When I was a little girl I grew up looking forward to autumn, specifically Easter.  Being in Sydney meant that the two weeks of school holidays would include one day where we would as a family pack up and go to the Royal Easter Show.

It is hard to describe the Show, it is primarily and agricultural show, so there are lots of animals on display, from dog competitions, to cows and everything in between.  There were pavilions full of dairy products, of wines and jams, of fruits and vegetables and then the show bag pavilion which stocked an endless array of bags for purchase.

It was a day that used to get me so excited that I would invariably be sick in the car on the way there, but nothing would keep me away!  We were promised two rides and two showbags, but it is funny although these are the things I wanted most at the time, they are not what I remember now.  The amazing fruit displays (imagine a collage picture but made of fruit), the wood chopping races and demonstrations and of course the craft pavilion, with the amazing cakes I recall most of all.

These Beatrix Potter cakes below are from the Cupcake Artists blog and featured at last years Easter Show, so today I thought I’d take you down my memory lane.  Long live agricultural shows!

Even now I look at these and just dream of making something that looks that amazing!

Beatrix Potter Cakes by Lorinda

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If you are a beginner to the world of fondant, gum paste and icing and are about to embark on the challenge of creating baby shower cakes, the first thing you should do is check out our baby boy baby shower idea gallery.  Hopefully if you are having a girl, she is not due just yet as our baby girl shower idea gallery is in the making!

When you have a stack of ideas, it is time to work out how to make them!  This can be difficult, fondant, gum paste and icing decoration can take a while to master, and with a looming party you may not have time to practice! Thankfully Wilton have a stack of easy decorating ideas, including these baby ones.

Baby

First we have this adorable chubby bubby.  Wilton use a gingerbread boy cutter, but for a cupcake you will need the mini one.  Simply then ice your cakes with frosting and gently place the bubby in the centre.

Baby Blocks

Well they actually use these baby blocks to hold the top layer of a baby shower cake up, but you could easily add another square of gum paste to the top and have a hollow baby block on the top of your cupcakes.  This would look especially good on the top of a cupcake tower.  Alternatively, you could have a fondant baby popping out of the baby block… hmmm…

Baby Booties

I loved those baby’s booties that we featured from Sweet Elizabeth’s blog, well here is how to make them!

They are super cute and done in these ‘is it a boy?, is it a girl?’ color scheme is a lot of fun.  Create a game where you could have your guests take a guess at which it will be!  Make sure you bake an even number of each cupcake and that you have enough for most people to have two. Tell everyone to take the cake corresponding with their guess, and then you can see how many of each you have left over.  The sex of your baby will no doubt then be the one with the least leftover*. After that everyone can devour a second cupcake.

Babies Bottles

These bottles despite their two dimensional appearance are actually 3D pillar stands for a bigger cake.  Given someone is likely to end up with a baby bottle up their nose if you stand these up on your cupcake, I would recommend making them 2D and lying down.  What can I say – safety first.

Simply roll out your white fondant making it nice and thick, about a centimeter, then shave off the sides to get the bevelled edges.  Create a simple cap by using a triangle cutter, then chop off the top to make it flat and pipe a rim of yellow icing to create the lip of the cap.

These are only a few of the many different cake decorating ideas on the Wilton website, so it is definitely one to book mark and don’t forget to show us your creations!

* Do you think it is necessary to state that the only power the cupcake truly has is to taste delicious and to constantly tempt us to take a bit of its sweet and delicate goodness?

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I cannot resist a well thought up idea for cupcakes, especially when you go outside the square a little bit.

Now booties on a set of baby shower cupcakes are gorgeous, but are not exactly outside the box, but what is that in the centre?

Surely it is not a big gumpaste baby riding a rubber ducky? Ha!  I absolutely adore it, this picture certainly brightened my day.

Sweet Elizabeth made these for one of her husband’s co-workers and you can see loads of her photos on her blog site.  I actually also love the little booties, they are very cute.

So next time you are thinking about going for a traditional large cake on the top of your cupcake stand, think instead of how you could shake it up a bit.  Anyone else thinking bride and groom in a barbie car??

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If you love cupcakes (we know you do!) then you’ll want to hold or display them sometimes. Whether taking them to a baby shower or displaying them at the actual party, it’s great to know there are special cupcake holders created for this exact purpose.

A cupcake holder is most important because it keeps your sweet cupcakes intact so people can enjoy them. You want a cupcake holder (hold or display) to keep cupcakes from knocking into each other or rubbing up against each other. The other great feature of your cupcake holder is it will help your cupcakes look cute at a party, not simply putting them on a plate or platter for guests to enjoy. A cupcake holder is a fun way to display cupcakes at a party and is often a showcase for your party table.

