Tag: cupcakes

Caramel Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream

This cupcake recipe is actually one of my favorites, and I think I need to start making it more often and experimenting with different flavors of frosting. It’s an easy combo requiring basic ingredients, two bowls, and a whisk, so it takes very little time to prepare – another thing I really like.

I originally made these as butterscotch cupcakes, and they were delicious, but they pair well with chocolate buttercream too. I feel like you could embellish them with a Rolo or other caramel-filled chocolate candy if you wanted to, but they’re great just as they are. These were a huge hit in my office last week.

Ingredients

Caramel Cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe made 21 cupcakes for me.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and melted butter, whisking until no lumps remain. Whisk in egg, sour cream, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Slowly whisk in flour mixture until batter is completely smooth; it will be fairly thick.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, drop scoops of batter into prepared cupcake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove from pans immediately; cool completely before frosting.

To make chocolate buttercream, place butter in a mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes using the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat on low speed until the sugar and cocoa are fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and beat; add milk 1 tablespoon at a time; you may not need both tablespoons.

Fit a large piping bag with a large open star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes; you’ll have some frosting left over that you can use for other treats.

Applesauce Cupcakes

applesaucecupcakesSo, it’s fall. Cue pumpkin spice madness! Almost three weeks into this season, I haven’t baked anything pumpkin yet, but it’s on the horizon. Today, though, I made these amazing applesauce cupcakes. I found the recipe over at The Toasty Kitchen, and the original called for a browned butter buttercream frosting, but I went a different route. These cupcakes are really tender, and I thought buttercream would be too heavy, so I made a variation on a butter glaze-style icing that uses powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, water, and a little bit of cinnamon.

While the apple flavor is very subtle and these are more of spice cupcakes – which I always find is the case with apple treats in general, except for pies – they’re delicious and were very easy to make.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup applesauce, at room temperature

For the icing

  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Cinnamon to taste – I used about 1/8 teaspoon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line cupcake tins with paper liners. My batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to combine; set aside. In a mixer, cream sugar and butter until fluffy, then add egg and beat to combine. Add half the flour mixture, then half the applesauce, mixing to just combine. Add the remaining flour and applesauce and mix until just combined; be careful not to over-mix your batter.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake or 16-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from tin; cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

To make the icing, combine powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, water, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Using a tablespoon, drop portions of icing onto each cupcake and spread with the back of the spoon. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Maple Cupcakes

maplecupcakesA cupcake without sugar? Well, you don’t need sugar when you’ve got maple syrup. This recipe comes from Inspired by Charm, originally written as maple walnut cupcakes and including chopped walnuts in the batter. Instead of sugar, it uses a cup of pure maple syrup as its sweetener. Hear me now, friends – do not use pancake syrup in this recipe, because it is absolutely not interchangeable with pure maple syrup.

But speaking of pancakes, these treats do taste like them. I actually wish I’d added some cinnamon to my batter, so I might do that next time, and I plan to develop a maple pecan version as well. One note – the original recipe said it makes 16 cupcakes, and this wasn’t true for me; my batch yielded 23 and could have probably made 24 if I’d measured better.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Walnut halves, toasted and cooled, if desired for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; this recipe makes about 23 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a mixer with the paddle attachment, beat maple syrup and heavy cream to combine, then add eggs, vanilla extract, and butter and beat to combine. Stir in flour mixture to combine completely.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, fill cupcake wells about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from the tins; cool on a wire rack.

To make the frosting, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add maple syrup and vanilla and beat to combine completely.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls onto each cupcake. Top with a toasted walnut. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Lemon Vanilla Cupcakes

lemonvanillacupcakesIt’s August, the height of summer. And with August comes Leo season, the zodiac sign of my birth. Technically Leo season begins in July, but that’s okay. My friend and colleague Melissa and I always mark the beginning of August by saying “it’s Leo season” and agreeing that everything should go right for us during our birth month. That has never happened, but there’s a first time for everything, so we’ll see how this Leo season goes.

Anyway…lemon is a great summer flavor and felt like a good choice for Leo season. These cupcakes are a combination of lemon and vanilla, which I’d never made before – and while they’re delicious, I think I like lemon and almond better. Next time!

