Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Gender Reveal Cupcakes

• • 24 cupcakes, any flavor

  • freshly whipped cream, tinted pink or blue (recipe below)

  • chocolate ganache (recipe below)

  • icing for piping, tinted pink, blue and white (recipe below)

Step 1:

Bake and cool the cupcakes. Take a cupcake corer and scoop out the center of each cupcake. Set cupcakes aside, covered with a clean kitchen towel, so they don't dry out.

Step 2:

Make the whipped cream according to the recipe below. Scoop cream into a piping bag and pipe into the center of each cupcake, smoothing out the top with a knife. Refrigerate while you make the ganache.

Note: Instead of whipped cream, you could also fill the cupcakes with a tinted buttercream or cream cheese buttercream filling.

Step 3:

Make the ganache according to the recipe below. Dip each cupcake into the ganache and lightly shake off the excess. (If you have any extra ganache, you can double dip the cupcakes, or chill the ganache and roll into truffles.) Refrigerate cupcakes to set the ganache while you make the icing.

Step 4:

Make the icing for piping according to the recipe below. Tint icing various colors, scoop into piping bags fitted with small tips and decorate however you like!

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipes and Design by Curly Girl Kitchen

Whipped Cream Filling

• • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

  • pink or blue gel food coloring

With an electric mixer, whip all ingredients on medium speed until firm peaks form; it's necessary to whip it thoroughly (stopping short of making butter, of course) to ensure the cream is stable and won't collapse and get runny. Refrigerate until ready to pipe inside the cupcakes.

Chocolate Ganache

• • 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (such as 60% cacao), finely chopped

  • 5 ounces (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) heavy whipping cream

Tip: Don't make the ganache until you're ready to dip the cupcakes. If you make it ahead of time, it could cool too much and get too thick for dipping.

Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat gently over medium heat, just until it begins to bubble around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 3 minutes.

Stir the cream and chocolate together with a spatula until smooth and shiny. Dip the cupcakes as directed above.

Icing for Piping

• • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 1/4 cup shortening

  • 1 cup powdered sugar

  • 1/2 tablespoon meringue powder (available at craft stores, on the baking aisle)

  • 1/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon clear piping gel (available at craft stores, on the baking aisle)

  • water

With an electric mixer, combine the butter, shortening, powdered sugar, meringue powder, clear vanilla and piping gel in a bowl until combined. Add milk or water, just a few drops at a time, and mix until the icing becomes the right consistency for piping. If it's too dry, it won't flow smoothly out of a small round piping tip, so if you're not sure, test a little first and then add more liquid as needed.

Recipes and Design by Curly Girl Kitchen