Go Back
Print Recipe

Coral Reef Cupcakes

From my *NEW COOKBOOK* Mermaid Food! We’re using isomalt to create this gorgeous, vibrant pink coral, which is a form of artificial sweetener derived from beets. RECIPE BELOW! GET MY NEW COOKBOOK HERE! https://amzn.to/32xIdFN
Course: dessert
Cuisine: american
Keyword: Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcake Batter:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ cups sour cream or milk

Buttercream:

  • 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
  • 5 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 4 cups isomalt crystals
  • 1 cup water
  • liquid food coloring
  • 10 cups of ice

Instructions

Bake the cupcakes:

  • Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time, mixing with each addition.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add this to the batter in 2 additions, alternating with the sour cream.
  • Spoon the batter into a lined cupcake pan. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool completely.

Make the buttercream:

  • Beat the butter with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, beating with each addition.
  • Place the buttercream into a piping bag and snip off the end to create a large opening. Alternatively, you could use a large, round piping tip.

Make the coral:

  • Pour the isomalt crystals and water into a heavy saucepan. Set to medium heat and whisk until dissolved.
  • Attach a candy thermometer and heat to 280F. Add the food coloring, stir, then continue heating to 320F. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, dip a pastry brush in water and brush it onto the sides.
  • Once the isomalt reaches 320F, remove it from the heat and pour the isomalt into a heatproof bowl. I used an aluminum mixing bowl. Allow it to cool until it gets thicker and resembles thick honey.
  • Fill a deep bowl with the ice. Drizzle the isomalt onto the ice. As it trickles down through the ice, it will mold to the curves of the ice cubes. Pour 2-3 layers in each spot, to ensure the isomalt is thick and won’t break.
  • Allow the isomalt to fully cool, then break it into pieces with your hands. It can be sharp, so be careful! Place the isomalt on a plate lined with plastic wrap and set aside.

Assembly:

  • Pipe a swirl of buttercream onto each cupcake. Top with a piece of isomalt and enjoy!

Video