Recipe: Anti-Bullying Dodge Ball Cupcake

Courtesy of Kevin VanDeraa
Cupcake Wars 2012 Glee episode of Cupcake Champions

Peanut Butter Cupcake
156 grams all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
177 grams sugar
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
¼ cup water
100 grams peanut butter
½ cup buttermilk

Preheat conventional oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, soda, powder and salt whisk to fully incorporate and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl mix together egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, almond and water. Add wet to dry and fully incorporate, mix in the peanut butter, mix in the buttermilk.

Prepare cupcake pan with non-stick spray and liners, add batter to just over half full, bake 20-25 min. until cupcakes spring back when touched.

Cream Cheese Frosting
16 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz butter, room temperature
6 oz powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 drops red food color
4 drops burgundy food color

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using a paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, add the cream cheese in 1-2 oz bits by hand while the butter is mixing. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well combined and there are no lumps. Add the powdered sugar, make sure you start on the lowest speed and jog the mixer on and off so you don't coat yourself and your kitchen with powdered sugar. Be sure to scrape down to get everything fully combined. Add the vanilla and food coloring and mix to combine.

Filling
Seedless raspberry jam

Glaze
Equal parts seedless raspberry jam and water, heat in microwave until liquid stirring to make sure its fully combine.

Garnishes
6 oz rolled fondant
Small cookie cutter, 1 inch or smaller
Adjustable stamp that can spell out bullying
Black food color for stamping ink
Red edible magic marker

Roll fondant out as thick as you can, cut out the 12 circles. Allow the fondant to harden a bit and then stamp the word bullying on it. Use the red magic marker to make the circle and slash sign on top of the bullying word.

Assembly
Core and fill the cupcakes with the raspberry jam, using a round tip (I use and 805) pipe small round balls on the top of the cupcake (about 5), make a second layer of balls (3) so the cupcake looks like it has a pile of dodge balls on top of it. Dip the top of the cupcake in the raspberry glaze and place the garnish on top.