Christmas Snowman Cupcakes Food

PULL-APART CUPCAKE SNOWMAN

Steps:

• Arrange 14 cupcakes in a tight circle on a platter or cake board for the body and 7 cupcakes in a smaller tight circle for the head. Add 2 cupcakes for the scarf.
• Using a small serrated knife, cut 7 chocolate wafer cookies in half; spread frosting on the back and arrange around the edge of the cupcake circles as shown to round out the shape.
• Cut 6 more cookies into quarters. Spread frosting on the back, then use to fill in the gaps between the cupcakes.
• Transfer the remaining frosting to a piping bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe dots of varying size all over the cupcakes and cookies to cover completely. Add chocolate candies for eyes and buttons and trim a circus peanut for the nose. Roll out the fondant until 1/4 inch thick; trim into 2 strips for the scarf and fringe the ends. Place on the snowman.

CHRISTMAS SNOWMAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Melt 2 chocolate coins in the microwave or in in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, until liquified.
• Dip each cylindrical/round chocolate into the melted chocolate and 'glue' to the coins of chocolate, to look like tophats.
• Sieve icing sugar and add to soft butter and hot water.
• Mix slowly for 2 minutes, then fast, until light and creamy.
• Spread buttercream over each cupcake, leaving a little over to 'glue' the hats on later.
• Place a marshmallow in the middle of each cupcake.
• Snap each chocolate stick in half and place into the cupcake for arms.
• Pipe on a green scarf around the marshmallow.
• Pipe on black eyes and red or orange nose and buttons (If it doesn't stick very well, slightly dampen the side of the marshmallow with a wet finger).
• "Glue" on the tophat with remaining buttercream.

SNOWMAN CAKE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of 2 (8-inch) round cake pans; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, water, oil, eggs and extract. Use an electric mixer to beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down bowl and then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, or until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, or until center of tester comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. ;
• For Royal Icing:
• With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes until stiff and glossy. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pastry bag to pipe onto cookies. ;
• To Decorate:
• Line the backside of a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place 4 inch wide strips of parchment paper around the border of the sheet pan to keep the foil clean while you decorate the cake. Place cake rounds side by side on the lined sheet tray. Slice one side off each cupcake. Place cupcakes side by side at one end of a cake round with the cut/flat side facing up (this will be the top of the top hat). Frost both cakes and cupcakes with frosting so that it looks like a hat is resting on a snowman's head resting on a body. Remove the parchment paper. Spread or drizzle the bottom third of the sheet pan with some royal icing (the royal icing will act as glue for the coconut). Sprinkle the coconut over the royal icing to mimic snow. Randomly place 20 dollops of royal icing around the rest of the sheet pan. Place the snowflake cookies on each dollop of royal icing. Decorate the snowman's hat with rows of blue mints, starting at the very top of the Snowman's head and working up onto the cupcakes. To decorate the face use the peppermint patties for eyes, place a small dot of the royal icing in the center of each patty and place a blue jellybean on top of the royal icing. Use the orange gum drop for the nose and the blue candy coated chocolates for the smile. To make the buttons dip the flat side of a hard candy into the royal icing and then into the colored decorating sugar and place on the snowman's chest; repeat with remaining 2 hard candies. Take 2 (8-inch) piece fruit strips and tie them into a knot. Drape fruit strips across where the 2 cake rounds meet to make a scarf. To make the "broom", take a 3-inch long piece of fruit strip and slice the bottom 2 inches into thin strips. Place a small amount of royal icing at the end of the over sized candy cane and place the unsliced end of the fruit strip on to the royal icing. Use the large white gumdrops to make the hands. Place the candy cane next too one of his hands. ;

