July 4th Patriotic Apple Pie Spice Hi Hats for a Cupcake Couture Blog Party! PLUS Giveaway.

There is another great prize package. More about that later.

This blog party is about showcasing how easy it is to not only make a delicious cupcake… but how simple it is to create a scene for any occasion, event or party that will WOW your guests without having to spend a lot of money or time.

I was sent these beautiful silver and white wrappers called Olivia .  My first thought was these wrappers would be perfect for weddings or anniversaries but looks can be deceiving. Hidden underneath the shell of the high hat is an explosion of patriotic colors. 

Patriotic Apple Pie Spice Hi Hat Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

Ingredients:

• 1+1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons apple pie spice
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place liners in two cupcake pans.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add sugar until combined.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Beat in vanilla extract.
• Add flour mixture and milk alternating a bit at a time.
• Place a disposable pastry bag or a ziplock bag in a large drinking glass by stuffing one corner down. into the bottom of the glass. Fold the opening over and fill with the batter.
• Squeeze excess air out of the bag, zip it closed and snip a hole in one corner of the bag.
• Twist the top part of the bag, squeeze and fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until a knife inserted in one of the cupcakes comes out clean.
• Remove from oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For the Marshmallow Topping

The step by step tutorial at King Arthur Flour is very comprehensive and helpful.

Ingredients:

• 1+1/2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup meringue powder
• Red paste food coloring
• Blue paste food coloring

Directions:

• Bring water to boil in microwave or stove top.
• Pour in sugar stirring constantly until dissolved.
• Let cool.
• Add meringue powder and whip about 10 to 15 minutes until mixture is very stiff, like beaten egg whites.
• Divide the mixture in half in two separate bowls.
• Add coloring to each and mix thoroughly,
• Load mixture into a disposable pastry bag or zip lock using method above  adding one color on one side and then the other on the other half. 
• Snip a hole in the corner.
• Pipe swirls onto the cupcakes and place finished cupcakes in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

For the Coating:

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of white candy melts
• 1 tablespoon crisco
• Silver Color Mist Spray
• Silver sprinkles

Directions:

• Place candy melts and crisco in a microwave. Microwave the candy melts 30 seconds at a time on high, stirring the mixture in between until it’s smooth.
• Pour mixture into a deep, wide glass or bowl.
• Remove cupcakes from freezer. One at a time submerge the cupcake in the melted candy hold upside down over the mixture and let excess drip off.
• Hold the cupcake over parchment and sprinkle the sanding sugar over the cupcake.
• Place finished hi hat cupcake in the fridge.
• When coating has become solid, remove from fridge and spray with color mist.
• Wrap the cupcakes in beautiful wrappers and serve.