cupcake decorating 101

These sugary little rose topped cupcakes are super easy to make... I'll show you how:
Here's what you need: mini cupcakes (I made red velvet and topped them with cream cheese frosting.. yummm)

gummy cinnamon hearts and green tootsie rolls

It takes 2 hearts to make one rose.

using a rolling pin flatten the gummy hearts out as thin as you can (you can use a bit of sugar on the surface you are rolling the candy so it doesn't stick)

once you've flattened out the candy, slice it in half...

now begin to roll the candy from the largest side to the smaller side with the sugary side facing inward.

keep adding strips around the outer edge until you have formed a full rose

*don't roll too tightly, keep pinching the bottom to make the petals spread out.

using the same rolling out method for the leaves, form the green tootsie roll into small leaves, create a vein in the leaf using the back side or dull side of your knife in the center of a leaf shape (free hand or use small cookie cutter)

You can pipe the frosting on the cupcakes as shown or just spread evenly with a knife or spatula.

place rose and 2 leaves on each mini cupcake. (It would be cute to put each mini cupcake with rose in a mini clay flower pot and use them as a place setting on a table for valentines day, mother's day, easter....)

Let me know if you give it a try... I would love to know who's "stealing" my ideas!

*you know I stole the idea right?*

Happy Valentine's Day!