Ingredients Cupcake Ingredients Favorite Cupcake Recipe or Mix Buttercream Frosting Ingredients 1/2 cup Solid Vegetable Shortening 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter (1 stick, softened) 4 cups Powdered Sugar ((confectioners' sugar) sifted) 2 tablespoons Milk, Heavy Cream or Water 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (pure or imitation) Pinch of Salt (optional) Decorating Ingredients Christmas Red Icing Color Christmas Red Icing Color Red-Red Icing Color Red-Red Icing Color Black Icing Color Black Icing Color Orange Icing Color Orange Icing Color Cornstarch Tools 12-Cup Standard Muffin Pan Black Cupcake Liners 12-Inch Disposable Decorating Bags 12-Inch Disposable Decorating Bags Large Round Tip 2A Large Round Tip 2A 9-Inch Straight Spatula 9-Inch Straight Spatula Round Cake Decorating Tip 3 Round Cake Decorating Tip 3 Round Cake Decorating Tip 4 Round Cake Decorating Tip 4 Leaf Cake Decorating Tip 352 Leaf Cake Decorating Tip 352 Large Bowl Instructions Click to mark complete - Make Cupcakes - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake batter following recipe instructions. Bake cupcakes then cool cupcakes on a cooling rack. - Make Buttercream Frosting - In a large bowl, cream the butter and shortening. Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy for about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and scrape down the bowl occasionally. - Gradually add one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Start by mixing each cup on a low speed then beating well on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each cup of sugar is added. When all the sugar has been mixed in, the frosting will appear dry and stiff. - Gradually add milk or water, adding small amounts at a time until the desired consistency is reached. Continue to beat at a medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once more and beat again to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated. Add a pinch of salt. - Ice Cupcakes - Use spatula to ice cupcakes smooth using white buttercream. - Tint Frosting - Red: Tint 1/2 cup frosting dark red (combine Red-Red and Christmas Red icing colors)Orange: Tint 1/4 cup frosting orange Black: Tint 1 cup frosting black - Pipe Heart - Prepare a bag with tip 3 and dark red frosting. - Pipe the top half of the heart outline onto the white frosting and the bottom half onto the cupcake liner. Use the zig zag technique to fill in the heart. Pat smooth with finger dipped in cornstarch. - Pipe head and body - Prepare a bag with tip 4 and black frosting. - Pipe a heart outline starting at the middle section of the red heart outline. Leave white space between both hearts. Pipe around the cupcake for the penguin body. Smooth out with spatula. - Pipe penguin face - Using the black frosting pipe eyes. - Prepare a decorating bag with tip 352 and orange frosting. Using orange frosting to pipe a beak. Use fingers dusted with cornstarch to shape beak.
