How to Decorate Big Top Cupcakes

Cupcakes, especially very big ones, can be decorated in a variety of ways.

In many areas across the globe, the cupcake industry is booming. People are coming up with new ways to bake, style and promote cupcakes. One unique cupcake product on the market is the do-it yourself Big Top Cupcake kit. Big Top cupcakes are up to 25 times larger than the size of a normal cupcake. With such a large size, decorating these cupcakes requires special consideration.

Things You'll Need

• Frosting
• Baking spatula
• Candy
• Sprinkles
• Piping bag and tips

Instructions

1. Frost your cupcake. Because Big Top cupcakes are made with standard cake batter, you can purchase store-bought icing. Two containers might be required if you choose to ice the sides of your cupcake as well. Let your cupcake cool for at least 30-45 minutes. Brush crumbs away. Apply a generous amount of the frosting of your choice using a baking spatula. Make sure the icing isn't too soft and slides off the sides of your cupcake. Add confectioner's sugar if needed to stiffen it up.

2. Pipe on your icing. You can also create more intricate designs using a piping bag with star tips. Fill your bag with icing. Keep your hand steady and create the design of your choice. You might choose to start at the rim of the cake and spiral inward until you reach the center. Remember Big Top cupcakes are close to the size of a small cake, so it may require you to fill your piping bag multiple times. It may help to draw it out or write out what you want to say before applying icing. Choose designs that are appropriate for your occasion. You might choose to write out "Happy Birthday" for a party or draw a sunflower for a summertime barbecue. Lay out your design so that it does not look distorted on the cupcake's rounded top.

3. Accessorize your cupcake. There are many ways to add accompaniments to your cupcake. Rainbow sprinkles on white frosting can provide a colorful flair. Candy corn on Halloween or jelly beans on Easter can prove to be a festive addition to your Big Top cupcake. There are also numerous cake-toppers available in different shapes and sizes that can be used to decorate your cupcake. As long as its decorated with love -- there really is no bad way to decorate a cupcake. Big Top cupcakes are large enough to make it a family project, where kids and grown-ups can apply what they like.

References

• The New York Times: Yes, We Speak Cupcake
• The New York Times: The Latest Entrepreneurial Fantasy Is Selling Cupcakes

Resources

• Big Top Cupcake