Frosted Cupcake Tops

View Instructions

Makes:

2½ dozen cupcake tops

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Bake/Cook Time:

12-15 minutes

Category:

Cake

Introduction

About this Recipe

Recipe from Bake with Anna Olson
by Random House, 2016

Cupcake tops are for frosting lovers. They are essentially cake cookies that are scooped onto a baking tray and baked. You get the same surface area for decorating as a regular cupcake but with less cake to manage and eat.

NOTES:
For lemon cupcake tops, add the finely grated zest of one lemon to the flour mixture after sifting and replace the milk with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) fresh lemon juice.

Unfrosted, the cupcake tops can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day, or frozen for up to 3 months. Frosted cupcake tops will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days, but freezing is not recommended.

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups (225 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (65 g) cocoa powder
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in pieces
½ cup (125 mL) full-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp (30 mL) 1% or 2% milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 double recipe Vanilla Cupcake Frosting

Vanilla Cupcakes:

2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine salt
½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut in pieces
½ cup (125 mL) full-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp (30 mL) 1% or 2% milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 double recipe Chocolate or Vanilla Cupcake Frosting

Chocolate Frosting

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3½ cups (455 g) icing sugar
½ cup (60 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
¼ tsp fine salt
3 Tbsp (45 mL) 2% milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Vanilla Frosting

1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups (520 g) icing sugar
¼ tsp fine salt
2 Tbsp (30 mL) 2% milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

NOTES:
For a vegan frosting, replace the butter with a good-quality dairy-free butter (omit the salt in the recipe if using salted dairy-free butter). Avoid dairy-free margarines, which can cause the frosting to split or become grainy. You can also use 1 cup (225 g) virgin coconut oil, but melt ¼ cup (60 g) of it and beat it with ¾ cup (175 g) solid coconut oil as you begin to add the icing sugar. Use oat milk or almond milk in place of the 2% milk and check that your icing sugar is vegan certified.

Frosting
Double or triple the Vanilla Cupcake Frosting recipe if you plan to create batches of coloured frosting.

Separate the frosting into as many bowls as you want colours or shades. Use a toothpick to add a touch of food colouring paste and stir well before adding more.

Hold off on adding more colour for a few minutes if you think it’s too light at first. The colour intensifies as the frosting sits. Keep the frostings from drying out by placing a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the frosting, not just covering the bowl.

Piping
For simple décor, use an ice cream scoop to drop a dollop of frosting on your cupcake. A palate knife is best for spreading and coaxing swirls and swishes.

For the classic piped look, use a large plain or star tip and pipe in a circle starting at the centre and spiralling upward.

For flowers or other designs in an assortment of colours, place a coupler at the tip of each piping bag. This two-piece tool secures your piping tips in place and lets you change them without emptying the piping bags. This way you can move a tip from colour to colour easily.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.

Step 2

Sift the flour, cocoa powder (for the chocolate cupcakes), sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and, using electric beaters or the mixer at medium-low speed, cut in the butter until the mixture has a fine crumbly texture and no pieces of butter are visible.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream, milk, eggs and vanilla together. Add these wet ingredients all at once to the larger bowl and mix at low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 90 seconds, until the batter becomes lighter in colour and has structure.

Step 4

Use a medium ice cream scoop to drop scoopfuls of batter onto the trays, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) between them. Level each scoopful before dropping it on the tray, and drop them straight down (not at an angle) so they bake up evenly. Bake the cupcake tops for 12 to 15 minutes, until they lift up easily from the tray and colour on the bottom a little.

Step 5

Let the cupcake tops cool on the trays before frosting.

Frosting Instructions

Step 1

For Vanilla Frosting, using electric beaters or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add half of the icing sugar and beat, starting at low speed and then increasing to high, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice. Add the remaining icing sugar and salt, and beat again at low speed and then increase to high, scraping the bowl once or twice. Add the milk and vanilla and beat at low speed and then increase to high. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes until fluffy and light and to build structure so your frosting will hold its shape.