I’m baaaaaack! Want to try your hand at some fun Baby Sheep Cupcakes?  Little frosting swirls and fondant shaped cut-outs transform these baby shower cupcakes into the cutest of sweets.  It takes a slight bit of practice, but if you follow along with some basic steps, ewe will have these sheep grazing in babyland in no time!

You will need these ingredients:

1. Cupcakes – I made some classic and simple vanilla cupcakes.  They are moist, light, airy, and the perfect base for these decorative sheep.
2. White American Cream Frosting in a piping bag and Ateco Tip#18.
3. Black Fondant Cut-outs (ears and face).  I like Satin Ice Fondant sold online or at Michael’s Craft Store.
4. Small Eyeballs. (Try online vendor Layer Cake Shop – one of my faves!)

Steps:

1. Make your cupcakes first and let cool.
2. Next, sprinkle cornstarch on a flat surface. Roll out black fondant and cut the sheep shapes.  The smidgen of cornstarch helps avoid the fondant ‘sticking’ to the surface.  You can buy black fondant from Satin Ice Fondant and it is quite pliable and easy to handle.  I made a pattern on plain blank printer paper and used that as my cutter.  Lay the pattern onto the fondant and use a sharp paring knife to cut the shape. You will need the following pieces which will make up the sheep: 2 ears shaped like teardrops and one face (slightly larger than the ears size).  Pro Tip: Let the ears and face shapes air dry and harden a bit (for at least 30 minutes) before putting on the cupcake.
3. Next, create some fluffy white American buttercream frosting.  I used a basic buttercream frosting recipe and added white food coloring from Americolor to really help the white color pop, otherwise, it takes on the yellow coloring from the butter.
4. Now, load your frosting into a piping bag and use an Ateco Tip#18. Holding your piping bag upright, you’re going to do two things at once: apply slight pressure on the bag and move it in a small circular motion at the same time.  Voila!  I started on the outside of the cupcake and work my way inward.

   

5. Now it’s time to apply the face and ears.  First, lay down the face and then apply those adorable ears.

   

   

6. For the eyeballs, apply a bit of edible glue or clear piping gel.  You can find these types of ‘glue’ at Michaels Craft Store, or if you’d like, you can use corn syrup, too.  Basically any edible adhesive will work.
   Apply a dab of glue with a toothpick to the back of the eyes so they adhere nicely.  You can find eyeballs online, but I like the ones from one of my favorite vendors, Layer Cake Shop. You can get eyeballs in all sizes and colors.
   Doesn’t that make you happy?!?  I’m smiling from ear to ear knowing that this vendor will always have my eyeballs covered!!! Well done on putting together these sweet sheep treats!  I promise your baby mama will love you for doing these.
   Aren’t these to die for?  Stay tuned for the wrap-up post on how we threw this rad shower together. Ericka’s baby girl is going to be set!   to mix and match patterns, shapes, and sweets, can’t you tell?

Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography

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Baby Shower Sheep Cupcakes

By TheSweetNerd  Cakes

May 9, 2017

Ingredients

Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups cake flour (9 ounces), plus more for dusting the pans

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

6 large egg whites (3/4 cup), at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (12 1/4 ounces)

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces), softened but still cool

Vanilla buttercream

3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

Cupcakes

1Glass Measurer: Pour milk, egg whites, and extracts into 2-cup glass measure, and mix with fork until blended.

2Mixer: Mix cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of electric mixer at slow speed.

3Add butter; continue beating at slow speed until mixture resembles moist crumbs, with no powdery streaks remaining.

4Add all but 1/2 cup of milk mixture to crumbs and beat at medium speed (or high speed if using handheld mixer) for 1 1/2 minutes.

5Add remaining 1/2 cup of milk mixture and beat 30 seconds more. Stop mixer and scrape sides of bowl. Return mixer to medium (or high) speed and beat 20 seconds longer.

6Divide and scoop batter evenly into cupcake liners.

7Bake at 350F. Bake until thin skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 10-12 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Vanilla Buttercream

1In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Start with the mixer at the lowest speed, then gradually increase the speed, using a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl as needed, until the butter is light in color, is perfectly smooth, and makes a slapping sound as it hits the sides of the bowl. This should only take 30 seconds, but if the butter is cool, it can take a couple of minutes.

2Add the sugar, 1 cup at a time, and mix at the lowest speed until it’s fully incorporated before adding the next cup. When all the sugar has been added, scrape the paddle and the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and salt, and beat at low speed for 15 seconds. Increase the speed to as high as you can without making a mess, and whip the buttercream until it is perfectly smooth, creamy, and light, about 5 minutes. Stop the mixer once or twice to scrape the bowl and paddle, then continue beating. At first the buttercream will appear to soften, then it will stiffen and increase in volume.

3Use right away, or store in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it, let the buttercream come to room temperature, then put it back in the stand mixer and use the paddle attachment to beat it until it’s creamy and stiff again.

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