When my friend Adriana told me she was getting married I got really excited and offered to make the party favours and help her with the invitations – I’m a sucker for weddings 🙂 It was going to be a simple barbecue party for only 50 people but I wanted to give them something special. So, after we decided on lilac and white for the colour scheme, I asked the groom what cupcake flavour he wanted. Chocolate, of course! And so I made 50 chocolate cupcakes filled with milk chocolate ganache and topped with white sugar paste and heart-shaped sprinkles. And that’s why things have been so quiet around here. Oh, and because I made 30 pineapple cupcakes for my cleaning lady’s granddaughter’s birthday and both parties were on the same day! Phew!!!
Of course, it was not possible to bake, fill and decorate 80 cupcakes in one day and with no help. So I started the week before and took my time – baked some, froze them, then baked some more, froze them… I was told (by an expert) that cakes should thaw at room temperature, never in the fridge or they’ll get heavy and dry. So the day before the wedding I took the chocolate cupcakes out of the freezer and let them sit on my counter for 15 minutes or so. Meanwhile I made the ganache and then I started coring them like crazy because it is so much easier to do it whilst they’re still cold and not so delicate.
Then I filled them with ganache.
Rolled small portions of sugar paste and cut it with a cookie cuter.
I first used this kind of tea infuser to dust a Swiss roll with confectioner’s sugar and it worked so well that now it lives in my sugar container 😛
Smeared the tops with a little ganache – just enough to glue the sugar paste.
With a wet finger I rubbed a little spot on the sugar paste until it got a bit sticky so I could glue a heart-shaped sprinkle.
When I saw this ribbon I thought it would be perfect to dress the paper cases up a bit. At first the idea was to glue it around the cases but it didn’t work (haven’t you heard that cupcakes are conical, you silly pumpkin?!), so I decided to make it look like a basket handle and, on the bright side, it helped putting the cupcakes into the plastic bags – as well as taking them out!
Into the plastic bags and finished with a lilac bow.
Ready to go!
On the day of the parties I thawed the pineapple cupcakes, filled them with pineapple cream and frosted them with Swiss meringue buttercream. Unfortunately I was running late so there are no pictures 😦
How lucky your friend is to have you for a friend!! Celeste 🙂
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Thank you, Celeste! I like to go the extra mile to see my friends happy! 🙂
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Any chance you’ll share your pineapple cupcakes recipe with us? 🙂 So glad I found your blog!
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Of course! I’ll make it again this weekend so I can take pictures to post 🙂 Thank you!
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wow – these are just stunning. Pure perfection x
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Thank you so much! You’re too kind 🙂
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Wow, what an amazing friend you are! Those cupcake favors are just darling. I love the basket handle and the little heart. I bet they tasted amazing with the ganache filling. So pretty! And ps- love the tip about the tea infuser. Great idea!
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Thanks, Allie! Everybody loved it! And the tea infuser is very handy when I’m taking my bakes to someone else’s home: I fill it with sugar and wrap it in cling film, so I don’t have to take another container with sugar 🙂
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These look delicious as well as lovely! How lucky the wedding couple is to have a talented baker as a friend!
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Oh they are gorgeous! I can only imagine how delicious they must have tasted!
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Thank you so much, Chiara!
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They look really pretty – I’m sure your friend was delighted! B x
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She was 🙂 Thanks, B!
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Wow! They are so pretty!
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Thank you, dear!
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Oh Erika! How beautiful those cupcakes are, including the packaging! Too bad I’m already married or I would order them from you! 🙂
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And I would gladly make them for you 🙂 Thank you!
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Wow! These are sooo beautiful! So pretty to have at a wedding 🙂
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Thank you so much, Charlotte!
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I have cupcake envy – they look so beautifully executed. Far better than anything you can buy too. Fabulous.
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Awn, thanks, Maggie! You’re too kind!
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These are stunning! Just lovely! 🙂
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Thank you!
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Erika, ficaram lindos e me deu água na boca! Parabéns pra você e parabéns pra Adrian pelo casamento!!! =)
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Merci! 🙂
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Wow, what a lot of work! Those are beautiful. Well done.
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Thank you, Sorcha!
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Looks delicious !! I liked the way you have packed it with purple ribbon. Beautiful…
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Thank you, dear!
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Cupcakes are beautiful and it looks like a success! 😀
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Thanks, Fae, they were! 🙂
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