Iced sugar cookies make a cheerful birthday message when placed on top of iced cupcakes. You'll need less than half of the cookie dough to make enough toppers - use the leftover dough to make tasty loot bag treats.
- Prep time 1 hour & 30 minutes
- Total time 2 hours & 45 minutes
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine
Ingredients
Birthday Cookies:
Raspberry Butter Icing:
Method
Birthday Cookies: In bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture, in 2 additions, just until combined.
Divide dough in half; press into discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 1 hour, reserving half for other use. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Let dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes. Between waxed paper or on lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch (5 mm) thickness. Using 1-1/2-inch (4 cm) letter cookie cutters, cut out shapes to spell "Happy Birthday." Place, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
Bake in 375 F (190 C) oven until edges and bottoms are light golden, about 8 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 1 minute. Transfer to racks; let cool completely.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat meringue powder with 1/3 cup water until foamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in icing sugar until stiff, about 6 minutes. Scoop icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; pipe thick outline around letters. Let dry for 30 minutes. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.)
Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs and vanilla. Whisk together flour and baking powder; stir into butter mixture alternately with milk, making 2 additions of each, until smooth.
Divide among 24 large paper-lined muffin cups. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean, 18 minutes. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; let cool completely.
Raspberry Butter Icing: Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Alternately beat in icing sugar and cream, making 2 additions of icing sugar. Beat in jam and vanilla; beat in enough food colouring to tint to desired shade. Using piping bag fitted with large star tip, pipe icing onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with decoratating pearl sugar. Place cookies on top of icing, pressing lightly to adhere.
Makes 24 cupcakes.
Nutritional facts per cupcake: about
- Fibre 1 g
- Sodium 194 mg
- Sugars 54 g
- Protein 5 g
- Calories 496.0
- Total fat 22 g
- Potassium 74 mg
- Cholesterol 83 mg
- Saturated fat 13 g
- Total carbohydrate 72 g
%RDI
- Iron 9.0
- Folate 18.0
- Calcium 5.0
- Vitamin A 20.0
