Spiderweb Cupcakes

Hey mamas! A new Tuesday brings a new blog-of-the-week, and I hope you find this week’s blog to be as delicious as I do. 

When I read her blog, it’s a bit like watching American Idol and being tone-deaf, or Dancing With The Stars and having two left feet. I just gawk in amazement… I wish I had Christina’s skills!!  She inspires me when she says it wasn’t always this way, though – so stay tuned, because I think I will actually try this awesome recipe and tutorial. 

• Cupcakes
• Black Candy Melts
• Spider Sprinkles
• Black Sugar Sprinkles
• Icing
• Orange Gel Coloring
• waxed paper
• piping bag tip 4
• (optional) tip 1M

Step 1: Bake your favorite cupcakes!

I used a recipe that I like quite a lot Buddy Valastro’s Vanilla Cake- from the Rachel Ray Show Website. This time, I did make them a little bit different in substituting out half the butter for unsweetened applesauce. It does make the cake a slight different texture, but still taste great. You can also just take a box mix, add 1 cup water and 1 cup unsweetened applesauce as a healthier alternative, no eggs or oil, again a little different texture and slightly denser, but healthier. -or- Just bake up whatever cupcakes you would like, after all they are your cupcakes!

While cupcakes are baking, on waxed paper covered board pipe out your spiderwebs with black Candy Melts, I used Wilton Candy Melts. Microwave about 1 cup of melts in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute on 50%, stirring halfway, I added about 1/4 tsp of shortening to the melts to make them easier to pipe. After candy is melted, pour into piping bag with size 4 tip, or just use a zipper bag and snip a tiny corner off to pipe for no clean up. However, I like the control of having a tip on a piping bag. Be sure not to make the spiderwebs too thin or they will break easily when removing from waxed paper.

I made Buttercream, using margarine instead of butter, but feel free to use your favorite icing recipe, or just use store bought icing! Color your icing whatever color makes you happy! Place icing in piping bag fitted with 1M swirling tip. I find it easier to put the bag in a cup to fill it.

Starting from outside and working your way to the center, swirl the icing onto the cupcake.