parchment) paper for small quantities of royal icing/applying details
Piping tubes (tips) – fine for piping royal icing details; large for piping frosting (see applying frostings)
Scissors – to snip the ends of piping (pastry) bags for tubes (tips) to fit snugly
Large and mini palette knives – large for buttercream; mini for cutting, turning paste and lifting paste shapes/features
Paintbrushes – a selection of sable (no. 3 for glue) and pony (no. 8 for glitter) are handy
Set of 11 circle cutters (Ateco) – nos. specified count outwards from the smallest, no. 1
Icing smoother – for smoothing and polishing sugarpaste (rolled fondant)
Sugar glue – for attaching decorative elements
Cocktail sticks (toothpicks) – for applying colour to icing and creating tiny indentations
Specialist decorating items
Shaped cutters – ovals, hearts, square, star, triangle
Kemper mini plunger cutters – 4mm (1⁄8in) circle and heart are used in many projects; PME blossom set comes with a foam pad to push the plunger against to cup the paste
Ball tool and smile tool (PME) – for adding detail to paste characters
Dresden tool – for scoring lines into paste and adding texture
Paint palette – for mixing colours and blending gold/silver lustre dust with alcohol
Dusting brush – for brushing lustre dust onto paste
Foiled cake board – for storing made-ahead paste discs
Recipes
Now that you have all your basic equipment to hand, you are ready to begin your preparations for baking. You can use almost any recipe for the decorated cupcake projects in this book, and I have listed some of my special favourites here for you to choose from.
Cupcake Recipes
First, get to know the Golden Rules of Baking before you proceed. I always use a stand mixer and where possible give easy ‘all-in-one’ recipes, but if you wish to make your cake mix by hand, cream the fat and sugar together in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy before gradually beating in any liquids and finally incorporating the flour with a large metal spoon.
Golden rules of baking
Let all your ingredients come to room temperature before you begin to make your cake mix.
Before starting to make your cupcakes, read the recipe right through to familiarize yourself with the method.
Preheat your oven and check that it is reaching the correct temperature by using an oven thermometer.
Prepare tins (pans) before starting to make your cake mix so that it doesn’t have to sit.
Ensure you weigh the ingredients accurately – the key to great cupcakes!
Never cream your mixture on full speed – start on slow and work upwards.
Eggs are best used when they are at room temperature.
Add eggs one at a time or gradually to prevent curdling, adding a tablespoon of the flour if it looks like the mixture may be starting to curdle.
Always fold in the flour. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment (flat beater) on the slowest speed.
Generally fill the muffin baking cases (liners) two-thirds full for a flat top and to allow room for frosting.
If your oven has a hot spot, rotate the pan halfway through baking.
Use a wire rack to help your cakes cool quickly.
Cupcake troubleshooting
Peaked – either too much raising agent or the oven temperature is too hot
Sunken – not cooked for long enough or oven door opened too soon
Sloping – check with a spirit level that your oven shelves or even the oven itself is level
Some cooked but others not quite – your oven may have