Here are some of our favorite cupcake holders. Whether you are transporting cupcakes or showing them off at the dessert table, these cupcake holders will certainly deliver your sweet treats in style!

Wilton 16.25” X 12” Dessert Tower 4 Tier W307856 This cupcake tower is sturdy and pretty – and unbeatable combination. Made from white plastic, your cupcakes fit snugly into round trays on the tall tower. You have 4 tiers to fill with yummy cupcakes.

Oneida Bake and Take Cupcake Carrier 62518  Now this is a great cupcake holder – when you’re headed to that birthday party and need to be sure your cute and yummy cupcakes get there and still look as yummy as we know they taste! It can hold up to 2 dozen cupcakes, so it is perfect for most parties and special events.

Wilton 307-651 Cupcakes N more 38 Count 5 Tier Metal Dessert Stand We like this large cupcake stand especially if you’ve got a bigger crowd. It holds just over 3 dozen cupcakes – 38 to be exact! Perfect for that large bridal shower or child’s birthday party where you know your cupcakes will be popular. A sturdy metal stand easily holds this large number of cupcakes and looks fancy.

Wilton 2105-9958 3 in 1 Ultimate Caddy  This is a great cupcake holder. It holds a dozen cupcakes easily, with a large cover so it is great for those fancy and decorated cupcakes many of you like to make. The clear cover also means people can admire the cupcakes as they are brought to the party or you can even be sure they are okay during transport.

(c) photo Una J.

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As some of you know, I love Anne Heap at the Pink Cake Box, so I was very excited when she responded to the post we did a few days ago showing her peas in the pod idea recreated.  She advised that they have since converted this cake idea for triplets, and because it is just so adorable I had to share it with you!  This woman just has too much talent!

But the good news is that you can pull off something similar at home, if you are not too ambitious, (so leave out the babies in the pea pod).  A small cake topper with stripes, and two or three of the peas in pod on top would look fantastic too.  You can then vary your cupcakes half with peas in the pod, and the other half with flat stripes (i.e. leave off the frosting).

Peas in the Pod: This is how I would create them!  Mix a little bit of green into your fondant and kneed it until the color takes, if it is too light add a little more and repeat.  With your green ball of icing, separate a ball and roll the rest out flat.  Draw on a piece of cardboard or plastic the shape of a crescent moon (but a bit thicker and longer) cut it out, and then trace around it with a sharp knife on your fondant.  With your other ball, separate little balls and roll them into your fingers to create the peas.  Place one, two or three onto the crescent shaped fondant and then cut another piece from the flat icing the same shape and adding it to the top, pinching the sides together. Viola!

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These ideas are all PERFECT for either baby shower cupcakes or to celebrate the birth of the bouncing boy, or even for a baby boy’s 1st birthday!  In fact I wouldn’t even wait for one of these occasions to get creative with baby boy cakes!  There is so much to celebrate, first smile, first roll, first tooth, so many firsts, but be handy with the camera because on one of these firsts, you’ll certainly have first cupcake smeared all over your baby’s face!

These beautiful cupcakes above are hot out of the oven baked by our talented friend Nicola at La Creme Cupcake.  So cute!

25 Boy Baby Shower Cupcakes

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I am always hunting for an interesting ways to celebrate an event.  Don’t get me wrong I adore all the standard cupcake designs that are out there, but when something unexpected catches my eye, I have to stop and take notice.

That happened to me with Custom Creations Cupcake’s Baby Shower Cupcakes.

These are so adorable, and I would never have thought of it! The idea in this case actually came from one of my favorite cake designers Pink Cake Box, but I love the way that it has been executed here.

Each of the cupcakes is either french vanilla or chocolate fudge.  The french vanilla were then filled with raspberry and both were topped with either vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream or white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. The pods were then made from fondant and dusted with silver luster dust.  The result, stunning unique cupcakes for a baby shower.

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photo credit: Cake Girl by Hyeyoung Kim

While creating cupcakes for parties and holidays is always great deal of fun, these desserts are a great way to show off your creative talent any time of year. Decorating cupcakes offers a unique opportunity to express your creativity in the kitchen and can be a great way to enjoy time with your kids or to present your loved ones with a small token of appreciation. There are no limits when it comes to decorating ideas, and you will find that almost any occasion or hobby can present the ideal theme for your desserts.

While birthdays and holidays present their own unique decorative themes, you will find that there are many all-purpose cupcake decorations that are ideal for any time of the year. Sports themed cupcakes are always exciting, and creating a batch of cupcakes with a beautiful snowflake design on a winter day when your kids are home from school can present great fun. Using fondant can create almost any shape or design and by implementing various colors your cupcakes can be as detailed or as simple as you like. Letting your kids help come up with ideas and decorations can be a great way to enjoy bonding time during snow days or when you simply have a bit of extra time together.

