It's tutorial time!
This cupcake topper tutorial may look a little complicated but I promise you all the steps are very simple.
I feel I should apologise for the quality of the photographs, I was taking these in the middle of a snow storm, without even the smallest ray of natural light. Consequently some of the pics are a little darker than I would like. I really do need to get myself some photographic lights.
I designed this miniature patisserie cupcake topper taking inspiration from my favourite patisserie, Ladurée.
The most complicated part of this tutorial is adding the decoration to the little pink three tier cake. It is not that it is particularly difficult really, just fiddly. I recommend taking it slow and having a tea break half way through.
Before you start, here are a few notes:
You can affix all or your pieces using vodka or edible glue.
The alcohol in the vodka evaporates so you do not need to worry about tasting it. If using vodka, I recommend using a very small paintbrush, dip it in vodka and pat of any excess liquid on a paper towel before brushing your decoration along the area you wish to affix. Less is more, use vodka or edible glue sparingly, you will not need much.
I have given measurements and weights where possible. I use a small set of spice scales to weigh out my sugarpaste. These measurements are only a guide however and you can definitely make these decorations without weighing the sugarpaste. Just keep comparing pieces to ensure continuity of size.
When you are not using your sugarpaste be sure to seal it in airtight containers otherwise it will dry out and become unusable.
You will more than likely have a little sugarpaste left over at the end of this tutorial, save it for later
use.
Work on a clean surface, a silicone mat is ideal but you can lay out a sheet of greaseproof paper if you do not have one.
Use a little cornflour to dust the surface of greaseproof paper when rolling out sugarpaste to avoid sticking. You can clean any cornflour marks off of the fondant using a vodka dipped paintbrush. Use sparingly and only on the finished pieces not before.
Wash your hands regularly and keep all of your tools clean to avoid transferring colours or small dust particles etc.
Allow the topper to dry completely before moving or using to top a cupcake.
Read the tutorial all the way through before you begin.
To make this miniature patisserie cupcake topper you will need:
30g light green sugarpaste
25g light pink sugarpaste
10g brown sugarpaste
10g white sugarpaste
1g red sugarpaste
rolling pin
toothpicks
scalpel
small paintbrush
vodka or edible glue
round cutter measuring 6cm in diameter or homemade template
rectangular cutter measuring 4cm x 2cm or homemade template
Step 1:
Roll out around 30g light green sugarpaste to around the thickness of a pound coin.
Using a round cutter or template, cut out a circle measuring 6cm in diameter.
Set aside to dry and store any left of sugarpaste for later use.
Step 2:
Take 7g of light pink sugarpaste, roll into a ball and flatten into a plump disk. Repeat with a 3.5g piece of light pink sugarpaste, followed by a 1.5g piece of light pink sugarpaste.
You will now have three pink disks.
Stack the disks on top of each other, biggest at the bottom and smallest at the top.
Fix each one into place on the top centre of the disk below, using a small dab of vodka or edible glue.
You should now have something that looks like a little pink three tier cake.
Step 3:
You now need to decorate your cake.
Using a small paintbrush dipped in vodka, brush all of the cake layers all the way around. This will act as glue when you add the white detail and give the finished cake a nice clean appearance. You will therefore not need to glue all the white pieces individually.
I have already completed the base layer so that you can see what you are trying to create.
Ignore the swag for the moment because first you need to make the 'frosting' along the base of each layer.
Roll out white sugarpaste into a long thin thread, make sure the thread is long enough to wrap around the base of the largest cake layer. Affix in place with a small paintbrush as shown for the middle layer below and use a small scalpel to trim off any excess if necessary.
Repeat rolling out a long thin thread for the middle layer.
Using the blunt side of a scalpel, mark both threads at regular intervals as shown below.
Repeat for the remaining layer.
Now you need to create the swag effect.
Take another piece of white sugarpaste and roll into a long thin thread measuring around 15cm. Cut this thread into 16 equal pieces.
Use 7 of the small pieces to create the swag for the bottom layer, 5 pieces for the middle layer and 4 pieces for the top layer.
Affix the pieces to the cake layers, curving the ends of each piece upwards, creating connecting semicircles around each tier as shown below.
Once you have completed the swag for each tier you will need to make the little tear drop shapes that sit in between the semicircles or loops of swag you have just created.
Simply take 1.2g of sugarpaste and divide into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a tear drop and place into position where the loops meet all along each layer. You may need a dab of edible glue or vodka to help them stick.
You will need 7 teardrops for the base layer, 5 teardrops for the middle layer and 4 teardrops for the top layer.
Inspect the little layer cake from all angles, insuring that all the detail is nice and even. If you do need to adjust anything do so with a small paintbrush.
Set the little cake aside to dry.
Step: 4
Now you need to make the little rectangular layered cake slices.
Take 10g of brown sugarpaste and roll out to around the thickness of a 2p coin. Either using a rectangular cutter or homemade template, cut out 2 rectangles measuring around 4cm by 2cm. Store any remaining sugarpaste for later use.
Repeat with 10g of pink sugar paste.
Stack the 4 rectangles you have just cut on top of each other, alternating colours, as shown below, so that you have one four layer rectangle.
Trim all of the edges of the rectangle using a small scalpel.
With your scalpel, cut the rectangle into 7 equal pieces, as shown below.
Take each piece and gently reshape with your fingers, insuring all pieces are the same size and all edges are neat and even.
Take your layered cake slices and turn every other one upside down so that the colour of the top layers alternate pink, brown, pink, brown and so on.
Check the sizing against your circular base made in step 1.
To create the 'whipped cream' on top of the little layered cake slices, take 0.5g of
white sugarpaste and divide into 7 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and shape into a small cone.
Press a toothpick vertically two or three times into each small cone to create ridges. Very gently twist the top of each cone to curve the tip.
Affix each one to the end of one of your layered cake slices, with a very small dab of vodka or edible glue.
Step 5:
Last but by no means least you need to create the tiny rose petals.
Take around 1g of red sugarpaste, roll into a thin thread and cut into 18 pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball and flatten as much as you possibly can. Use a small paintbrush to gently curl the edges, to create a petal.
Repeat with 1g of light pink sugar paste.
Step 6:
To attach all of the pieces:
Use a small paintbrush dipped in vodka or edible glue to attach all of the pieces to the light green circular base.
Affix the petals in a scattered pattern to the green base, (I find it easiest to pick these up with a paintbrush).
Affix any remaining petals in a small pile on top of the little pink layer cake.
Leave the topper to dry fully before moving or using to top a cupcake.
Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions or if something doesn't quite make sense, I will get back to you as soon as possible.
I hope you like my little tutorial!
Please do tweet me a picture if you have a go at making this cupcake topper, I would love to see your work.
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Miniature Patisserie Cupcake Topper Tutorial
