As I’m sure is the case with many of you… this week will be very busy in our house! Finishing off the gift lists, wrapping, baking, cleaning.. oh yeah, and we have to have something for dinner each night! I love the Christmas season, and I treasure the special activities, parties, time with family, and delicious food! This week there was a hitch in my plans, when my main computer (the one I store all my photos on) went haywire.. and is currently in the shop in the “hopes” of being able to recover my photos. So… my nice organized plan of having a few more delicious treats to share with you was foiled! But this weekend I “whipped up” some pretty cupcakes as one last treat to share for the year. After today I’ll take a little break from posts until New Years and enjoy a little extra family time.
For the cookies… simply outline and flood in the desired color, allow to dry fully (6-8 hours). Then using (outline consistency) white icing, pipe a snowflake design. Hold the cookie over a paper plate and sprinkle with white sanding sugar. Dust off excess with a dry paint brush.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
How to Make Pink Snowflake Cupcakes
Pink Snowflake Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa best quality available
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract best quality available
- 1 cup water boiling
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter set at room temp about 10 minutes, but should still be cool
- 8 oz. cream cheese directly from fridge
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract always use pure vanilla extract if possible
- 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 1 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream heavy whipping cream or milk- although I do like the richness that cream adds
Sugar Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon good quality salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract good quality vanilla extract
Royal Icing
- 4 tablespoons meringue powder
- 4 cups powdered sugar about 1 pound
- 6 tablespoons water warm water to start
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
- Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
- Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
- Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
- Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until fully combined and smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy.
- Slowly add the heavy cream, a little bit at a time until desired consistency is met. (Don't add too much if you want the frosting to stay in place when piped on cupcakes.)
- Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)
Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This should take 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and beat another minute or so.
- Add the flour mixture slowly. (Be careful not to add too much at a time or you will have a snowstorm of flour.)
- Blend until all of the flour is incorporated. The mixture will look crumbly at first but just keep blending until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Remove about half of the dough from the bowl and knead by hand just a bit to form a smooth ball. Roll out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, or onto a piece of plastic wrap (as described in detail in the blog post above).
- Cut out cookies into desired shapes and place entire baking sheet of unbaked cookies into the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake cookies in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies.
- The cookies are baked when then are no longer shinny on top, but they will not show much of any change in color.
- Cool on baking sheet just a minute or so, then carefully move to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool fully before decorating.
Royal Icing
- Beat all ingredients until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon some of the thick white icing into individual bowls and add coloring.
- Add additional water, about 1 teaspoon at a time until you’ve reached the consistency you need.
Decorate Cookies
- Outline and flood in the desired color.
- Allow to dry fully (6-8 hours).
- Using (outline consistency) white icing, pipe a snowflake design.
- Hold the cookie over a paper plate and sprinkle with white sanding sugar.
- Dust off excess with a dry paint brush.
Nutrition
“But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:10-11
These are absolutely beautiful!
Keep up the awesome baking creations! Your blog has been my inspiration to keep baking even if I'm a busy city gal like who probably has the worst apartment oven imaginable! Merry Christmas to you and your family ~from San Francisco!
Ohhhh these look scrumptious. Lee x
I love those, I am so ready for a break from baking, next week I plan to not make one thing, I have enough made already to last!
Love these! Have a great holiday, Glory!
Beautiful!!
Enjoy your time off. Hope your computer gets better. See you on Christmas Eve (I am so lucky to be one of your few 'fans' that actually gets to eat your beautiful creations). I love you and am proud to have you as my sister.
These cookies just look adorable!!
oh my…. this is marvelous!! really special! I love it!
Merry christmas from spain!!
Glory, these are beyond gorgeous. Pink, sparkly, and perfectly wonderful. My kind of Christmas cupcake!
I truly hope you enjoy the week with your family. Merry Christmas friend!! xoxo