Ladybugs in the Grass

Jayden and I decided it would be fun to make cupcakes for a picnic on Saturday. We looked through our handy-dandy Martha book and chose this fun design. I've been wanting to try it so was looking for any excuse. The frosting had been made ahead of time and frozen. Good thing, too, cause this is the most labor-intensive frosting I ever make. It's called Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Although, in my opinion, it should be called "Buttery Butter Butterbutter". Even Jayden doesn't like it. But it is the only frosting that works for grass. And I should know since I've tried 3 other frostings with my grass piping tip!

A lot of butter and a lot of effort but all worth it! I just love them!

Jayden took this picture, himself.  It's pretty darn good. :) What a little photographer.

After I finished baking these, Jayden came into the kitchen and exclaimed, "These cupcakes look MAGNIFICENT good Mommy!" What a sweetie. What 4-year-old talks that way? :)

The grass was a little greener than it looks here but still not very green. I don't know what it is about me and food coloring but it just doesn't seem to want to cooperate. I used green liquid as well as a combination of blue and yellow gel. Geez.

The cupcake was a basic vanilla buttermilk. Tasty. I didn't use buttermilk cause I don't usually keep it on hand and we decided to make this last minute. I used homemade soy buttermilk. Sounds gross, but I assure you, tastes very similar. (1 T lemon juice/ 15 T soy milk)

Jayden decided the ladybugs should have colored eyes.

Lady bugs took quite a bit of time! I started with white fondant and tried to dye it red. After my hands were sufficiently stained with bright red, here's what I learned:

1. My fondant still looked orange. Adding brown to it, only makes it look even more orange.

2. Gel food coloring works way better than liquid. Even though I added about 1/2 of my container of red gel, it was still workable and not getting gooey.

3. Store-bought fondant is still kind of orangey-red too. (I finally gave up on perfectly red lady bugs, packed up the kids and my red-stained hands and bought colored fondant; there's no way I was going to try and make black fondant!)

4. I made the body first and then the heads, then the dots. In the meantime, the bodies hardened so I brushed them with a little bit of water to make the dots stick. I did the same to the connection between the heads and the bodies.