Cupcakes and Shoes

If you like discount shoes and delicious homemade cupcakes check out the John Fluevogs stores on both Granville st. and the Gastown location! Cupcakes made by me, in my tiny apartment in my totally ill equipped kitchen! So here are a few notes, tips and thoughts on making cupcakes, both big batches (like yesteday’s 400) or small.

I made recipes that are all on this webiste already, the Red Velvet, Dark Chocolate with Satled Caramel Icing and Vanilla Pound Cake with Vanilla Buttercream.

I also cut dyed some fondant blue and rolled it out and cut out little high heels, but this is a really easy way to make a cupcake, or anything, extra cute with, honestly, little skill. It can be time consuming, but its really not hard!

I buy fondant, because I have made it before, and its less consistant, a totaly nuisanse, and not any better. It is cheaper, but I would rather have a product I know I can depend on.

Knead the fondant! Work it, and then work it some more. This process is going to get you a smoother and easier to work with product.

Always use paste food colourings, you’ll get a nicer color and a better texture with your fondant.

Roll out the dough and start cutting, leaving half the fondant covered so it doesn’t try out. Use a metal cookie cutter because they are stronger, thinner and sharper.

And keep going, and keep going, and keep going!

The most important thing is to be organized. What can you do in advance? Icings, fondant cuttings, even weighing out ingredients, this are things that make your life infinitely easier if your doing large batches. Use recipes that you’ve used before and your comfortable making.

And don’t cut corners. Use real butter, buy good quality vanilla and cocoa powder when ever you can. If you live in Vancouver some tips: I buy my butter at Save on Foods, sometimes its as low as $3.50! I buy my vanilla at Homesense, which is weird I’ll admit, but they often have non perishable food items super discounted, including my favourite brand of vanilla extract.  And I buy my cocoa powder from Dutch Girl Chocolates, just as her for some and she’ll give you a good rate. It’s cheaper then the cheap brands and it’s really really good quality!