Birthday Dreams ... Lego Cupcakes

I'm behind posting some cakes a few months back. I signed up for for a Lego themed party for Birthday Dreams (bringing birthday's to homeless kids). I had a lego man and brick models left over from Cole's party several years back. Some modeling chocolate and silicone molds and bam cupcake toppers!

What you Need:
Modeling Chocolate in yellow, orange, green, red, white, purple and blue (See Recipe at the bottom)
Lego Man Silicone Mold

Lego brick Silicone Mold 

Frosted Cupcakes
I had modeling chocolate in several different colors made up before from previous projects. I took yellow and filled the head part of the mold. I then took blue and filled in the pant part of the mold. I then took different colors to make the shirts. I took a few different colors and made bricks in the silicone mold. I was in a hurry this time so I popped the molds into the freezer to firm them up quickly. I then popped them out, the best part of a silicone mold is it's flexible. I then put the toppers on top of frosted cupcakes.

Click HERE to see who I link with.

Modeling Chocolate

12oz Candy Melts

1/4 Cup light corn Syrup

Melt your Candy Melts in microwave (mine takes about 2 minutes). Stir them to become smooth and add the corn syrup.  It will become thick and form a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit out and dry.  Takes a few hours or over night is best. (Alexis note: I found to roll this out use a little powder sugar (like you would do with flour), also you have to kneed it a little like you would dough to make it easy to roll out).

Fall Cookies in Royal Icing (Acorn and Leaves)

On my adventures of Royal Icing, which I'm now totally obsessed with. I've been seeing all these really cool fall cookies and just had to give it a shot. I had left over sugar cookie dough from the Olaf's so I thought I'd give it a try.  I watched a few YouTube video's and I took a whirl at it. I must say these are my favorite cookies, they were so pretty if I say so myself!

 

 

What you Need:

Sugar Cookies cut into leaves and acorn
Fall Cookie Cutters (I found mine at Michael's for 50% off)

Royal Icing in brown, red, yellow and orange (recipe below)

AmeriColor Gel Food Coloring Brown, Red, Yellow and Orange (to dye Icing - This is my fav brand)

Brown Sprinkles

I used the dipping method with my royal icing. I started to do the dipping method about 6 months ago to speed up my decorating time. You can pipe each cookie which is a little cleaner but I find the dipping method to be the best. You get your royal icing to the outline consistency and put into a pie dish (I find this is not too deep). Once you dip the top of the cookie you tap off the extra icing and then you let dry! Once dry you can add your details.

For acorns I dripped in the brown royal icing. Before the icing had time to set up I added on the sprinkles to be the top part of the shell. These of course the easiest of the 3 cookies I made.

For the leaves I dipped in the red royal icing. Before they were dry I added the other two colors. I started with red and made inside outline of orange (leaving the center open). I then added the yellow in the center. While the cookie was still wet I took a tooth pick and pulled out from the center to all the points. Then I went with my tooth pick and pulled in. I didn't wipe the toothpick off each time because that added the pops of colors through out the cookie. The centers when dried I was so excited because it reminded me of a rose.

My amazing dance instructor said they were so pretty she almost couldn't eat them. She called them a work of art and I must say I kind of thought the same of them. I love when you make something and people see your heart in the final product.

 

Click HERE to see who I link with.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Julie Usher, she has a GREAT YouTube video on how to make, color and make consistency adjustments. 

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.

Manicure in a Jar Gift Idea (Trimmed & Polished Birthday Day) ... DYI Gift a Jar

One of my favorite dance instructors had a birthday. I wanted to do something special for her. As you all know I love gifts that you make, it comes from the heart and isn't just something you buy like a GC. I know GC's are popular but I hate giving because it doesn't take thought. Don't hate me it's just gifts are something special to me and when I give them I that to be known that I feel special for them.

 

I found this idea for Manicure in a Jar on Pinterest and figured it was the perfect gift! I hit up my favorite beauty store and found a ton of fun manicure things on clearance. Makes for a inexpensive but thoughtful gift.

What you Need:

Mason Jar (Find at Dollar Tree - to buy a single or a box at Walmart)

Ribbon (I used one I had from a Easter project)

Nail Polish (I found a killer deal on OPI and bought two)

Nail Clipper Package

Nail Files

Nail Buffer

Fuzzy Socks (Deal at Old Navy)

Card Stock to print (That's What Che Said FREE Printable is HERE)

 

I also put in some lip stuff and Candy because how can you go wrong with chocolate. Make sure you go over to That's What Che Said to give love for this project and FREE printable.