Cupcake decorating can also be a great way to celebrate milestones in life. Buying your first home can be a thrilling event, and creating cupcakes decorated with houses, contracts, or other symbolic decorations can be a great way to celebrate. Using white fondant to create a face with a toothless grin or even to create a tooth decoration can be a unique way to celebrate a child losing his or her first tooth, while making rulers and books can be a fun addition to a lunchbox on the first day of school.

If you are seeking cupcakes that can be created without the need for any occasion, you will find that you can do almost anything. Animals are always popular with kids, and creating cupcakes that have the names of your family members can be fun. Creating a certain number of cupcakes for each child in your home can be a great way to provide snacks and you can even implement a favorite color or design for each child. Your little ones will be thrilled to see that there are cupcakes in the batch that were specially designed just for them.
Creativity really is the heart of cupcake decorating. No matter how simple or intricate your designs, you will find that the people you share your desserts with will certainly be appreciative of your effort. Cupcakes are a delicious treat and a wonderful way to show off your skills. Whether you are looking to celebrate a special event or are just seeking to offer a fun dessert you will find that decorated cupcakes are a sure hit. There are perfect ideas for almost any occasion, and all you have to do is find the one that is right for you.

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photo credit: ex.libris

photo credit: lasandri

Baby shower cupcakes: almost as cute as the baby to come! Are you throwing a baby shower for your sister, cousin or friend? If you are reading this article, it is probably because you are thinking of the treats you will be serving and you wonder about cupcakes for a baby shower. Cupcakes have been the trend in desserts and treats for the last decade. They have grown in popularity and the choice of designs for toppings has flourished. Baby shower cupcakes are a wonderful idea. You can decorate them any style you want, from pink and blue royal icing and sprinkles to fancy stork nests made of candied orange peel topped with a little baby cut out of fondant icing. If you want to make a grand centerpiece with cupcakes, get a nice cupcake tier, fill it with luscious baby cupcakes, attach a small stuffed stork or bear watching over the cupcakes at the top of the tier, with ribbons running down between them.

The cupcakes can be vanilla, chocolate, or the mom-to-be’s favorite flavor of the month (pickle, mayonnaise, kiwi) Decorating baby shower cupcakes is a cinch: buy the smallest baby accessories such as rattles, bottles, pacifiers etc. and stick these on the icing. Too cute. Drawing little diaper pins or bibs or tiny baby feet on top of a smooth icing is pretty easy and simple. And there is no limit to what you can do with fondant icing you buy in stores. A small paring knife, a pipe with a few nozzles, a little imagination and abracadabra: you’ve made the cutest little baby wrapped in a blanket sleeping in a cabbage leaf. Fondant icing is easy to manage, can take the shape you want it to take, and usually comes in different colors. They usually taste faintly of vanilla. Three and five tier cupcake stands can be found on the internet at reasonable prices. Baking the cupcakes is fun, choosing the right flavor for the mommy. Decorating them is even more fun. If you know the sex of the baby, you can go with a pink theme or a blue theme, or stay neutral and design a beautiful whipped topping with sparkles.

Just writing “Welcome” on every cupcake is alright too. It says what it means. But what we really need to keep in mind is: it’s a happy occasion, a new life is about to start, and getting together to celebrate this is a wondrous event. You can make a simple cupcake with a cream icing and little sparkles. Be happy when you bake them. They’ll turn out better. It’s a proven fact. They don’t have to be fancy. It’s for a wonderful little baby that’s about to rock its parents’ world. Don’t forget to make some cupcakes for the mom after she has given birth, more likely she won’t have time to bake some herself for awhile… Sweet zucchini cupcakes are good to keep her nutrition up and running too!

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Thank you Kim for sharing your cute baby boy shower cupcake idea. You can find more of Kim’s party decorating ideas on her blog

Here’s how Kim made her baby boy cupcakes. “I made these cute little guys for a co-workers baby (boy) shower. I mixed my own fondant so that I could color it, but it’s so easy to find pre-colored fondant now in craft stores. I first rolled out some tan fondant into balls to make each head, then small little balls for the hands. I just used my fingernail to press in lines to create the fingers. Next I rolled out the blue fondant and cut a square (using a wax paper template I made) and used a butter knife to cut into the edges to make the “fringe”. Next I took a mechanical pencil and removed the eraser and washed it – then used where the eraser goes to punch out circles of the blue for the pacifier. I just wet everything to put them together. I wet my finger and picked up one white nonpareils from a dumped pile and placed it in the center of the blue circle pacifier and pushed a little in. When everything was assembled, I took an edible marker and pushed in a little to create an eyeball on each side… ta-done! Everyone loved them but only one person was brave enough to bite into the babies head! *gasp*”

These adorable baby boy cupcakes are too cute to eat. I think I would have to remove the baby fondant before eating

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