Some cupcake tips....

120 cupcakes.....6 cake mixes!

I have to admit, my favorite way to fulfill a cake order is through cupcakes.  It's just EASIER.  When you ice a layer cake you have to use a spatula to spread the icing, you have to wait for the icing to crust over a little (which means the humidity has to be good), and you have to smooth the icing after it crusts.  Then you have to worry did you get that layer of icing thick enough or do you have to do another layer of icing.  If you do cupcakes, the icing is the easiest part!  But before we get there.... the cupcake making...when you fill the cupcake liners with cake batter, use an ice cream scoop!

Use an ice cream scoop to fill a cupcake liner!

Fill the scoop about two-thirds full....

A nice big dollop of cake batter!

I like to bake in a convection oven because I can bake all 24 cupcakes at the same time.  One cake recipe makes two dozen.  I fill the ice cream scoop two-thirds full and plop the batter into the paper liner.  Invest in a NICE set of cupcake pans.  You want a nice heavy pan.  I'm using the Wilton brand pans, but I do have one from Baker's Secret that I like as well.

Once you bake your cupcakes and they are cool, it's time to finally get to the easy part....the icing!  It takes ONE icing tip in a piping bag to decorate your cupcakes.  It's the Wilton 1M.  It's a larger tip which means no coupler.  You simply cut the end off of the piping bag and pop the tip in and fill it up with icing.  Here's a picture of the 1M:

The Wilton 1M - the classic cupcake icing tip!

The Wilton 1M looks like a STAR.

To ice a cupcake with the 1M tip, start in the CENTER of the cupcake and swirl your way out to the edge while you pipe.  It makes the icing look like a rose.  Like this....

Start in the center and swirl to the outside.....

If you pipe from the outside to the middle, it makes the icing look like a star.  This isn't BAD, but when you put the sprinkles on and it's piped like that, many of the sprinkles fall off because the icing is starting to increase in height in the center.  If you pipe from inside to the outside, the icing is flat across the cupcake the sprinkles stay put!  See below for a sample of the "outside to inside" piping example:

Piped from the outside to the inside....what I consider the wrong way!

When it's all piped and you have applied your sparkles and sprinkles, here it is....

The finished cupcake!

Fast, easy,and beautiful.  Remember... pipe from the middle to the outer edge!  Perhaps I'll post a video soon!  Now go make some beautiful cupcakes!