Arrange your items in the mason jar. I put the socks in back and everything else in front so you could see in the jar. I had some Easter ribbon left over I used (it was cute with carrots, not my first choice but I couldn't run back to store). Print out the free printable, cut out the circle. I took a hole punch and attached with the ribbon.

Click HERE to see who I link with.

Frozen Themed Cupcakes (Royal Icing Cookie Toppers .. Olad & Snowflakes)

One more fun cookie project made! As you most know that I work with a charity that brings birthday's to homeless kids staying in shelters. Please check out Birthday Dreams (they can use all donations). I had a request for an 8 y/o little girl wanting a Frozen Theme. I've done a few frozen themes before for them so I thought I would try to do something different. I'm really loving royal icing and how the cookies make the perfect toppers.

  

What you Need:

Sugar Cookies cut into Olaf and Snow Flakes
Frozen Cookie Cutters

Royal Icing in white and blue(recipe below)

AmeriColor Gel Food Coloring Blue (to dye Icing - This is my fav brand)

Silver Sprinkles
Food Pen in black and Orange

I used the dipping method with my royal icing. I started to do the dipping method about 6 months ago to speed up my decorating time. You can pipe each cookie which is a little cleaner but I find the dipping method to be the best. You get your royal icing to the outline consistency and put into a pie dish (I find this is not too deep). Once you dip the top of the cookie you tap off the extra icing and then you let dry! Once dry you can add your details.

For Olaf I dipped in the white royal icing. When that was dry I took the food pens and drew on Olaf's face. I'm no artist and was very worried about how they would turn out.

For the snowflakes I dipped in the blue royal icing. Before they were dry I added some silver sprinkles. I let those dry before moving or adding to the cupcakes.

Once the cookies had dried I then added them to the top of frosted cupcakes. I'm obsessed with royal icing and love the way they come out. This way the kid not only gets a cupcake but a cookie, best of both worlds.

Click HERE to see who I link with.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Julie Usher, she has a GREAT YouTube video on how to make, color and make consistency adjustments. 

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.

Happy Halloween .. Royal Icing Cookies (Black Cat, Witch Hat and Ghost)

Happy Halloween everyone! I was hoping to get this post up over the weekend, but this darn head cold made me behind. I made the Zombie's for my oldest son, and for my youngest who is still cool with mom's treats I made Halloween themed cookies. I had these 3 pack from last year's Michael's clearance bin and used them this year. it came with a cat, hat and ghost. Since I had a half batch of royal icing I made another batch of fun royal icing cookies.

 

 

After the cookies had set up I put them in little bags for Caden to give to his friends in class.

 

What you Need:

Sugar Cookies cut into ghost, cats and hats
Halloween Cookie Cutters

Royal Icing in white, red and black (recipe below)

AmeriColor Gel Food Coloring Red and Black (to dye Icing - This is my fav brand)

Pipping Bag

I used the dipping method with my royal icing. I started to do the dipping method about 6 months ago to speed up my decorating time. You can pipe each cookie which is a little cleaner but I find the dipping method to be the best. You get your royal icing to the outline consistency and put into a pie dish (I find this is not too deep). Once you dip the top of the cookie you tap off the extra icing and then you let dry! Once dry you can add your details.

For the ghost I dipped in royal icing not colored. When the white was dry I then took a pipping bag with black royal icing and made the eyes and mouth. I saw on the package they outlined the ghost in black also but I liked this look.

For the witches hat I dipped in royal icing colored black. When the black was dry I took a pipping bag with red to make a ribbion and outline the brim of the hat. You can get fun and add dots etc or just leave black.

For the Cats i dipped in royal icing colored black.  When the black was dry I took a pipping bag with red to make the eyes (you can add a small black dot in the middle also but I liked the look with out). I took a ziplock with white royal icing to add a nose. I then took the black pipping bag to pipe on whiskers.

I like to do my cookies the night before to give plenty of time for the icing to harden. 

Click HERE to see who I link with.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened 2 cups white sugar 4 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3.	Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Julie Usher, she has a GREAT YouTube video on how to make, color and make consistency adjustments. 

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.