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Vanilla Bean & White Chocolate Birdie Cupcakes {and Video Tutorial}

Vanilla Bean Birdie Cupcakes via Sweetapolita Sweet tweet! Another garden-y recipe for you today (and another video tutorial). As I mentioned in my last post, I did a bunch of treats for my father-in-law's wife, Kathy, last weekend in honour of her surprise birthday party. When I was planning what to make, I knew that somewhere, somehow, there had to be a classic and lovely bird-themed confection. (If you knew Kathy, you'd understand.) I opted for these hand-stamped Vanilla Bean White Chocolate Birdie Cupcakes--they're simple, delightful and unique. Thin, sweet fondant medallions atop fluffy vanilla cupcakes and rich vanilla bean white chocolate frosting (and yes, let's eat the topper!). One thing that I love about making these decorations, is that you can create them way in advance, which comes in super handy when you're making a lot of treats, or if you simply like doing things ahead of time (like me). Once made, if you keep the fondant circles in a nice cool, dry place in a single layer (a pizza box works well), there's no limit to how in advance you can whip them up. Then, once ready to use them, simply pop them on a frosted cupcake. Voila! The thing about this hand-stamping technique is that, depending on which stamp and colour you go with, the possibilities are literally endless. You can tailor the theme and create these for pretty much anything or anyone as long as you have some fondant, soft gel paste, a clean (and never used on regular ink) rubber stamp and a small paint brush. A spooky Halloween theme perhaps? A floral wedding theme? A robot party? Anything goes. You might remember my love for using rubber stamps on fondant from these Love Letter & Scripted Heart Cookies, but you'll notice that rather than painting the stamp, I simply used the imprint for a different effect. So once you have the stamps, you can play, play, play! Here is the video tutorial for these stamped fondant medallion toppers:
Simple, right? And honestly, once you get your rhythm you'll find that it's truly a therapeutic experience. If you have cakelets at home, as I do, I find that it can be a really fun little project to work on together. If you give them their own little ball of fondant, rolling pin and cutter, they'll be as happy as larks. Or . . . small navy blue birdies. See? So here's the recipe and instructions for the cupcakes. I hope you have as much fun as I did creating these. ♥

Vanilla Bean White Chocolate Birdie Cupcakes {and Video Tutorial}

Moist, fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with rich & creamy vanilla bean white chocolate frosting and topped with a hand-stamped fondant medallion.

For the stamped fondant medallions

  • ~5 oz (145 g white fondant)
  • AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste (Navy Blue)

For the cupcakes

  • 2-1/2 cups 275 g(10 oz) cake flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon 15 g baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon 5 g salt
  • 1 cup 237 ml whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 large egg whites (60 g, at room temperature)
  • 1 whole egg (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon 5 ml Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon 1.75 ml Pure Almond Extract
  • 1-1/2 cups 300 g granulated sugar
  • 1 stick (115 g(8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature)

For the frosting

  • 1 cup 227 g(8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 6 oz quality (175 g white chocolate)
  • 1/2 vanilla bean (seeded and scraped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon 2.5 mL almond extract
  • Generous pinch of salt
  • 3 cups 375 g(13.5 oz) sifted icing sugar

For the stamped fondant medallions {can make anytime in advance}:

  1. Roll white fondant on cornstarch-dusted (or icing sugar) surface until 1/8" thin, or even thinner and cut as many 2.25" diameter circles as needed (you will want to make a few extra). Let dry overnight.
  2. Apply a thin layer of soft gel paste (I used AmeriColor Navy Blue) onto a new, clean rubber stamp using a small angled paintbrush (that you designate for food use) and gently press down upon fondant circles. Touch up any unstamped spots with your paintbrush. Let dry. {see video tutorial}

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and center the oven rack. Line 2 muffin/cupcake pans with your favourite standard-size cupcake liner, and put the first cupcake pan on a baking sheet. (You will place the second cupcake pan on the same sheet in the oven once the first tray is baked.)
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup.
  3. In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk or paddle attachment (I used the whisk), cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  4. With the mixer still on medium speed, alternate additions of the flour mixture and milk-egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture (3 dry additions, 2 wet), beating after each addition until incorporated. Continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes.
  5. Divide batter evenly among your cupcake liners–about 2/3 full–and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs only, about 16 minutes.
  6. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool on wire racks. Repeat with second tray.

For the frosting:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 3-4 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.
  2. Melt chocolate in microwave in a small heatproof bowl, or over a pot of simmering water on the stovetop, stirring often. Let cool.
  3. Add melted chocolate to butter and beat until incorporated. Add extract, vanilla bean and salt and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Add sifted icing sugar, beating on low speed until just combined, increasing to medium speed until well combined.

Assembly of the Cupcakes

  1. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting atop each cupcake, using pastry tip 1M, or the tip of your choice.
  2. Gently press a fondant medallion upon each cupcake. Best enjoyed same day.
Sweetapolita's Notes: See you soon with a slightly spookier recipe. And for my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving!
Good luck & enjoy!

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