In my business, I have done a lot of cupcakes ... I mean a LOT! After the 400th time you make something, you can start to go a bit mad. One day, in the midst of that madness, I felt a strange urge to stab something. In that moment it occurred to me, “Yes! I’ll stab the cupcakes!” I set about crafting miniature knives. Surprisingly, tiny knives proved to be supercute. A trickle of sweet “blood” added the final touch. This exercise was very satisfying. The next time you feel the need to slash something, why not take a stab at these? Perfect for showers, or any get-together with the mother-in-law!
• small rolling pin
• knife template
• craft knife
• no.2 or no.3 icing tip
• coffee stirrer or flat implement
• cup, for mixing colors
• small paintbrush
• no.12 icing tip
• piping bag
• baking parchment
• scissors
• 8 oz. (225 g) black fondant
• 2 tsp. CMC powder
• silver luster dust
• vodka or lemon extract
• 1 recipe red velvet cake batter, baked in 24-hole cupcake pan lined with black cupcake cases
• 3 cups (700 ml) cream cheese icing
• 1/2 cup (115 ml) piping gel
• red food color
• 1 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
Place the black fondant on a lightly dusted surface. Sprinkle the CMC powder over it and knead until all the powder is evenly blended into the fondant.
Using a small rolling pin, roll out the fondant mixture to a thickness of about 1/8 in. (3 mm).
Use template to cut out knife shape from the fondant with a craft knife. Cut just a few knives at a time, as fondant tends to set quickly and you will want the knives to remain pliable when adding detail (step 6).
Using the small end of a no.2 or no.3 icing tip, indent three “rivets” along the handle of each knife.
With coffee stirrer or other flat implement, imprint a thinner, flatter area along edge of knife blades. Repeat Steps 3–5 until you have 24 knives. Let set and harden in cool place for 1–2 days.
Mix silver luster dust with a little vodka or lemon extract to form a thick liquid. With a small paintbrush, paint the blade and rivets of hardened knives silver. Paint one side first, let dry, then paint the other side.
Arrange the cupcakes on a clean, flat surface. Fit the no.12 icing tip onto the piping bag, then fill the bag with the cream cheese icing. On top of each cupcake, pipe a swirl of icing, starting from the center.
Work your way around each cupcake until well covered. You want a nice thick layer of icing. Finish with a swirly peak.
Insert a fully set and painted knife into each of the iced cupcakes at a “just-stabbed” angle.
Mix piping gel with a few drops of red food coloring. You can keep it translucent or add a sprinkle of cornstarch for a more opaque look. Make a small piping bag from baking parchment and fill with the mixture.
Twist the top of the filled parchment piping bag to close. Using scissors, snip the end of bag. Take care not to make too big a cut—you want to squeeze out just a dash of “blood,” not a gush!
Pipe just a trickle of gel onto the icing on each cake at the base of the knife so that it is seeping away from the “wound.”
