Minion cupcake tutorial

On July 3rd 2013 Universal released Despicable Me 2 which got me thinking about Gru's tiny yellow henchmen, the Minions. At around the same time I was asked by my close friend to help cater her two day family reunion, complete with a whole gaggle of children. I chose this opportunity to satisfy my creative urge to recreate the miniscule stars in some sort of edible medium, I chose cupcakes and marshmallows because everyone enjoys those things, with the added bonus that marshmallows are already a pretty close match to the shape of the minions.

Minion cupcake assembly

makes 24



Supplies
Cupcakes dyed blue and baked in blue wrappers
Blue buttercream
24 marshmallows
1 bag Wilton's yellow candy melts
1 pack Wilton  small candy eyes (or Smarties with black dots drawn on)
Black edible food pen
Tooth picks
Chocolate sprinkles (called jimmies)
Styrofoam block

(The recipe for the cupcakes and frosting are included at the bottom of the blog)

 



Step 1
Melt the bag of chocolate in a pyrex measuring cup, if you have one, in the microwave at 15 second intervals stirring after every interval until the chocolate is runny, add 2 tbs. of vegetable oil to the chocolate and stir, this lets the chocolate coat better.

 

If you don't have a microwaveable measuring cup, or a microwave, you'll have to do it on the stove with a double boiler. Take a small sauce pot with about a cup of water, set it to simmer, place a heat proof bowl, larger than the opening of the pot on top, add chocolate and oil keep stirring till the chocolate melts. (See Easter cake pop blog for pictures.)

Dip end of toothpick into chocolate and shove into bottom of marshmallow. stick toothpick into foam block so it stands upright, continue with all 24 marshmallows. put in fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.



Step 2
Take marshmallows out of fridge, re-melt chocolate back to coating consistency. Dip marshmallow in chocolate to coat, leave bottom of marshmallow exposed (this allows for easy removal of the toothpick later, if not the chocolate will crack), tap excess chocolate of of marshamallow.
At this point its easiest to add your eyes and hair, be careful they don't slide, and place back onto the Styrofoam board. Put in fridge for 20 minutes to set.
repeat with rest of marshmallows.



Step 3
using a black edible pen, draw a black outline around both eyes, the band for the goggles around the head, and the smile.



Step 4
Remove toothpick from marshmallow, they are now ready to place on top of cupcakes.



Step 5
flat frost 24 cupcakes with blue butter cream, and stick a Minion on top. Enjoy your creation!



Blue Cupcakes

makes at least 35 mini cupcakes

 

Supplies

Cake

mini muffin pan

mini cupcake liners in blue

4 Tbs. unsalted butter (1/2 stick) (at room temperature)

1 cup AP flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

blue food coloring

 

Frosting

4 Tbs. unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2 cups powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

milk to thin frosting

blue food coloring

 

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350. line muffin pan with blue liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until combined Cream butter and sugar together for 3-4 minutes until its pale and fluffy. Scrape down sides if necessary. Add eggs one at a time till completely mixed in. Slowly add flour mixture and scrape down sides. Add milk, vanilla, and enough food coloring to get the shade of blue you want. mix until just combined. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full and bake  until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly, about 12 minutes. Remove from pan when cool enough to handle, wait until completely cool to frost.

 

Frosting: 

Add butter and food coloring to mixer, beat until creamy, add two cups of powdered sugar one at a time until mixed, add milk one table spoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Pipe or spread on top of cooled cupcakes.

 

These Cupcakes wound up being a huge hit at the reunion. Make sure you check out our facebook page and the rest of our blog for more neat ideas. - Always, Fleur.