Black Sheep Birthday Cupcakes

Michelle came up with a fun birthday idea - sheep! Why? Well, because Brenda is the founder of Black Sheep Farm! So let's make a cute little sheep pen on the birthday cupcake!

Vanilla buttercream with red velvet cupcakes. I know, traditionally red velvet goes with cream cheese frosting, but it has been so hot here, I was afraid it wouldn't keep. Plus, vanilla buttercream is just as yummy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from the Whimsical Bakehouse
(Makes about 28 cupcakes)

2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons of red food colouring
2 1/2 cups of cake flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and have all ingredients at room temperature. Also have your cupcake liners and pans ready.
2. Using your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until combined.
3. Add the 2 eggs and mix. Add in the red food coloring and mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.
5. In your measuring cup, pour in the buttermilk, vanilla, and vinegar.
6. Alternatively pour the cake flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into the butter mixture.
7. Using your handy ice-cream scoop, evenly divide the batter into your cupcake liners.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until your cake tester comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool before mixing.
   

Carefully measure out your dry ingredients and sift!

Use a handy-dandy ice cream scoop to evenly divide your batter!

Quite pretty in pink, but don't worry!

The cupcakes will turn out red!

Pipe your favourite frosting on the cupcake!

A sheep pen for Brenda! Happy... baahhday! (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Baaahh baaahh black sheep! Howard thinks my sheep look like blackberries. I guess that makes me the farmer of blackberry sheeps. =)

Cheer Sport Blacktip Sharks Cheerleading Cupcakes

A good friend of ours is an awesome coach for the Cheer Sport Blacktip Sharks cheerleading team. As a treat for her girls, she asked us to make some simple cupcakes representing their teal, black, and white colours. Howard use to cheerlead with her on their University's team, so he wanted to create some neat cheerleading decorations for the cupcakes, but we didn't have enough time. We made two dozen chocolate cupcakes and one dozen vanilla cupcakes, frosted with vanilla buttercream in teal and white, then decorated with fondant shark fins!

1. Howard, my partner in cupcake, making 30 shark fins out of fondant.

2. The cupcakes reflecting off the Kitchen Aid mixer bowl.

3. GO Cheer Sport Blacktip Sharks!!!

4. Sharks surrounding the Cheer Sport logo.

5. Cheer Sport Blacktip Sharks doing choreography on the cheerleading floor. Don't step off the mat! Okay fine, it isn't a cheerleading mat, just a blue coaster.

6. Swim fishy swim!

7. Circling prey...

8. Bases getting ready!

This photo was featured on Tastespotting and Visual Streak!

9. An extra spotter.

This photo was featured on foodgawker and photograzing!

10. Coaches watching from the sidelines.

I also made this motivational poster based on Cheer Sport Sharks for fun:

As always, check out our flickr photostream or become a fan on our facebook page for more photos! Our previous cupcake projects can be found on the right side-bar, archived monthly (or scroll down to go to the next page).

Construction Birthday Cupcakes

Someone is having a birthday and he works in construction! So, for the birthday party, we were asked to make red velvet cupcakes with a construction theme! We hope you enjoyed the fondant toppers - we like to make everything edible! As always, there are more photos posted on our facebook page and flickr account!

1. Blue vanilla buttercream frosting on red velvet cupcake.

2. From head to toe: hard hat and steel toe boot for construction!

3. Need to have the blueprints for instructions.

4. Set up the construction zone with signs and pylons!

5. Have to have the wrench, screwdriver, hammer, saw, and drill handy!

6. Oh no! Spilled paint!

7. All set for delivery. Have a happy birthday Rowan!

Spiders, Mummies, and Ghosts Cupcakes

Halloween is here and it wouldn't be complete without some creepy cakes! Here is a scary assortment of spiders, mummies, and ghosts! Our friend asked for these custom cupcakes to share at work. I'm sure these will be a great hit at the office! We hope your co-workers enjoy them! As always, there are more photos posted on our facebook page and flickr account!

1. Big, black, juicy spiders made from fondant.

2. Spider webs made from royal icing.

3. Those innocent eyes! Ghosts made from fondant, royal icing, and marshmallows.

4. Chocolate cupcakes with orange vanilla buttercream.

5. Woof! The brave little dog can sense ghosts.

6. Mummies made from candy and fondant.

7. Spider webs made from royal icing.

8. Fondant spider on royal icing web.

9. Spiders, Mummies, and Ghost cupcakes!

10. All ready for Halloween!