Maypole Cupcakes Recipes

MAYPOLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with two racks evenly spaced. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans; line with parchment paper; butter again. Dust bottoms and sides with flour, and tap out excess. Set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt three times. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed to soften. Increase speed to medium, and beat until fluffy and light in color. Keep beating while gradually adding sugar; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
• Gradually drizzle in beaten eggs, beating between additions until the batter is no longer slick, scraping down the sides twice. With the mixer on low, alternate adding reserved flour mixture with milk; starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just incorporated after each addition. Scrape sides of the bowl; mix 10 seconds longer.
• Divide batter evenly between the pans. Bake in lower third of oven until a cake tester inserted into the center of each comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans, remove parchment, and return to the rack to cool, top-sides up.
• To assemble, turn cakes upside down. Using a long serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place a layer on a cake round or cake stand. Spread top of layer with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Stack the second layer over the frosted layer; spread another 1 1/2 cups of frosting over top of this layer; repeat with third layer; cover with top layer. Using a dry pastry brush, gently brush any loose crumbs away from cake. Frost cake thinly to seal in crumbs. Use 3 cups frosting for final coating.
• To decorate, evenly distribute cream-colored sprinkles over the top surface of the cake.Using an 1 1/8-inch gum-paste petal cutter, cut petals out of jellied citrus slices -- you will need 84 petals. Gently press 14 small gumdrops around the perimeter of the cake, spaced evenly apart; arrange 6 jellied petals around each drop to form flowers. Transfer to a large cake stand -- ours measures 19 inches across.
• To make the maypole, you will need a wooden dowel, painted white, and six pieces of 1/8-inch satin ribbon, each three times the length of the dowel. Gather the ribbons together, and pin them through their centers to one end of the dowel. Gently press a Lifesaver over the pinned ribbons, and top with a small gumdrop. Insert the maypole into the center of the cake, and fan the ribbons out around the cake stand, taping in place and letting the ends trail over the table.

MAYPOLE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 6-cup jumbo (1 3/4-inch deep, 4-inch diameter) cupcake pans with baking cups, and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer set on medium, add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, add one-third of the reserved flour mixture, and mix until combined. Add 1 cup buttermilk, and mix until combined. Add another third of flour mixture, then the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk. Add the last third of flour, and mix until smooth.
• Divide batter among cups, and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack to cool. Remove cupcakes from tins.
• To decorate, frost each cupcake with 3 tablespoons Seven-Minute Frosting. Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl. Fill a small, shallow bowl with cream-colored sprinkles and another with green sprinkles Gently press each frosted cupcake into the sprinkles, rollingthe cake around so the entire surface is coated. Alternate colors so that you have 6 green and 6 cream-colored cupcakes.
• For flowers, use a 2 to 2 1/2-inch gum-paste petal cutter to cut petals from the jellied citrus and grapefruit slices -- you will need 72 petals. Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut off the lower one-third of 12 large gumdrops, and discard. Gently press a gumdrop into the center of each cupcake, and arrange 6 jellied petals around each gumdrop to form a flower. Place the cupcakes around the larger cake on the cake stand.

MAPLE SYRUP CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the over to 180C/gas 4
• Beat the butter with a wooden spoon in a large bowl until soft and pale. Gradually add the caster sugar and brown sugar until fully combined.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar. Add 2 of the 4 tbsps of maple syrup to the mixture (the rest will be drizzled into the cakes once they are baked). Mix well.
• Stir in the flour in 2 or 3 batches adding a spoon of milk alternately until combined. Tap the edge of the bowl to get any excess flour into the mixture. You are looking for a smooth consistency.
• Place 12 cupcake cases into a cupcake tin. Divide the mixture generously between the 12 cases being careful not to overfill. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes - have a quick check after 16 to ensure they are baking evenly. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Prick the cupcake tops a few times with a fork and drizzle the remaining 2 tbsps of maple syrup on top of them. Leave to cool ready to ice later.
• While the cupcakes cool - soften the butter with a metal fork until smooth. Slowly add in the icing sugar (don't forget to sieve it first so you don't get lumpy icing!) Taste as you go to find the sweetness you like.
• Add a couple of spoons of maple syrup (- this will make the mixture look horrible until it is completely combined!) Then add more icing sugar until you get a workable consistency. Spread across the tops of the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with pecan pieces. Yum!

YUMMY MAPLE BACON CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill 48 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
• Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add to the sugar mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with buttermilk. Mix well after each addition. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 21 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting, at least 20 minutes.
• Beat butter and shortening together until fluffy to start the frosting. Beat in maple syrup and salt. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle bacon crumbles and raw sugar on top.

HUMMINGBIRD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
• Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add sugar, and cream together until well combined, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating slowly after each addition. Add banana and honey and mix on low until well combined. Add pineapple; mix on low until combined. Add 1/2 cup pecans; mix on low until well combined.
• With the mixer on low, slowly add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the hot water. Repeat process twice, alternating flour mixture and hot water, and ending with hot water. Mix until just combined.
• Fill each muffin cup two-thirds full with batter. Transfer to oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 24 to 26 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cupcakes cool completely.
• Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large 5/8-inch round tip (such as Ateco #808). Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and set aside.
• Meanwhile, press your thumb into the center of the fondant to make a well. Place a small amount of food coloring in the well and knead fondant until color is well blended. Continue to add more food coloring to fondant until desired color is achieved. Roll out into a 1/16-inch-thick sheet. Cut out 12 hummingbirds using a small bird-shaped cutter; sprinkle with luster dust, if using.
• Sprinkle cupcakes with remaining 1/2 cup pecans and top each with a fondant bird shape; serve.

MAY DAY OR BELTANE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Just bake your favorite cupcake and use your favorite frosting. I made the MayPoles using Pirouette cookies and ribbon. I attached the ribbon underneath the top of the MayPole using a dab of left over Royal Icing but you could use Karo Syrup. The top of the MayPole is a flavored tootsie roll, but you could just as easily use a piece of fondant or spiced gum drop.