A duo of colours for the icing this week to make strawberry and cream topped cupcakes! Sweet pink and white dreams!

Published 27 June 2012 by Veronica Stillwater

This week I chose to opt for a duo of colours in the piping of the icing and I think it's fair to say it was successful to a degree. It has led me to research this a bit further and it was interesting to find articles as well as youtube videos on the topic with offerings of different ideas and techniques.

My approach was more gung ho and the lets give it a go attitude with eager anticipation of the outcome. I think that even with having done my research on this after actually having performed the experiment-like piping of a duo of colours, my attempt wasn't too shabby. Although, with the added little bit of research, I am now aware of the different ways of achieving a two tone effect and will tell you in the short version the 3 different ways, including my own gung ho attempt as to how this can be done.

By using edible dusting powder or colouring applied in a stripe down one length of the piping bag from the nozzle end to the open end before filling it with icing

By using 2 piping bags separately filled with icing, then popped into a larger bag to fit both bags and using a large nozzle to accommodate them

My gung ho technique which was to fill the piping bag with 2 different colours of icing and roughly trying to fill it with each half of the bag containing the separate colours on either side and just going for it! You will achieve a duo effect, but with each of them being unique with varying colour patterns which I think is also nice but If you would prefer, try one of the other methods and see how it goes, I shall come back to this in a future post using another of the techniques.

For the cupcakes you will need:

Food processor Spatula 12 cup muffin baking tray 12 muffin paper cases Large mixing bowl Electric whisk

Ingredients:

185g Self raising flour 85g Sugar 3 Medium sized eggs 75g butter or margarine 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder ¼ pint milk 1 teaspoon of strawberry flavouring 1 Large egg white

Turn on the oven and set to 180°

Place the butter and sugar in the food processor and pulse blitz until pale and fluffy.

With the exception of the egg white, add the remaining ingredients and mix on high speed setting until a smooth, thick and spoon dropping consistency is achieved. In the large mixing bowl place your egg white and beat until stiff peaks form. Taking a small spoonful of egg white to begin with lightly fold this into your cake mixture using a spatula and adding the remaining egg white, repeating the folding until combined. Using a tablespoon, spoon a tablespoon of mixture unto each of the 12 muffin cases.

Place in the oven and bake for 35-45 mins checking at the 30 minute mark on their progress. You can always test by inserting a clean skewer into one of the cakes, if it comes out clean they are ready, if not return to the oven checking with the skewer again at 5 minute intervals.

For the frosting you will need:

Food Processor Piping bag Large Star nozzle Spatula

Ingredients:

650g icing sugar 30g butter 1 Level tablespoon cream cheese 4-5 drops of Strawberry flavouring (Or add drop by drop to taste, depending on preference Red or pink food colouring (Using red colouring, mine came out with a more salmon pink colour) 1-2 teaspoons hot water 12 apple blossom toppers or flower alternatives (You can make your own* or available to buy)

*See issue 2 of Cake Decorating magazine on how to use your piping bag and petal nozzle to make blossoms as an alternative and equally as pretty flower topper.

Place the icing sugar, butter, 1 teaspoon of hot water and cream cheese in the food processor and pulse blitz until a smooth texture is achieved, open and check the consistency after adding the first teaspoon of water, add the second if necessary to slacken the icing if too stiff in texture, as cream cheese holds its own water, I advise on adding the teaspoons of water in stages if necessary depending on the texture outcome of the initial addition of 1^st teaspoon of water. Once combined a smooth texture is achieved, using the spatula, fill the piping bag with the large star nozzle as best as you can using the spatula to distribute the icing to one side of the bag, propping the bag overlapped in a measuring jug or cocktail shaker to hold it stable. Add the strawberry flavouring and food colouring to the remaining icing in the food processor and blitz until a smooth consistency and even distribution of colour is achieved. If you are using liquid food colouring as well as the flavouring, it may be necessary to add an additional tablespoon of icing sugar to maintain a piping consistency. Fill the remaining half of the piping bag with the pink icing and start to decorate your cupcakes in a continuous swirl motion working from the outside in finishing with a star roughly in the centre. I added an additional flower to each as a little extra and simple detail.