Anyway... I've been wanting to make hi-hat cupcakes for a long time. Traditionally, the hi-hat cupcake is iced with a stiff meringue and then dipped in chocolate. The finished product looks like a DQ dipped cone. Done well and cut open, they look like this one from Melanger.
Though I could have gone traditional, I'm sure you know by now that I didn't. Since these cupcakes are in honor of Evan's bright shiny future at Virginia Tech, I decided to go all out.
I dipped the cupcakes (or their icing, rather) in orange candy melts...
spent some quality time dying some of my red fondant burgundy...
and the Hokie Hi-Hat cupcake was born.
And now for the dissection.
This cupcake is an interesting one. Alton's carrot cake actually did work and I'm pleased with the result. I don't like my carrot cakes too chunky. I get distracted and a little bit upset when there are too many things happening. This carrot cake is just how I like them - carroty and very very lightly spiced. I give it a B+. The icing, like I said before, is perfect. See the previous post for recipe link.
Now... I must admit that though really adorable, the candy melt coating might be a smidge too thick for hi-hatting. When I bit into the cupcake the candy broke in a couple of places and as I continued to take bites of the cupcake, the icing started to squeeze out from under the candy coating. That's awkward. And a little bit messy. I don't think these will make it upstairs to the English department.
So, will I be hi-hatting again? Absolutely! Will I use candy melts? Umm... probably. :) The colors are just too hard to resist. I'm thinking mini cupcakes would be perfect for candy melt hi-hats. I could pile the icing up tall, cover it in a variety of fun colors and they'd still only be a couple (or if you're like me, a few) bites each. For the big guys, I should probably stick to chocolate hi-hats until I figure out how to thin the candy melts a bit.
In theory, the cupcakes are perfect. In practice, not quite so. Here's hoping Evan's time at Virginia Tech is great in both theory and practice! Go congratulate him on his new Ph.D. program home at FatallyAmbiguous.
16 comments:
Wow. Double links. I'm honored.
I would agree that the candy melts are a little too thick (and sweet). Chocolate sounds perfect.
Oh my gosh! So cute! If you add a little oil to the candy melts, I believe that will thin it out. That's what I did with the venetians I made, on a tip from my friend Theresa's italian mom. Alternatively, you could get bakers white chocolate, which is made for melting, and add gel color. It would be a different aesthetic, of course.
Let's do our baking challenge soon. My classes end Monday...
oh, and the oil should also keep the chocolate from falling apart. Sorry. I so rarely know what to do with baking. :)
I made the apple dippin peanut butter cookies. WHAT A SOGGY MESS!!!
Evan: It will definitely be chocolate the next time. I think I've come up with another use for orange candy melts though...
kmari03: I thought the candy melt bag warned against adding oil to them but maybe that's just water. I'll check the bag again.
Casey's Wife: Oh no! Did you try to save them for longer than an hour? They totally can't handle that. :)
These are stunning. I cannot believe how awesome you are. Seriously.
Kate: *blushes* thanks!
What are candy melts?? We don't appear to have them in Australia.
Cupcakes look great by the way :)
RedDeer: Candy melts are these wierd disk-like pieces of candy that are pretty much the texture of chocolate. They come in ridiculously bright colors and they are made for melting and pouring in candy molds. I've used them for cake truffles, and that is probably a better use for them. Bakerella makes magic with candy melts too.
They definitely look awesome! Did you try adding some oil to the candy to thin it out a little bit?
And I'm mostly amazed at how thick that cream cheese frosting is! YUM!
Hey, thanks for dropping by my blog! I loved the look of these cupcakes, and the high hat carrot cake combo is an awesome idea! I wish we got candy melts here in Australia.
I love the look of your French toast too! Yum!
I was actually going to try either candy melts or chocolate bark for my hi-hats, but ended up with just chocolate chips! I don't think hi-hats are traditionally supposed to have a thick shell, but I would have rather had a coating like yours! I felt mine was too thin! These look great! I'm gonna have to try the candy melts in fun colors next time!
Amanda. Why are you even wasting time with grad school when you could be opening a cupcake emporium?
Just adorable! My boyfriend is a VT alum. He would just love it if I made a batch of these. Very creative.
I have a friend who goes to Tech that would love these!!! SO CUTE!
i know this is a bit delayed, but im pretty sure if you have shortening to the candy melts it thins them out. ive read it on other blogs!! makes me jealous with all the awesome decorating things you have in america!! australia has nothing!
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