Cupcakes are SO IN right now. You get all the taste of cake without committing to a whole cake.

Cupcake shops are popping up in every town!  But at up to $4 a pop, the cost can really add up! Why pay that when you can make designer cupcakes at home? Today, cookbook author Jennifer Low shows us how to make perfect cupcakes that rival the most stylish of bakeries!

Watch Episode 136 now for all Jennifer's tips

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

Ingredients
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature, if possible)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (room temperature, if possible)

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer (handheld is fine), beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time, until batter is pale and light. Beat in vanilla.
• Beat in one-third of flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk, second third of flour mixture, rest of buttermilk, finishing with rest of flour mixture. Batter should be light and creamy.
• Line 18 cupcake tins with paper liners. Fill with batter.
• Bake on middle rack of oven for about 30 minutes, or until tops are golden and spring back when gently pressed. Cool to room temperature before frosting.

Makes 18 Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes.




Whipped Cream Frosting

Ingredients
1/2 cup 35% whipping cream
1 can (340 g) white frosting
Food colouring  (Optional)

Method

• Beat whipping cream to soft peaks.
• Scrape frosting out of can into large bowl.
• Fold in whipped cream until uniform and light.
• Fold in colouring, if using.

Makes 2 1/2 cups Whipped Cream Frosting (frosts about 30 cupcakes).





Painted Chocolate Designs

Ingredient
3 squares white chocolate

Method

• To prepare designs, draw small simple shapes such as flowers, letters, birds, leaves, etc. onto a piece of paper.
• Tape paper to a cookie sheet.
• Tape a piece of wax paper over the paper sheet (the drawings will be visible through the wax paper).
• Use a small clean paint brush to paint melted chocolate into the shapes, filling them in.
• Chill in fridge briefly to solidify.
• Remove shapes from sheet using a butter knife or small offset spatula.
• Place on frosted cupcakes to decorate.
  
  

Jennifer Low's Marshmallow Gardenias

Ingredients
1 bag standard-size marshmallows
Your choice of candies for flower centres

Method

• Hold marshmallow on its "side" (with flat ends up and down).
• Dip blade tips of kitchen scissors into cold water, snip 5 evenly spaced cuts into the marshmallow.
• Cut as far into the marshmallow as you can, but being careful not to cut off the piece (the cut marshmallow remains intact along one side).
• After making the cuts, twist open the marshmallow, fanning out the "petals".
• Overlap and press together the end petals (their sticky cut sides will hold them together).
• Place on top of cupcakes. Place candies in centre of marshmallow gardenias.

Steven Sabados and Jennifer Low on-set.