Harley Birthday Cupcakes

Logos. Probably the enemy of most decorators. Especially if you don't have a handy printer that shoots out edible sheets that you can apply on top of fondant.

I was given the challenge of doing a Harley-Davidson theme for a birthday party yesterday. Nuh-huh. Not doing it. The logo is way too intricate for small cupcake toppers. But I found a way to simplify it and wanted to share this neat trick with you.

For most things that people request to top their cupcakes and cakes with, there aren't cookie-cutters available for sale. Or if you are able to purchase the shapes you need, is it worth investing in that one specific shape? What do you do then? You improvise with the cutters you already have!

For the Harley-Davidson logos, I used a medium heart-shaped cutter, a small T-shaped cutter, a modeling stick, and tiny letters for impressions.

First, roll your fondant out and neatly cut out the heart shape.

Here's the important trick. If you don't have a cutter for what you need, look to the outside edges of the cutters you already have. As you can see, step two is to trim off the top of the heart with the outer edge of the cutter.

Do the same for the other side for the third step. See how it's starting to look like a shield?

Steps four and five, use the round outer edge of the letter T. Cut out two small dips at the top of the logo.

Time to go sideways. We need another little dip underneath.

Normally I might use more cutters to help, but I found that I was able to trim the fondant with just the T.

Last dip in the logo! When you're done, you can always use a straight edge or modeling stick to clean up the sides.

Finally, impress the letters into the surface! Couldn't use all three colours on one topper? Break it out into three!

And now for some heavenly chocolate photos. The birthday girl is very fond of chocolate.

I glazed the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache.

Then topped it off with a chocolate butter cream swirl. Could have taken it even further with chocolate sprinkles or a drizzle of chocolate. But the fondant toppers would be sitting on top.

Unwrapping the cupcake liner . . .

Thought I would cut it in half to see the three chocolate layers. Yummy!

Happy birthday Donna! Ride on!