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 2 medium lemons

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract
  • Zest of 1 small lemon*
  • 2-3 drops yellow food coloring

*If you’re worried about lemon zest being weird in your frosting – which sometimes, it can be given its texture – then just add another 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of lemon extract to taste. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lemon zest and beat to combine completely. Add yellow food coloring if desired. Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip (I use the Wilton M1) and pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Shark Cupcakes

sharkcupcakesIt’s Shark Week. Apparently this annual effort to educate people about sharks – breaking down misconceptions established by movies like Jaws (terrifying, I tell you) – has been a Discovery Channel staple since 1988. Happy 36th anniversary, Shark Week. To celebrate, I baked these shark-themed cupcakes, a basic chocolate cupcake with some vanilla almond buttercream and a sugar cookie fin.

Despite being completely terrified by Great Whites thanks less to Jaws and more to their generally creepy appearance, I actually really like sharks, especially the small ones in aquariums. They always look serene, just kind of gliding around in the tanks. Here’s to you, serene sharks. Maybe someday I’ll be less terrified by your enormous, razor-mouthed cousins.

Ingredients

For the fin cookies

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • Blue food coloring

Preparation

Start by making your fin cookie dough, as it can chill while you bake your cupcakes and make your frosting.

Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla and almond extracts and about half the flour mixture, beating until combined; beat in remaining flour. Form dough into a disc and wrap in plastic; chill for 30-45 minutes.

Make your cupcakes:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.

Place vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

While cupcakes are cooling, bake your fin cookies. Roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thickness and cut into circles using a large, 4-inch round cutter. Cut each circle into fourths, then using a fluted cutter, slice off a small portion of the dough to create your fin shape. Place on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-11 minutes, until edges are just golden. Remove from oven and cool completely before adding to your cupcakes.

While fin cookies are cooling, make your frosting. Beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine. Tint frosting blue; I used both a light blue and dark blue color to swirl together to make my waves. Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe frosting back and forth in a zigzag on each cupcake, then top with a fin cookie. I’m waiting to put all my fins on until just before I serve these, so the cookies don’t get soggy, which can happen because of the buttercream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Vanilla Caramel Cupcakes

vanillacaramelcupcakesLast week’s chocolate caramel cupcakes were delicious, so a vanilla version seemed like a good idea too. Naturally, it was. The cupcake recipe is one I’ve used before, modified from the original marble cupcake recipe I found at Sally’s Baking Addiction to omit the chocolate batter and just go with vanilla.

I wasn’t sure what to top them with; I thought about Kraft caramel squares, but that seemed too vanilla. Then I considered Rolos for the chocolate element, but then mini Heath bars came to mind and that seemed like the best idea. Toffee is actually a cousin of caramel, cooked longer so it’s a hard, brittle treat, so it sort of made sense to me for these cupcakes. In any case, the end result is very tasty.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For the frosting and decoration

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • About 1/3 cup caramel sauce*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 18 Heath bar miniatures  (I found mine at Target)

*I used Smucker’s Salted Caramel Ice Cream topping to save time but you can also make your own caramel sauce. Homemade caramel sauce is absolutely delicious.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 18 cupcakes. Fun fact: if you place the cupcake liners in the wells on the outside of each tin, your cupcakes can rise higher. Science, man.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add caramel sauce and vanilla and beat to combine completely. Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Top with a mini Heath bar; store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

chocolatecaramelcupcakesThis weekend I’m off to State College to see one of my oldest (meaning I have known her for 21 years, not that she herself is old) and dearest friends, Carrie. We met back in 2003 at the National Building Museum in DC and bonded over being from Pennsylvania; she is an Erie native now living in Happy Valley, despite not being a football fan. These treats are for her and her family; she too is a baker, as are her boys.

Rain is expected in State College this weekend, so our plans are TBD. But one thing I’d like to do is visit the Penn State Creamery, as I’ve never had their ice cream before. I’ve never made my own ice cream either, but you never know when that might enter the repertoire.  For now, I’ll stick to my oven.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water

For the frosting and decoration

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • About 1/3 cup caramel sauce*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 14 Dove Milk Chocolate Promises candies

*I used Smucker’s Salted Caramel Ice Cream topping to save time but you can also make your own caramel sauce. Homemade caramel sauce is absolutely delicious. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; this recipe makes 14 cupcakes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well-blended, then make three wells for the wet ingredients.

