I have to say that the ornament cupcakes done by BlakesCakes are absolutely beautiful. If you are out there, BlakesCakes, would you be so kind as to share your secret or perhaps a tutorial?

Your work is great!!!

Thanks!

Wanda

I would be interested also!

PLLLLLLEEEEEEEAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would love to have the instructions or a tutorial. PLEASE BlakesCakes, share your secret with us. Your ornaments are the best I have seen. TIA

I second the notion!!!! Please share.

Well, gee, guys,--thanks very much for the praise. I'm happy to tell you how I did it, but bear with me because for some things I don't have anything very exact to really tell you--I tend to do lots of trial and error.

I started by baking chocolate "half balls" (using the Wilton mini ball pan) and cupcakes (one dozen) in gold foil papers. One Betty Crocker triple fudge chocolate mix made it exactly. After everything cooled, I cut the crowns off everything so that they were level with the pans. I used peppermint buttercream to stick the half ball to the cupcake and then I crumb coated the half ball, making certain that I went under the overhanging edge of the half ball.

While the cakes were baking, I made the little caps and hanger loops out of gumpaste. I cut a round circle, molded it to the top of flat topped artist brush handle and pinched it with tweezers. I put a hole in the top, rolled a thin piece for the hanger, brushed the hole with water,and inserted the hanger. When the time came, I painted these with gold champagne luster dust/lemon extract mix.

Now, here comes the "in-exact" part. I didn't want to use fondant and trying to hand smooth regular buttercream (and then later paint on it) seemed fruitless, so.....I decided to try to make rolled buttercream. I got the recipe from baking911.com, but I didn't have 2-3 days to let it sit in the fridge I took about 2 cups of my leftover peppermint buttercream, mixed in about 1/3-1/2 cup of light Karo corn syrup, and then added powdered sugar until it looked like pie dough. I rolled it between two sheets of parchment paper about 1/8" thick out and put that in the freezer until it was good and stiff. I took it out and immediately cut out a circle big enough to cover the half ball top, including the under edge that extended beyond the bottom cupcake. I had to use a spatula to get the circle off of the parchment. I draped it over the ball and gently smoothed it onto the half ball. I found that if I rubbed my hands with cornstarch, it worked really well. When I was happy with it, I rubbed my hands with powdered sugar and gave it one last gentle rub. I let them sit for awhile--maybe 30 mins.-- and then I started to paint with luster dust/lemon extract. It went very smoothly--even better than on fondant, I think.

After I got the design started, I found place to put the cap & hanger and attached that with gum glue. I also used that the attach the non pareils and the snowflake quins. After everything dried, I boxed them up.

I think that about covers it. I hope you find it helpful and not confusing. I wish I could be more exact about some of it, but I tend to fly by the seat of my pants when I want to get something done that I don't have directions or photos for.

Thanks again,
Rae

OK, I have a couple of probably really stupid questions?? Sorry~!! But, how did you get the bottom of the cupcake to look so round, and I assume you take the foil off the bottom of cupcake before applying rolled icing!! DUH!!!!

I was wondering the same thing on the bottoms...thanks for the instructions.

If you look closely at the pics of the red and green ornaments you can see the gold foil bottoms still in place. It's probably the camera angle that makes it look like they are gone.

Rae-these are beautiful! Thank you so much for the info!

I agree, these are some awesome cupcakes! I might have to give them a try! There are so many amazing ideas on this sight for any occasion, but everyone's Christmas ideas are fantastic and I'm finding myself not sure which ones to use. They are definatly going into my idea notebook for next year!!!! Thanks a bunch!!!

Diana

PS- I'm now and official addict! 500th post!

I've loved these kind of cupcakes since I first saw them on the Wilton site at their contest. They are beautiful.

I think I'm going to give these a try even though I have no real reason to make them. Well I guess my reason could just be to have fun making them and to eat them myself.

Thanks for the lesson your cupcakes are beautiful.

Thanks dodibug, I looked again and saw the foil!!! You are so smart!

I have to try these...thanks for the instructions !

Thanks for the info!!

So...does Wilton have a mini-ball pan as well? Is this different from the regular ball pan? I have not seen that.


Thanks!

Wanda

Yes they do, it's on their web site. I think it was about $11.00 and $7.00 shipping. It's called the mini ball pan.

Rae, thanks so much for the instructions.

Your cupcakes look FABULOUS!!!

These are more fantastic ornaments...the craze of the season LOL..going to be some really fun treats this year

The wilton mini ball pan is different in that it isn't 3d like the larger one..there are 6 half round compartments...I put two together for the ornament I did but may have to try the half version also

Thanks soo much for the info!!!

So you are only using 1/2 of the ball pan and the ornament isn't completely round? If not, it sure looks like it. Amazing!

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain this...you are great!


Wanda

Where are they....? I want to see them too! Thanks...

jopalis

if you go to page 1 of this thread and find the reply from blakescakes you can click on the link at the bottom of it for photos..you can see them there

Thanks! They are gorgeous! I wouldn't want anyone to eat them!! LOL! Why do you need cupcake at all and not just the ball pan? What does the flat cupcake explanation mean?