How To Create Halloween Cupcakes Celebrating Black Cats

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes Celebrating Black Cats

With Halloween coming up just around the corner, poor black cats get a bad reputation for being unlucky. Superstitions around black cats are widespread. In many countries and cultures, black cats are considered unlucky (which isn’t very fair to them). In other countries like the UK and in some Asian countries, black cats are considered lucky, they are only considered unlucky if they cross your path (which can be quite hard to avoid if you have a black cat). Black cats are also considered to be the magical familiars of witches and other magical beings.

Black cats require some extra loving and caring and we talk about the extra safety precautions you may need to take in this post. But for now, let’s take a look at how to create Halloween cupcakes celebrating black cats, themed to counteract some of the negativity around black cats with some fun sugary sweetness.

Fondant Icing is easy enough to make and even easier to use. Using large amounts to ice whole cakes takes a certain level of skill and patience, but on the smaller scale of cupcakes it can be surprisingly easy with some great results!

Fondant Icing

  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup Glucose
  • 2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening (Copha)
  • 1 tablespoon Glycerin
  • 8 cups (about 2 lbs.) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • Icing color as desired
  • flavoring as desired
Method
  1. Combine gelatin and cold water; let stand until thick, about 3 minutes. Place gelatin mixture in top of double boiler and heat and stir until dissolved. Add glucose, mix well. Stir in shortening; just before completely melted remove from heat. Add glycerin, flavoring and color. Cool until lukewarm.
  2. In large bowl, place 4 cups confectioners’ sugar; make a well. Pour the lukewarm gelatin mixture into the well and stir with a wooden spoon, mixing in sugar and adding more, a little at a time, until stickiness disappears. Knead in remaining sugar. Knead until the fondant is smooth, pliable and does not stick to your hands. If fondant is too soft, add more sugar; if too stiff, add water (a drop at a time). Use fondant immediately or store in airtight container in a cool, dry place.
  3. Use fondant immediately or store in airtight container at room temperature until needed. If storing longer than 1 week, refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before kneading.

Cupcake Decorating

Step 1

Bake the cupcakes and let cool completely

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats baking

Step 2

Make buttercream icing and cover the top of the cupcake. This creates height (so it looks pretty) and hold the fondant on to the cupcake (so it is practical). You can also just use a thin layer of buttercream so the fondant lays directly onto the cupcake.

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats Buttercream Icing Base

Step 3

Make fondant using above recipe. Choose colouring (for Halloween themed cupcakes I split the fondant recipe into 2 halves and coloured one black and one orange).

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats Making Fondant Icing

Step 4

Roll out your coloured fondant and cut out circles the same diameter as your cupcakes.

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats Rolling Fondant

Step 5

Place circle cut outs on the top of the buttercream iced cupcakes

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats Fondant Circle Base

Step 6

Use contrasting colours to your circle base to create Halloween patterns and pictures. I used orange (for pumpkins and ghosts) and black (for witches hats and cats).

To create 2D pictures use the point of a sharp knife to cut out designs and transfer them to your cupcake.

To create 3D objects as cupcake toppers use the fondant as modelling clay, using toothpicks to hold parts together and into the cupcake.

How To Create Halloween Cupcakes - Celebrating Black Cats

Step 7

Enjoy this trick and treat!

Meow for now … Kristian Taylor

 

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