Happy Birthday Mum!!!!!

So today was my mums birthday. Because we were working the Farmers Market this morning, I decided to make her cupcakes instead of a traditional cake as they are easier to share. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of the making of the cupcakes.

Two nights before hand, I made the gum paste apple blossoms and leaves. (tutorial in the works) They need time to dry and be touched up with a bit of colour. Gum paste is edible, but not exactly palatable. Not to mention the wiring involved to add the stamens makes them not a munchable decoration.

The basic vanilla cupcake. I used a box mix! Betty Crocker French Vanilla is my favourite. I just didn't have time to make all the flowers, get ready for the market, Easter, paint the bathroom and bake cake from scratch too. Good to have a back up plan.

I cut the tops off ( a few bubbles in the batter....oh well all tastes the same right?) and hollowed out a small depression in the base. Meanwhile, the sweetened condensed milk has been simmering in the (perforated) can for a couple of hours.

The yummy caramel filling known as Dulce de Leche........ummmmmmmmmm

The icing was a combination of cream cheese icing (yay for leftovers) and traditional buttercream tinted with petal pink and creamy peach Wilton gel colourings.

I like to pipe it on first, seems to make a more uniform coating.

The smoothed out buttercream. I just like the look of spatula applied icing. Also helps break some of the bubbles which my icing seems plagued with when I use cream cheese.

Apply a single flower and leaf.

Voila! Spring Birthday Cupcakes with a tasty Surprise!!