Rspca Cupcakes

Hey all,

These are the cupcakes i made for the Rspca cupcake day, i ended up raising $265 which was fantastic. total of 152 cupcakes.

I Made chocolate, vanilla and coffee flavours and when people ordered they could choose which flavour they wanted.

For the decoration i decorated them in Lions,monkeys,pigs,sheep,cats and dogs.

For the Lion i used : orange frosting, caramel popcorn for the mane, 2 mini brown m&m's for the eyes and black writing icing for the nose and mouth.

For the Monkey i used: Chocolate icing, Light Chocolate icing for the muzzle, white mini marshmallow's squashed for the eyes, chocolate melts for the ears, and black writing icing for the nose, mouth and eyeballs.

For the Pig i used: Pink icing, strawberry rollup cut into triangles for the ears, 2 brown mini m&m's for the eyes and 2 red mini m&m's turned sideways for the nostrils.

For the Dog i used : Butter cream icing, 2 mini brown m&m's for the eye and nose, 1 chocolate melt for the eye, one yellow m&m for the eye and brown writing icing for the mouth and ear.

For the Sheep i used:  White icing, Pink icing for the muzzle, white mini marshmallows for the wool, 2 brown mini m&m's for the eyes and one red mini m&m for the nose.

For the Cat i used: White icing,2 blue mini m&m's for eyes (you could use any colour), orange mini m&m for nose, Liquorice roll cut into triangles for ears, liquorice roll cut into strips for whiskers and black writing icing for mouth.

Recipes:

Vanilla Cupcakes:
 Ingredients :

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced oven. Line muffin or mini-muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition (mixture will separate at this stage). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in half the flour. Stir in half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk until combined.
3. Spoon mixture into patty pans and bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Variations:
Coffee Cupcakes: Replace 1/2 cup of milk with buttermilk and add 8 teaspoons of instant coffee, a pinch of salt and another teaspoon of vanilla.
Chocolate cupcakes: Add 1/2 cup more sugar, add 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, add another 1/2 a cup of milk

Butter cream icing:
Ingredients :

• 185g butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups icing sugar mixture
• 2 tablespoons milk

Method:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale. Gradually add icing sugar mixture and milk, beating constantly until combined.

For the chocolate icing just about about 2 tablespoons of cocoa and a dash more of milk.