Place vinegar, vanilla, and vegetable oil into the wells; add water and mix until the batter is smooth. The mixture will bubble up slightly when you add the water, so just keep mixing until you get a smooth consistency in the batter, which will be fairly thin.

Using a 1/4 cup measure, fill cupcake wells about half full. Bake for 15-19 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add caramel sauce and vanilla and beat to combine completely. Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cupcake. Top with a Dove chocolate; store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

chocolatechipcookiedoughcupcakesWho invented the cookie dough cupcake? I have no idea…but they’re delicious. I draw the line at making frosting with flour in it, though. I know you can heat-treat it in the oven and everything, but for me, a chocolate chip buttercream – like this one, from Boston Girl Bakes – is totally fine. I adapted her cupcake recipe to not include the edible cookie dough, but I added chocolate chips to the frosting, so technically these are just a chocolate chip cupcake with chocolate chip frosting. They’re still delicious.

One thing to note – I over-baked my cupcakes by a few minutes, so if I make these again I’ll dial it back to the timing below.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 egg white, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks, 20 tablespoons) butter
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my recipe yielded 16 cupcakes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together butter and sugar, then whisk in eggs and egg white. Stir in milk and vanilla.

In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir in chocolate chips. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine completely.

Divide batter between the cupcake wells, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and remove cupcakes from the tins; cool completely on a wire rack.

To make frosting, beat brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed to completely combine.  Beat in heavy cream, vanilla, and salt, then stir in chocolate chips.

Frost cupcakes using an offset spatula. Store at room temperature.

White Christmas Cupcakes

whitechristmascupcakesSo, I planned to bake sugar plum cupcakes today using a vanilla nutmeg cupcake and buttercream with sugar plum jam. My jam was more like preserves, though – complete with chunks of plum. Who wants that in a frosting? Not me…hence the pivot to what I’m calling White Christmas cupcakes. Add some snowflake-themed sprinkles, and we’re in business.

The cupcake in this recipe is one I’ve used before, but this time I added nutmeg to the batter for a little bit of spice. It turned out really well, and the vanilla buttercream is all it needed. 

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

For the frosting

  • 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon milk 
  • Snowflake sprinkles 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 18 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla bean paste. Stir in flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make buttercream, place butter in a mixing bowl and beat for a few minutes using the paddle attachment. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add vanilla extract and milk, then beat to combine.

Fit a large piping bag with a large open star tip (I use the Wilton 1M) pipe swirls of frosting onto cupcakes; top with sprinkles if desired. 

 

Peppermint Cupcakes

peppermintcupcakesChristmas baking is underway, and in the last 72 hours, I’ve baked 11 things. Today’s efforts included these peppermint cupcakes, based on a recipe I’ve used before, but a decoration idea I saw a few weeks back while searching for fun Christmas cupcakes.

Two-toned frosting isn’t difficult, despite how it looks. All you need are two colors, some plastic wrap, and an enormous piping bag. I piped blobs straight into my cupcakes, then pressed them into sanding sugar to flatten them out and make them look like the peppermints that inspired these treats.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the frosting

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon milk
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, to taste
  • Red food coloring
  • Sanding sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners; my recipe made 13 cupcakes.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together, then add water, oil, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth; it will be thin.

Using a two-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake tin, filling wells about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from cupcake tin and allow to cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To make frosting, beat butter on low speed for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated into the butter; this takes a few minutes. Add milk and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add additional peppermint extract to taste; my frosting used just under 1/4 teaspoon.

Divide frosting in half; tint one half red. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and pipe (or just spoon) red and white frosting in alternating lines down the plastic wrap; roll it up into a log, snip off the end, and place in a large (I used an 18-inch) piping bag fitted with a large plain tip.

Pipe blobs of frosting onto each cupcake; place sanding sugar in a shallow bowl and press each cupcake into the sugar to flatten your frosting.