My Piping Lessons - SMB with Cupcakes

Decided to make cupcakes with buttercream for my relatives who are coming over tomorrow and also take the chance to practise the piping. I have bookmarked this Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes very long but never go and make it happen.

Am rather glad that I baked them today cos I, myself who dont enjoyed the bakes also have 1. LOL!! And with a creative idea from a friend in MFWL, I popped 3 different surprise in the cupcakes. I used Andes Chocolate Mint, Cadbury Cookies n Cream Milk Bar and KitKat.

With KitKat

With Andes Mint

I loved the Andes Chocolate Mint the most cos I also topped with the Peppermint Buttercream. The rest I topped with Vanilla Buttercream and did a little bit of deco to differentiate them. Now I am contemplating to make some more chocolate flavours tomorrow if I have the time.

And yes, I did 1 with Princess Icing cos my gal walked passed Polar Cakes this morning and requested to have 1 of the icing image cake and there, I promised to make for her at home. So here it is.

I also baked a Chocolate Hokkaido Chiffon, using back the previous recipe and topped it with balance Peppermint Buttercream and did a simple deco with Andes Choc Mint. I think I really have not much flare with cake deco. I really s*ucks at them le. I seriously need to go for classes!! Now I am so worried about my boy's upcoming birthday in November.



Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Cupcakes (adapted from Bossacafez) *i halve the recipe
Makes 24 bite-sized Cupcakes
1/2 +  1/4cups self-rising flour
1/2 + 1/8cup plain flour *I used Cake Flour
110g butter, softened at room temp
3/4 cups sugar (i substituted half of it with vanilla sugar)
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1) Cream butter til smooth and creamy
2) Add sugar, then egg 1 by 1.
3) Sift flour and add in 3 addition, alternating with milk and vanilla essence in 2 additions
4) Mix well, dont over-mix
5) Fill cupcake 3/4 full and bake at 170deg for 20-25mins
*I bake at 190deg for 20mins, maybe my oven is 'colder'*

Swiss Meringue Buttercream (adapted from Dequeen) *i halve the recipe
Can pipe 24 bite-sized Cupcakes
2 Whites
70g Sugar
135g Butter

1) Boil a pot of water, double-boil egg whites with sugar without touching the boiling water
2) Continue to whisk, about 3-5mins, until the mixture is no more grainy
3) Remove and whisk to stiff peaks
4) Add in butter bit by bit
5) When buttercream is thick and fluffy, you may add in essence or colourings

**I added 1 tsp vanilla essence + 1 drop of pink colouring to buttercream for vanilla flavour
**I added 1 tsp peppermint essence + 1 drop of green colouring to buttercream for peppermint flavour