Quick and Easy Cupcakes

I absolutely love baking! It is one of my big passions. I love throwing parties and when I do, I usually make cupcakes and I always design some sort of cupcake topper and wrapper to decorate my cupcakes with. It adds so much to the dessert table! In this post, I will share with you my tips and recipe for quick and easy cupcakes!

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Supplies I Used:

Tip 1

If I’m wanting to make quick cupcakes and I don’t have much time, I will just buy a cake box mix (any brand) and quickly bake up a dozen cupcakes. Most box cake mixes will make 24 cupcakes, which normally is plenty for a birthday party or a small gathering.

In order to save time on the day of the event, I always bake my cupcakes a day ahead. I normally have so much to do the day of the party so I do need to prioritize what I need to prepare for the party. I bake the cupcakes as directed and normally I buy cute cupcake liners that match the party decor to bake the cupcakes in.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool. This is absolutely a necessary step and if you are crunched for time, you can always put in them in the fridge to cool. If I do them the week before, I will freeze them and take them out the day before to be ready for icing.

Tip 2

I suggest that you make your icing while the cupcakes are cooling in the fridge. I suggest you organize all your supplies and have them out and ready for decorating the cupcakes. The tip I normally use a classic Wilton 1M piping tip for my cupcakes.

Tip 3 for Quick and Easy Cupcakes

I’d like to share the recipe I use for a quick, easy icing for my cupcakes. I learned this recipe while taking a Wilton Cake Decorating class and it has become my go-to recipe:

-1 pound of pure can confectioners sugar (4 cups)

-7-8 teaspoons of water

-1 tsp of Wilton flavor (in lieu of vanilla; vanilla is brown colored and this can discolor your icing)

-1 cup of solid white vegetable shortening

-1 tbsp Meringue Powder (using this instead of egg whites will keep your icing for up to 2 weeks fresh)

-pinch of salt is optional

Tip 4

I suggest using a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. It is just easier, but you could always use one of those hand mixers if you don’t have a stand mixer.

Tip 5

Cream shortening, powder, flavor, water. Add one cup of sugar at a time and mix slowly as to not fling all the sugar out of the bowl.

Keep adding the icing sugar one cup at a time. Mix on medium speed to be sure all sugar and ingredients are incorporated. Blend until creamy. This consistency will give you stiff icing. I usually add a few more tsp to this recipe to make it more like a medium consistency to be able to pipe onto cupcakes. I don’t want it too stiff but not too loose either. If you are wanting to add color, you can do so at this stage. I usually take a toothpick and dip it in color and add very little coloring to start to gauge your color.

Tip 6

This is a great tip so that the icing does not spill all over the bag. I usually take my icing and put it in a Wilton bag with the tip on the bag and I put it in a glass to hold up the bag. I fill it almost to the top.

Tip 6 for Quick and Easy Cupcakes

Take the cupcakes out of the fridge and you are ready to decorate!

This is the technique I use to get the rose effect on my cupcakes. I start with the tip in the middle of the cupcake and then gently swirl my tip around.