CHRISTMAS TREE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Invert two 9 1/2-by-3-inch disposable round foil baking pans. Using a craft knife or a paring knife, cut six X shapes in bottom of each, spacing them evenly, to make 1 1/2-inch openings. Fit a waffle cone snugly into each opening, standing the cones upright. Line each cone with parchment paper, and then place a dried bean or a hazelnut in bottom to prevent batter from leaking. Place pans and cones on parchment-lined baking sheets. Line a 12-cup mini-muffin tin with paper liners.
• Whisk together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl. With a mixer on low speed, gradually add egg mixture to flour mixture, beating until just combined. Raise speed to medium, and beat for 3 minutes. Carefully pour batter into cones, filling each two-thirds full. Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons batter into each muffin cup (these will be the tree bases).
• Bake until a skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes for cupcakes and 35 minutes for cones. Let cakes cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from cones and parchment. Let cool completely on the rack.
• If necessary, use a serrated knife to trim top of each cupcake to create a flat surface. Place a dab of frosting on top of each cupcake, and position a cone cake on top. Place frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip (such as Ateco #19) and pipe frosting decoratively all over tree. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Top each tree with a mini gingerbread star, if desired. Trees can be refrigerated, uncovered, for up to 6 hours before serving.

SNOWMAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch rounds, or use one 8-inch round pan and one 9-inch round pan.
• On tray, arrange cake rounds as pictured. Frost with frosting. Sprinkle with coconut, pressing gently so it sticks.
• Carefully cut black gumdrop for nose and eyebrows, cut green gumdrop for eyes, use licorice for mouth and muffler and chocolate chips for buttons. Place cookie on each side of head for earmuffs; attach across top of head with licorice. Store loosely covered.

SNOWMAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the bases of two 18-19cm cake tins with baking parchment.
• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt and blend until just combined, then evenly divide the mixture between the tins.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• To make the buttercream, put the butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until fluffy. Add the icing sugar 2-3 tbsp at a time until it is all incorporated, adding the vanilla and milk halfway through. Sandwich the cakes together with a little of the buttercream and put on a board. Use the remaining buttercream to cover the sides and top of the cake. Chill for 30 mins.
• To decorate, roll out the white fondant icing on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar until large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Drape the fondant icing over the cake and carefully mould to fit. Trim off any excess, wrap and set aside.
• Roll out the green icing and cut out a semi-circle, using the base of the cake tin as a guide; this will be the snowman's hat. Brush one side with a little water and stick on the cake. Cut a strip of green icing and make some markings to make it look like the band of a hat, then trim to the correct length and stick on.
• To make the nose, shape a round, flat lump from the orange icing. Mark a smile by gently pressing the rim of a water glass into the fondant. Cut out two circles from the black icing for the eyes, then add a small circle of white icing (from the offcuts) to make the eyes appear to sparkle. To make the scarf, wrap a strip of the blue icing around the base of the cake, then use a knife to add cuts for the fringe. Will keep for up to a week in an airtight container in a cool place.

CHRISTMAS CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Add shortening, milk, and vanilla.
• Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
• Scrape side of bowl with a spatula.
• Add eggs to the mixture.
• Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
• Scrape bowl again.
• Beat on high speed for 1 minute 30 seconds until well mixed.
• Spoon cupcake batter into paper liners until 1/2 to 2/3 full.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 5 minutes in pans then remove and place on wire racks to cool completely.
• Once cupcakes are completely cooled, frost and decorate as you desire. Let your imagination run wild!

SNOWMAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Trim the dry top off 12 of the cupcakes and crumble the soft cake interiors into a bowl. Add about 5 ounces of vanilla icing and mix well. Add more frosting if needed to bring the mixture together into a ball so that it can be easily shaped. Cover bowl and chill cake mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Frost remaining 12 cupcakes with a thin layer of white vanilla frosting.
• Remove cake mixture and roll with wet hands into 2 different sized balls for the snowmen's torsos and heads, 12 bigger balls and 12 smaller balls. Stick a small ball on top of a big ball to make the snowman, using some frosting if the balls are not very sticky. Place snowmen onto frosted cupcakes.
• Cut black licorice laces into small squares for the eyes and mouth using scissors and attach them with the tip of a knife to the head.
• Mix white fondant with orange food coloring to turn it orange and make little carrot noses out of the orange fondant. Press into the snowman faces.
• Attach 2 dark colored candy-coated milk chocolate pieces into the torso and cupcake as buttons. Attach 2 candy-coated milk chocolate pieces on either side of the head and connect them with a piece of black licorice for the earmuffs.
• Cut red licorice laces into 2 1/2-inch long pieces and wrap around the snowman's neck as a scarf.