Cupcake Bouquet for Mother's Day! - Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking Ep 12

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I made this episode for Mother's Day but it works great for weddings and special events!

This week I'm teaming up with other great YouTube food channels to bring you the best Mother's Day brunch recipes. Please watch all of their great videos in the Playlist, and enjoy my contribution of a BIG & BOLD Cupcake Flower Bouquet. Full recipe is listed further below. Enjoy!

MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH COLLABORATION
Watch this playlist and enjoy other great brunch recipes from my Kin Community friends.

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FULL RECIPE BELOW
Gemma's Cupcake Bouquet

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
3 Cup and 2/3 all - purpose flour (or cake flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 Cup granulated sugar
1/2 Cup light brown sugar
1 Cup unsalted butter, melted
2 Large egg
2 Cup Buttermilk
2 Tbsp vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
http://bit.ly/OGEW0x (watch video for method)
1-1/2 cups Butter, at room temperature
3 cups Icing sugar, sifted
3 tbsp Milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
pinch of Salt

EQUIPMENT
Toothpicks
Cupcake wrappers (green preferably)
1M Wilton piping tip ($2) Sur La Table sell individual tips
Green 6" styrofoam ball ($5.99) and my flower vase 4.75" ($5.99) . I went to Michaels.
Piping bag (Michaels, Sur la table, William Sonoma)
Some decorative leaves and flowers to fill the gaps

METHOD
For the Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line your cupcake tin with enough for 16-18 cupcakes
2. In a medium bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, both sugars and salt.
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave and set aside.
4. In a jug, whisk in the wet ingredients (minus the butter), the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract, until combined.
5. Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Towards the end of mixing add in the melted butter. The batter will be thick. Do not beat or over mix as this will toughen your cake.
6. Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake wrappers until ¾ way full.
7. Bake for 20-25 or until golden brown. Cupcakes can be made in advance up to 2 days.

To make the Buttercream frosting:
1. Using an electric mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment. (or use a hand beater)
2. On Medium speed beat the butter for about 8-10 minutes on its own. This makes a huge difference in the end so be patient and you will be rewarded with amazing frosting.
3. When pale in color, add powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful on Low speed. This helps make a fluffy frosting too. Keep out at room temperature to make it easy to pipe.
4. Frosting can be made in advance and then take it out and sit at room temp until soft.

To Assemble:

1. Place the ball in the vase and push down to secure.
2. On the very top, use 2 toothpicks to secure 1 cupcakes in place
3. Then start adding the cupcakes around the bottom of the ball where it meets the vase. You do this because it balances the ball so it doesn't topple over while building
4. Place them as close together as possible so you can't see the ball
5. Continue adding the cupcakes around until the surface of the ball is totally covered
6. To make cupcakes into Roses: (Practice with a cupcake off the ball first)
7. Fit your piping bag with the 1M Wilton nozzle/tip and fill ¾ way with frosting
8. Pipe straight down (creating a star) in the center of the cupcakes.
9. Quickly, using pressure continue piping around the center creating the rose petals
10. Continue around the cupcake until the cupcake surface is covered. To finish, just release pressure from the piping bag and trail off. Any frosting sticking off just push in with your finger.
11. Pipe the cupcakes around the bottom last as they might slide off.
12. Fill in the gaps between the cupcakes with any flowers, leaves or babies breath.
13. Refrigerate until needed.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL ROSE BOUQUET:
1. Pipe your roses quickly
2. Apply pressure when piping
3. Use room temperature frosting bake the cupcakes the day before
4. Make the frosting the day before, too
5. Store the bouquet in the fridge until needed.
6. Tell guests about the toothpicks :)
7. Make a smaller bouquet if you wish and put them in a pretty bag with paper
8. Pipe the roses on the day, if you mess up DONT WORRY just scrape it off and pipe again, no big deal. Stay calm and and keep piping :)