Tuesday Toppers: Holly and berry cupcakes

I know it may seem a bit early for a Christmas topper (although I admit I've already listened to Christmas music and watched some Christmas movies with the family. I LOVE CHRISTMAS :), but this is going to be the last topper for the rest of the year. Right about now life gets very hectic for me. With making Christmas present, baking, sewing for clients, and everything else that comes with the holidays I'm going to take a short break from the toppers. I won't by any means be gone. I have my gingerbread house that I plan on posting pictures and tips, and of course the cookies and candy will have pictures and recipes! Gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, mexican wedding rings, fudge, and so much more. After all of the madness subsides, I'll get right back to doing toppers.

Now on to the holly and berry topper, here is what you will need to make one:

-Fondant smoother
-Leaf veining tool
-Metal piping tip (any will do)
-Green and yellow fondant

-For the berries, make 3 small balls out of the red.

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-For the leaves, divide a 1" ball of fondant into 2 pieces. Roll into logs and taper both ends.

-Flatten with a fondant smoother

-Take the piping tip and make cutouts all the way around. Two at each tip and 1 or 2 on each side in the middle.

-Using the small end of the leaf veiner make a line down the center and 3 veins on each side.

These would make great decorations for a cake too!

See you all soon! Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday Toppers: Pumpkin Pie Cupcake

Well it looks as though the flu has returned its ugly head again! My husband and youngest daughter have it now and unfortunately the girls didn't get to go trick or treating because of it :(. I guess there is always next year. Fortunately I had this topper that I did last year so I didn't have to try make one in this house full of germs, lol. This is actually the topper that started it all when I did a tutorial to put on cake central last year. So keep that in mind when you look at the pictures :D. Here's what you will need to make them:

-Fondant smoother
-Rolling pin
-Ball tool
-Knife
-White, tan, and pumpkin colored fondant.

-To make the "whipped cream" take a small ball of fondant and roll it into a log and taper at one end.

-To make the dollop, fold down the wider end about a third of the way down.

-Then start wrapping the tapered end up and around.

-For the "pumpkin filling" take a 1" ball of pumpkin colored fondant and form into a triangle with your fingers.

-Take the fondant smoother and help shape it.

-Pushing the backside with the fondant smoother.

-and pinch all of the edges to define them more.

-Roll out some tan fondant to about 1/8" thick

-place the pie filling on top.

-Cut along the front sides.

-Then cut straight back and with a little water fold the pie back onto the crust.

-Trim the back crust to about 1/2".

-Fold the crust over.

-Then ignore the cookie cutter! I'm not sure why it was even there, lol. Take the small end of a ball tool, and using your thumb and index finger and the ball tool crimp the edges.

Hope everyone is having a great (and healthy!) Tuesday.

Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to wish all of the ghost and ghouls out there a spooky Halloween! This is the cake I made last year, I had hoped to get one made for this year, but ran out of time.

The cast iron gate is made out of 50/50 fondant and gum paste and the cobblestone is fondant.

The signs, mouse, and pumpkin are made out of gum paste.

The Haunted house and tree are gum paste too, and since I've had a lot of requests on how I made the tree i'll give you a few quick tips. I took a 1/4" dowel rod and some thicker wire and wrapped the wires around the top. Then I took gum paste and wrapped that around for the trunk. For the branches i made took some more gum paste and wrapped it around the wires. For the face i just took some modeling tools and made the nose, eyes and mouth and highlighted them with some black gel paste.

I hope everyone has a spooktacular Halloween!!

Tuesday Toppers: Frankie Cupcake

This week is the final topper in my Halloween collection. I just adore Halloween, which made doing these toppers that much more fun! I had plans to make another Halloween cake this year, but sadly I don't think i'm going to have time. I've been busy sewing up a storm making Halloween costumes for my two girls and their friend. My oldest and her friend are going as Dorothy and Glenda the good witch and my 3 yr old is going as the wicked witch of the west. Which unfortunately, at times, can be very fitting ;) .

Now for the frankie topper. Its a funny story how he came about. These cupcakes are the ones I made last year for halloween, but i had intended to only do witches hats. Unfortunately my youngest is what I like to call a fondant monster, lol. If you put fondant within her reach, expect for it to not be there too long. As you can guess that is what I did with the witches hats and of course she ate one! So at the last minute I was faced with no more purple fondant and an empty cupcake. So Frankie was born and the little guy that got him I think was happier to have Frankie than a hat! I think it turned into a happy little accident and here's what you will need to make him:

-Fondant smoother
-Knife
-Ball tool
-Green, black, and white fondant

-Take a 1" ball of fondant and flatten sligtly.

-Gently push one side down.

-Finish squaring off the corners with your index finger and thumb.

-Take the small end of the ball too and make two indents for the eyes.

-For the mouth, take the small end again and make a long indent and smooth it out with the tool.

-Take some more green fondant and make 3 small balls for the nose and ears.

-form one ball into a small pyramid and attach with a small amount of water.

-Using the small end of the ball tool make two holes in the sides of his head.

-With the other two balls roll into a tear drop shape with your fingers.

-Take the ball tool and make and indent at the bigger end.

-Insert the ears into the bottom holes. Take two small balls of white and two even smaller balls of black and place in the eye indents with a touch of water.

-Take the rest of the black and make a thin rope. Cut into 8 pieces for the hair and 2 pieces for the head plugs.

-Insert two of the black pieces into the top opening. Take the knife and make a scar on his forehead and don't forget the stitching marks!

-For the hair take the black pieces and taper one end. Attach to the head with a small amount of water or gum paste glue.

Hope everyone has a spooktacular Halloween!
Happy Tuesday!