Luv Bug
- Contest Photo by: PartyStarr
- San Anselmo, CA
- Category: Cupcakes
Description
It's hard to get a true red color with homemade frosting, so these cuties are sprinkled with red sugar crystals.
Ingredients
Vanilla Frosting - use your favorite recipe or canned
Red Sugar Crystals
Chocolate Chips
Mini Marshmallow
1 red Mini M&M
2 brown Mini M&Ms
How to Make
Frost the cupcakes with a good slather of vanilla frosting - right to the edge of the cupcake. For a smooth finish - dip your spatula or knife in hot water, wipe clean, then smooth out the frosting with the warm utensil.
Sprinkle the entire surface of the frosting with red sugar crystals.
Melt some of the chocolate chips in the microwave. Melt 30 seconds at a time - stirring after each "zap." Transfer the melted chocolate to a pastry bag or parchment cone.
Pipe a thin line of chocolate across the length of the cupcake. Then press several chocolate chips upside down into the surface of the cupcake to create the Luv Bug's "spots."
Cut the mini-marshmallow in half cross-wise. Place a small dot of melted chocolate in the middle of each piece of marshmallow, then press a brown Mini M&M into the melted chocolate to form the Luv Bug's eyes.
"Glue" the eyes to the chocolate sandwich cookie with dots of melted chocolate. Add a small dot of melted chocolate just under the eyes and attach the red Mini M&M
On a piece of waxed paper, pipe two antenna's from the melted chocolate. Chill until firm.
Attach the chocolate sandwich cookie face to the cupcake with a dollop of frosting or melted chocolate. Stick the antenna's into the frosting behind the cookie.
Home Made for the Holidays
- Avoid clutter. Keep the background simple -- your cupcake or sweet treat is the star!
- Daytime, natural light is best. If your area is bright enough, try taking the photo without the flash.
- Upload a horizontal photo. If you crop the image on your computer, make sure you keep a landscape 4:3 aspect ratio.
- For best results, make your image 1200x900 (or "save for web").
- With a digital camera, you can take as many photos as possible and choose the best one. Have fun!
