Cupcake Class 2

This is an update to my next cupcake class on Saturday, 28th March 2009. Below are the 4 designs as well as tools to bring. Designs are 90% using fondant and 10% using butter cream.  Since its a hands-0n class, the things to bring are compulsory, whereas the optional are to bring if you already have them. If not, you can use mine in class. They are also for sale at Wah Seng. Cupcakes will be provided in class. Have you tried the Kiwi premix? or Blueberry? Hmm...will persuade Mrs Lai to provide that...definately better than ordinary butter cake.

A brief explanation on the designs; top left is a typical ribbon enhanced by using textured roller and dust with gold Pearl Dust, top right is a top bow with jagged edges, bottom left is button flower using the latest Wilton product (Fondant Cut and Press Set) shown in the Wilton Yearbook 2009, bottom right is a basket of flowers (feel free to improvise by adding a butterfly on the flowers!).

Hope to see you in class!

Things to bring: blade/cutter, scissors, ruler, spatula, , small rolling pin, empty container for cupcakes.

Optional things to bring: Wilton Cutter/Embosser, Wilton 9in Rolling Pin, Button Flower Fondant Press Set, Floral Garland Cutter/Ejector Set, Fondant Shaping Foam, Ball Tool

Kinderland Sports Day 2009

The much awaited Kinderland Sports Day is finally here! Had not been blogging much for the past week cause there is so much preparations when you do events. Had to bake cookies, decorated the bigger ones to be packed for sale, print promotional materials and display lables and baked some cupcakes for sale too. Lastly to ensure sufficient icing for decorating and some containers and tissue to be prepare as things could get messy. 

Hand painted banner. I wonder whether its done by the teachers. Teachers there are really artistic and creative as they decorate the foyer of the main entrance every year. This year is underwater world...there's jelly fishes hanging from the ceiling and everywhere is blue.  

Medals and trophies all ready to be won.

The athletes marching in. Yellow house, green house, red house, blue house. No letting go of balloons for the opening ceremony this year? I guess everyone is more environmental concious these days.

Check out the cuuute toddlers. These are the pre-nursery children, minimum age of 18 months to 3 years old. Behind them are the excited parents armed with cameras...ha ha...went through that stage myself.

This is a video of the opening pom pom dance. Just managed to capture the ending part. My video skills need improvement.

Here you see children getting up to get their balloons. Its something new for this year's sports day. The later part of the day saw parents forming a line to get balloons...no kids in sight...the things parents would do for their child. Poor clown! 

A helping hand...

Full concentration.

My favourite photo of the day.

This cute girl is 2 years old. She had to line up as all seats were taken up that time. When she finally get to sit, she laughed. When I placed a cookie infront of her, she laughed again. Must be an exciting time for her.

Kids at work!

Some theme cookies I prepared.

Follow ups to this event:

Looking for Volunteers

Cookies for Kinderland

Cookies for Kinderland

Since its Sunday, there's no better day to get started on cookies for Sports Day in Kinderland. Recipe was taken from Flavours magazine, the Nov-Dec 2008 issue, contributed by Joanne Fam.

Basic Cookie Dough

420g plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

250g butter

220g caster sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, scrapping the mixture from the paddle and the sides of the mixing bowl at intervals.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium, add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla essence, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour and baking powder a little at a time. When the dough comes together, turn off the mixer. 

Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place each portion between two sheets of greaseproof parchment paper and rool out until about 3mm thick. Place on baking trays and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

Cookie sheets ready for cutting.

Dug out my collection of cutters... 

Qarina having fun... 

Cookies in the shape of gingerbread man, house, flower, heart and star...designs which provides for lots of decorative ideas. Cookies were baked at 180 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes.

Looking for volunteers...

My daughter's kindergarten and child care centre will be having their annual sports day on Saturday, 7th March from 8am - 11am. I will be setting up a D-I-Y cookie decorating stall this year. Last year was a D-I-Y cupcake decorating stall. Basically, anyone from kids to parents can pay for a cookie, decorate them and eat their own decorated cookie, or take them away in a nice cookie bag. All proceeds go to the Blind Association of Ipoh, which is the CSR of Kinderland, Ipoh.

If you are available on that date, and would like to join me, leave a note at the comment below. 3 volunteers needed!

These are photos of last year's event.

Cupcake Decorating Class in Ipoh!

                                                                       

                                                                           This is a notice on

                                                          **Cupcake Decorating Class**

                                                           Date      : Saturday, 28th March, 2009

                                                           Time     : 2:00pm - 5:00pm

                                                           Venue   : Wah Seng Sdn Bhd

                                                                             131-133, Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar

                                                                             Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

                                                     Tel        :05-241 6862

Its a hands-on class for 4 cupcake designs using buttercream and fondant. Students get to try out Wilton tools like

Floral Fantasy Fondant Imprint Mat,
Button Flower Fondant Cut n Press Set, (tutorial here)
Fondant Shaping Foam Set,
Floral Garland Ejector Set
Cutter/Embosser.

If you have these tools, bring them during class. If you wish to buy them, you could try asking Mrs. Lai at Wah Seng for product discount upon class registration. 

Tools to bring are: spatula, scissors, tissue papers, leaf tips and an empty container to take away decorated cupcakes. 

See you in class! :)

How to make Button Flowers

Who says cupcakes topped with chocolate ganache has to look boring?

TADAA!!

Funky button flowers to brighten up your cupcakes. Create them using this Fondant Cut and Paste kit shown below. Its one of the new products found in the Wilton 2009 Yearbook. Is now available in ICCA and for Ipohans, at Wah Seng, priced at RM31.80

Have a peek on the insides of the tool.

Follow the tutorial below.

Roll out fondant using roller and 1/8 inch ring guide. 

Use the base to mark and cut out the size required.

Dust the insides of the cutter with icing sugar, place the fondant on top, and dust on the fondant. This makes it easier to be removed from the cutter.

Join and press two parts of the cutter together. Open up and check the impression made. If it is not clear, you can join them and apply more pressure.

Place in egg cartons to harden. I am using a Ferrero Roche container.

A small sauce dish like this works best for the bigger petals.

Those who are waiting for my cupcake class, you will get to try out this tool (my own, so its sharing basis) on Saturday, 28th February, 2pm - 5pm. 

Register now at Wah Seng. 

Tip: negotiate for a discount on this tool when you register.

Valentine Teddies as Cake Toppers

Aren't they cute?! Two teddy bears exchanging hearts for Valentine's Day. Want to own them or give them to loved ones? Three ways to do it:

1. Follow the the tutorial below
2. Order them from me as cake toppers. A pair cost RM10.00 only!
3. Order a nicely custom-decorated cake with these two teddies as toppers. Cake is priced according to your specifications.

For No. 2 and 3, kindly email me at ttyhien@acupcakeproject.com

Acknowledgement must be made to Perfect Party Cakes Made Easy by Carol Deacon.

These are the tools needed.

Divide and colour fondant into 2 shades of brown. The bigger fondant uses a ratio or 3:1 of Wilton Brown : Wilton Cooper. The smaller fondant uses 1:1 of Wilton Brown : Wilton Cooper.


Mould and shape.

Assemble and stick using gum glue (Gum Tex + water)

Mould and stick muzzle. Use toothpick to make pads on soles.


Use food writer draw eyes, nose and mouth. Another option is to draw before assembling muzzle to prevent smudges.

Use heart shape cutter to cut out hearts and attach to hands. Alternatively, substitute with chocolates or sweets, as originally shown in the book.

Tip: The size of teddies must be dependent on size of cookie cutter or sweets.