GIANT CUPCAKE

Alison's 1st birthday arrived and I skipped the fondant cake idea. Not for lack of trying. I just didn't have enough red food gel to dye the fondant cherry red, to go with Alison's red dress, the red balloons, the red vases, the red candles, the red ribbon around the candle holders, the red ladybug stuffed animals, and well you get the idea.

Heaven forbid I should serve a pink cake with all that red! Instead, I opted for serving the red velvet cake I originally bought to decorate in fondant as is, with the simple white cheesecake frosting. Which of course coordinated with everything else. And for Alison, she got a giant cupcake for her smash cake. A smash cake that didn't get smashed so much because all she did was pick at it. Oh well, we tried.

Giant Cupcake

2 boxes cake mix

Vegetable oil

Eggs

Pam spray

1 can frosting

Preheat oven according to cake directions.  Coat molds with Pam spray. 

Fill cupcake base mold 1/2" from the top and bake for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes remove from oven and fill cupcake top mold 1/2" from the top.  Finish baking for 60 minutes. 

Cool for at least 15 minutes before removing cupcake halves.  Cool for at least 2 hours before assembling.

Chocolate Cupcake Shell

1 bag candy melts

Pam spray

Coat cupcake bottom mold with Pam spray. 

Follow directions on candy melts bag to melt. 

Coat cupcake bottom mold with melted candy melts.  Use a spatula to spread evenly, pushing it into grooves.   

Cool in refrigerator or freezer for about 20 minutes.  Remove from mold when set up.  Use a knife to clean up the edges if needed.

To assemble, place cupcake top back into the mold and level with a knife.  Place cupcake bottom into candy melt shell and push it into the shell snug.  Level the bottom against the shell. 

Ice the cupcake top, following the Instant Fondant Icing Recipe. 

Instant Fondant Icing

1lb dry fondant mix

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup butter, softened

Combine ingredients in saucepan and stir thoroughly, until fondant is dissolved and mixture is smooth.  Stir constantly over low heat.

Place upside down bowl on large plate.  Place cupcake top on upside down bowl.  Pour fondant icing over it from the tip of the cupcake, letting is coat the entire top, with excess dropping onto the plate. 

Immediately sprinkle any toppings on the fondant icing while it's wet. Once fondant icing starts to set, it won't hold any sprinkles to it.    

Let fondant icing fully set up before placing on the cupcake bottom.  To place halves together, coat cupcake bottom piece with 1/4 cup canned frosting on the cut side.  Place cupcake top onto the bottom. 

Note:  If fondant icing needs to be touched up, use a hot spatula or spoon to melt fondant and reshape.  Dry fondant mix can be found at cake decorating shops like, The Decorette.