Wedding Cupcake Creations

A cupcake wedding cake can add a whimsical touch to an already enjoyable situation. Your guests are sure to appreciate the originality. In fact, wedding cupcakes make wonderful conversation pieces.

In addition to costing less money, cupcake wedding cakes are easier to handle and not as messy. Transporting cupcakes is a lot easier than carrying a large cake with multiple layers. In most cases, cupcake wedding cakes can be assembled at the reception hall rather than at the bakery. Because they're individually wrapped, the bride and groom don't have to worry about cutting a cake and the reception staff doesn't have to deal with plating up slices for each guest. In fact, they needn't be served at all. Each guest can pluck a cupcake from the tower or "cupcake bar" and carry it back to his or her own table. Cupcakes are also easier to carry home for the guest who would love a piece of cake, but would rather not eat it at the reception..

Many couples may initially assume that cupcakes are a relatively simple treat suitable only for elementary school lunchboxes, but in fact there are many reasons why cupcakes are the perfect choice for even the most sophisticated wedding.

Price: Wedding cake prices can be astronomical, and cupcakes are a generally less expensive option.
Ease: It is easier to distribute cupcakes to wedding guests than to spend time - and possibly more money - cutting a wedding cake into appropriate proportions.
Variety: Whereas a couple may have only limited options for a cake design, they may be able to choose many more flavors and decorations for cupcakes.
Fun: Cupcakes are more lighthearted and casual then elaborate formal cakes, and are the perfect choice for less formal celebrations. At the same time, however, gourmet cupcakes can be perfectly suitable for the most sophisticated nuptials...

There are many ways to personalize cupcake wedding cakes to suit any couple's dessert preferences.

Cupcakes for a Beach WeddingFlavor: While basic flavors - white, chocolate, red velvet - are easy choices, cupcakes can be made from more gourmet tastes as well, such as mocha espresso, cinnamon, dark chocolate fudge, orange cream, and more.
Fillings: Filled cupcakes are a more elaborate option and allow couples to add fruit jams, creams, and other decadent tastes to their wedding cupcakes.
Arrangements: Cupcakes can be arranged in the traditional tiered shape on special stands, or they can be configured into different whimsical shapes, patterns, or arrangements.
Decorations: Cupcakes can be elaborately iced just like a wedding cake, or each miniature cake could be topped with rosettes, sprinkles, fruit, edible flowers, different icing colors, and other details to match the wedding reception decorations.
Alternating Tiers: Couples interested in the convenience of cupcakes do not need to give up the classic style of a wedding cake. Cupcakes can easily be used to supplement smaller cake designs or may be arranged in alternating tiers with more traditional cakes...

Buttercream Icing
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

Cupcakes
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla and mix until well blended.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into butter mixture, alternating with the milk.
Line Cupcake pan with paper or foil muffin cups. Pour enough batter into each cup to fill to ¾ of the way. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until firm in the center and golden brown on top. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
To make butter cream icing, mix butter and confectioners sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and milk and stir until desired consistency.
Embellish as desired...

It's true, traditional wedding cakes are reaching new levels of design. That shouldn't deter you, however. Cupcake wedding cakes are a lot of fun to decorate and can be as casual or elaborate as you like. Frost cupcakes either individually and place on a multi-level presentation tray, or place them next to each other and frost as one unit. Decorate with:

Sugar Pearls
Chocolate Shavings
Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate Kisses
Chocolate Hearts
Sugar Flowers
Real Flowers
Sugar Butterflies
Ribbons
Lace........

Determine your number of guests. And don't be fooled! While not everyone will want a piece of traditional wedding cake, almost everyone wants a cupcake.

Plan the decoration. From a simple buttercream frosting to edible petals to inexpensive Cupcake Caps, you have lots of options.

Plan the cake & icing flavor. Cupcakes can be made in almost any flavor imaginable: vanilla, chocolate, carrot... lots of possibilities.

Choose a stand. There are lots of stands currently available. A well known cake supply company offers a 50+ cupcake stand for under $50. At that price, it is just as reasonable to buy as to rent. OR! If you're creative, stands can be built with circles of Styrofoam, hot glue and ribbon ..

Set your schedule. Are you going to do this yourself or have your Aunt Betty do it for you? If you are going to do the baking, cupcakes freeze well (before decoration) and can be made a month out.

Bake and decorate your cupcakes.

Arrange transportation for the cupcakes and stand. More good news - cupcakes are much easier to transport than a wedding cake. New, clean plastic sweater boxes/tubs are great for transporting, usually hold about 40 cupcakes and cost about $5.

Have a fabulous wedding!