Cupcakes Brighten Any Holiday
No matter what time of year, there’s always a holiday looming, with the opportunity to produce a sweet treat for the celebration and nothing could be easier or more satisfying than cupcakes!
Cupcakes are fun to make and eat and there are more cupcake recipes available these days than a cook can shake a spatula at. Whatever the occasion, cupcakes made with love and creativity are sure to earn plenty of compliments for the baker.
Everyone has enjoyed red-and-white cupcakes for Valentine’s Day, whether they’re white cake with red frosting or Red Velvet cake with white icing. Red-and-white cupcake combinations also make terrific treats for Christmas, especially when made with peppermint cake or icing. Just add a drop or two of peppermint extract to the cake batter or frosting mix; it doesn’t take much because the flavor is strong. Cupcakes topped with whole round peppermints or crushed pieces from candy canes on white icing also make great Yuletide treats. New Year’s Eve calls for cupcakes of any flavor with lots of sparkling decoration as party-goers usher out the old year and welcome the new.
St. Patrick’s Day is the ideal time to frost luscious chocolate cupcakes with green icing and sparkling green sugar sprinkles. The first day of spring or May Day are perfect opportunities to create white or yellow cupcakes with candy flowers on top. For another springtime treat, why not make cupcakes with carrot cake batter and frost them in pastel colors to resemble Easter eggs? The Easter Bunny and all his fans couldn’t resist such a yummy, carroty confection—especially if the baker adds edible bunny ears or candy carrots on top!
National holidays such as America’s Independence Day on July 4th or France’s Bastille Day on July 14 are the perfect time for cupcakes of any flavor topped with red, white and blue edible decorations. Pumpkin-flavored or spice batters make ideal cupcakes for fall holidays or just for fun as the season changes. Apple cake topped with almond-flavored white icing and crushed almonds can be another savory cupcake for cool weather. When it comes time for Halloween, there’s a terrific choice—Devil’s Food cupcakes with bright orange icing decorated to look like a jack-o’lantern.
New awareness of the Hispanic/Latino heritage in the Americas has brought more holidays such as Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 17 to celebrate the fact that chocolate came originally from the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and the Mayas mixed their chocolate with chili powder to give cacao beans more potency. Chocolate-chili cupcakes have a luscious zing as well as the chance to decorate with vibrant colors of Mexican culture.
When winter comes and the air turns cool and crisp, why not bring visions of snowy lands to the table with a batch of white cupcakes topped with snowmen made of marshmallows. Make swirls in the icing and the snowy scene is complete.
The range of creativity for holiday cupcakes is limited only by the baker’s imagination. All it takes is a willingness to experiment. And the best part is, everyone can still enjoy eating any “mistakes!”
