Cupcake Style!

Source: brides.com via BRIDES on Pinterest

Give your guests the choice of chocolate or vanilla cupcakes at your wedding.  Then add a gorgeous cake at the top to give it a beautiful finish.

Lace and Cupcakes-A Marriage Made In Heaven

Source: topit.me via Stephanie on Pinterest

Pretty in pink topped with great "I do" messages make these cupcakes look great. Of course if you are using them for a wedding shower, you'll need to change the message. 

But what really sets them off is the lace wrapper! What a fabulous idea! So if you're going feminine, why not serve your cupcakes in a lacy wrap to show off your pretty pastel cupcakes!

Pretty in Purple (Lavendar And Lilac)

Source: iammommy.typepad.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I am baker presents these pretty as can be cupcakes for your wedding or wedding shower. (Or any other occasion you can think of!) I love the colors!

These Are Not Your Old Fashioned Cupcakes!

Source: lovemydress.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

 (cupcakes by Olofson Cake Design, both can be seen on lovemydress.net)

Are you a bride who is in love with cupcakes? Looking for some inspiration? These cupcakes by Olofsun Cake Design can certainly provide that! Every tiny detail of these cupcakes are gorgeous! My personal favorites? The cameos and the ones at the bottom left with the white petals and silver dragees.

 (Just a heads up, if you're a bride in California, I've found several sites that say California law does not allow them to ship these into the state, so if you wonder why you can't find them in the stores, that might be why. The rest of us can take the chance of breaking our teeth on them all we want!)

Dessert Gold!

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Chris on Pinterest

Go for the gold when you serve your wedding guests these gold luster dusted, espresso flavored cupcakes.  The decorations on top are made using Martha's punches available at your local craft store.

The golden baking cups and wraps can be ordered from Plastic Container City  to add to the overall look of cupcakes with the Midas touch!

Magic Cupcakes!

Source: pinterest.com via Mindye on Pinterest

Magic cupcakes! Who knew? So if you want your cupcakes puffed up and full looking, go with option #1! Flat and boring... choose #2! Something for everyone in the cupcake world!

White On White Cupcakes For Shower or Wedding

Source: myrecipes.com via Linda on Pinterest

Fall in love all over again with these beautiful cupcakes! Perfect for either a shower or wedding reception, these white on white beauties will look good and taste even better! Find the recipes at Myrecipes.com. 

Make these yourself if you're creative, or if you aren't, show them to your baker, I'm sure she can reproduce the look for you!

I found the photo on Pinterest, but myrecipes.com is the originating source according to the person posting.

Cupcakes Front and Centerpiece?

Photo from Alli's Cakes

I know I've posted about using cupcakes as centerpieces before, either as cupcake topiary or that all time favorite, the watering can filled with mini-cupcakes topped with pink roses, but Alli's Cakes from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire in England has brought it to a whole new level.

Photo from Alli's Cakes

Lucky the English bride who can contact Alli to make some of her unique cupcakes that double as a centerpiece and either wedding cake or favor. Alli's telephone number is 07772533086 and they're open six days a week until 7 PM. 

Photo courtesy of Alli's Cakes

Alli doesn't just make these centerpieces, she can also make a whole sweet table display with cupcakes for each of your guests with a single large cupcake for the bride and groom to slice.  So Brit brides give Alli a call.  The rest of us will have to admire from afar! 

Takes The Cake?

This pretty sign done in gold ink on white card stock invites your guests to help themselves to the prettiest cupcakes around! A nice extra touch to your sweet table.

See other great ideas for your cupcakes on Peter's blog and web site, linked below.

Photo by: Your Wedding Photos by Peter Lammers.

Tiramisu Cupcakes For A WOW Factor At Your Wedding

OK, tell me your mouth isn't watering just looking at this picture! I am a big fan of tiramisu so maybe it's just me, but this idea wow'd me.  The recipe is easy and your guests are sure to love them.  Serve these cold to help cool off your guests at a summer wedding or after your guests have been dancing any time of the year.  The wow factor in any tiramisu is not the ladyfingers but the filling.  That lush mascarpone, whipped cream, run, and coffee combo is what sets these cupcakes apart from the usual ho hum mini cakes.  The trick is to use just a small amount of ladyfingers(or cake) and LOTS of filling and topping.  YUM! 

Tiramisu Cupcake recipe adapted TiramisuII recipe from AllRecipes.com.

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

(see how little batter is in the cupcake pans--this will leave you room for lots of filling)

6 egg yolks

3/4 C white sugar

2/3 C milk

1 1/4 C heavy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 lb mascarpone cheese

1 C strong brewed coffee, room temperature

2 tbsp rum

ladyfingers baked in cupcake wrappers (see my post on ladyfingers for instructions)

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

a small amount of dark chocolate for chocolate curls (optional)

In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended.

Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.

Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.

Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour.

Remove from refrigerator and whisk in mascarpone until smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum.

Drizzle approximately 1 tbsp + 2 tsp of the coffee/rum mixture over each pre-baked ladyfinger. Add it a little at a time and wait for it to absorb into the ladyfingers before adding more. When it stops absorbing, stop adding more.

Spread the mascarpone mixture over the soaked ladyfingers.

Pipe or spread the whipped cream over the mascarpone.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Optionally, top with chocolate curls. Make the chocolate curls using a vegetable peeler on a piece of chocolate. It works best if the chocolate is slightly warm, but not melty.

Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set

  Ladyfingers Recipe for Tiramisu Cupcakes:

This ladyfinger recipe is adapted ever so slightly from the ladyfinger recipe on Allrecipes.

4 eggs, separated

2 tbsp + 2/3 C white sugar

1 C all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment. (Or, if you are going to use these for tiramisu cupcakes, line a 12 cupcake tin with cupcake liners.)

Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube. If you don't have one, just cut off the end of a Ziploc bag.

Place egg whites in a bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form.

Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy.

In another bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining sugar.

Whip until thick and very pale in color.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.

Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.

Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites.

Transfer mixture to the pastry bag (or Ziploc bag) and pipe strips that look like ladyfingers (or whatever shape you'd like) onto the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners. The cupcake liners will not be filled to the top (see the photo above).

Bake for 8 minute

Cupcake Porn

Photo from Cupcakes Take The Cake Blog

Better Homes and Gardens will be offering this magazine on the stands soon and will remain there until June.  It's filled with lots of great cupcake ideas perfect for your wedding as well as info on cupcake bloggers like Cupcakes Take The Cake.  Pick it up for food porn and for a great resource for recipes for cupcakes for your wedding.

Hot Cupcake Poppers from Betty Crocker - Easy and DIY Dessert Table Sweets

Photo from Moogie and Pap's blog at http://moogieland.blogspot.com

Recipe from Betty Crocker Trends web site

Looking for a dessert table item that pops? (Do you suppose that's why they call them poppers?) Betty Crocker Trends at http://redhot.bettycrocker.com/trends gives you an easy recipe to make these pretty poppers from their white cake mix (obviously you add some food coloring). They also offer a recipe for a marshmallow cream frosting for the centers. The recipe makes 60 mini-cupcakes for your dessert table.

Dazzling Cupcakes

Just when you thought you had seen it all, the folks at Bedazzle My Bonbons sent me an email with these photos that one of their creative clients had taken of cupcakes that she had designed using their bonbons.

Mishellle from Mishelle Handy Cakes in Oklahoma City purchased her liners from Wilton products at her local craft store and added faux stones and gems to add some more bling to the cupcakes. She turned boring cupcakes into a bedazzled and delicious dessert. For brides who love bling these cupcakes will match you personality to a T!

Choose the way you would like to display these at your wedding either individual or cupcake stands will give you a centerpiece that shines!

Cupcake Kit From Wedding Fads -- Easy DIY Cupcakes

Photo courtesy of: http://www.weddingfads.com/

This English garden cupcke kit comes complete with 48 gumpaste roses and a large cupcake stand (silver stand can be rented or purchased seperately.  Kit cost: $169.95 at http://www.weddingfads.com/.  Depending on the size of your wedding you may need more than one kit.  Just bake your cupcakes as usual (thank you Duncan Hines) and ice.  Top with the gumpaste roses.  If you already have a stand just purchase the roses seperately.  Please remember, gumpaste flowers are NOT edible but are considered food products, therefore this vendor will not accept returns. 

More Pretty Cupcakes

Photos and designs from: http://www.reinwaldsbakery.com/

Triple Layer Wedding Cupcakes by Artesanal Sweets

Photo courtesy of Artesanal Sweets at: http://www.artesanalsweets.com/

Artesanal Sweets offers a wide variety of confections to commemorate your special day. We do weddings, graduations, showers, engagements, or any time. Their specialty cakes, desserts and personalized cookies add a wonderful touch to any celebration.

More Cupcake Ideas

Photo courtesy of Ngoc Minh Ngo and http://www.realsimple.com/

Real Simple's website offered some new cupcake ideas that you might like to use for your wedding, shower or just for a nice dessert.  The above sundae is called "Sundae Best" and it's a minicupcake topped with hot fudge and a scoop of quality vanilla ice cream.  It's making me hungry right now! 

Photo courtesy of Ngoc Minh Ngo and http://www.realsimple.com/

This cupcake is called "The Short Stack"  and is a luscious concoction that resembles strawberry shortcake.  Slice your cupcake in thirds, and put back together with a filling of vanilla flavored whipped cream and berries of your choice.  Add a sprig of mint to finish off the pretty presentation.

Photo courtesy of Ngoc Minh Ngo and http://www.realsimple.com/

Use votive holders as a perfect container for a bite-size cupcake. Use mini-muffin tins, gently dust the cupcakes with 10x sugar, and you can even add candles or shortened sparklers. 

Don't Let Making Your Own Cupcakes for Your Wedding Be A Recipe For Disaster!

Try some of these new cookbooks dedicated solely to cupcakes!  It's a sign of just how mainstream cupcakes have become that there are whole cookbooks dedicated to them.  If you can't find something luscious and beautiful in these books you're missing the boat!

Cupcake Topiary Tree

Photograph courtesy of Food Network Magazine/Taken by Tara Donne

Considering using cupcakes in lieu of cake at your wedding? Why not have them do double duty as decorations as well? This Cupcake Topiary Tree was featured in Food Network Magazine in their May 2010 issue.

To make your Cupcake Topiary Tree you'll need:

1 Terracotta pot

Floral Foam

12 inch floral foam ball

12 inch dowel

Brown Paint

Pink Paint

24 Mini cupcake liners

Straight Pins

Toothpicks

Directions:

Fill the terracotta pot with floral foam, and insert a 12 inch dowel or thick stick in foam. If you're using a dowel you'll need to paint it brown before placing it. Paint a 12 inch floral foam ball pink and let dry. This can take an hour, be sure it's all the way dry. Push the ball down onto the dowel that's already been anchored into the pot. Using straight pins and cupcake papers to plot your cupcake design, then place real cupcakes in each spot removing the pins and papers used for plotting as you go. Attach cupcakes using 3 toothpicks poked halfway into the bottom of each cupcake and press them into the ball.

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More Lucious Cupcakes

The Cupcake Girl has been bringing gourmet, baked-from-scratch cupcakes to Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia) and its surrounds since early 2007.  These are some of her beautiful efforts!