Royal icing on Cupcakes?

happy2beme

Wed, Mar 12 2008, 1:46 pm

I was thinking of puting royal icing on cupcakes & then dipping them in sprinkles.
Would that taste good? Anyone know how the bakeries do it? Do they use royal icing or something else?

thanks

micki

Wed, Mar 12 2008, 5:38 pm

royal icing is used as an accent. it is not spreadable - it is used to make hard flowers or roses etc. it dried hard like a candy.
you will have better luck using buttercream icing.
that remains soft.

happy2beme

Thu, Mar 13 2008, 11:42 am

micki wrote:

What do you mean it's not spreadable? I was making tzitzis cookies & u have to cover the whole cookie in white & it was hard to spread it but I just kept adding water so it was looser... (peppermill said it should run but I didn't find that until I added a ton more water) so I imagined doing that for the cupcakes as well...
YES! I've read about buttercream? Do you have a recipe?
Thanks!

micki

Thu, Mar 13 2008, 12:51 pm

see this cake? the flower sprays are made with royal icing. the whole cake is iced in buttercream.
generally if the cupcake is soft, you ice in a soft icing. cookies are hard so its ok to ice in a hard icing.
imagine thinking you bite into a lucious cupcake and instead you break your teeth on a hard rock.
royal is meant to be stiff to shape into flowers like the one I posted. butter is soft to spread.

a recipe:
* 1 cup solid vegetable shortening

* 1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract
* 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approx. 1 lb.)
* 2 tablespoons milk

In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

sunshine!

Thu, Mar 13 2008, 1:13 pm

there's also a very easy icing for cupcakes, and it's professional looking too. You put 6 oz baking chocolate and 3/4 to 1 cup whipped topping in a pot and cook it together, stirring, until it's smooth and shiny. Let it sit for 5 minutes off the flame. Then just dip your cupcakes into it, and sprinkle a topping (sprinkles, non-pariels, etc.) on top. You can either let them sit until it sets, or refrigerate them to let it harden quicker. The result is a professional neat cupcake with NO Hassle!!!!

happy2beme

Thu, Mar 13 2008, 1:36 pm

thank you so much micki!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now I understand why I can't do the royal icing on the soft cupcakes- im so happy I asked before I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that would've been a total waste!
that cake is a beauty!! those flowers are so cool!
thanks for the recipe. I do the same on birthday cakes (without the 2 T of milk which sounds like a good idea) I didn't know it was called buttercream! embarrassed

it's form my mom & just says frosting for decorating....
justanothermom, that sounds like a gr8 idea & I have an extra bar of choc sitting in my house. I think I'm going to try that next!!! do u have a good cupcake recipe for that? I have a very yellow cake- I don't know if it will go.