Back to School Cupcakes

Why do we give apples as gifts to teacher’s?  I’m not sure when or why the custom started, but today we’re switching the tradition up with a delightfully sweet twist.

I made these super cute apple cupcakes a while back for Teacher’s Appreciation Week but they’re also perfect for back to school.

Making them is so easy!  Whip up a batch of your favorite cupcakes and icing.  I made homemade chocolate and vanilla cupcakes with buttercream icing because I love to bake.  If baking isn’t your thing or #aintnobodygottimeforthat feel free to use box mixes.  No one says no to a cupcake either way. 😊

To recreate this look you’ll need:

• Wilton No 2A tip for the apples
• Wilton No 70 tip for the leaves
• Pretzel sticks for the stems
• Red and green gel food coloring
• Baked cupcakes
• White icing

1. Color the Icing

Scoop out a teeny bit of icing, about 1/8-1/4 of a cup, depending on how many cupcakes you’re icing.  Color this a dark green to be used for the leaves.  Tint the rest of the icing a deep shade of red. 

I’ve learned you always want to use more food coloring than you think you need.

Also, always use gel food coloring when baking.  Gels allows you to get a richer, deeper color without watering down your icing.

2. Pipe the Apples

Fill a piping bag with the red icing and a Wilton No 2A tip.  Place the tip just above the surface of the cupcake, holding the bag straight up and down.  (Don’t tilt it!)  Holding the bag steady, apply pressure, letting the icing spread out across the top of the cupcake.  When the icing looks  full and has covered the top of the cupcake, release pressure and pull the tip away.

3. Pipe the Leaves

Fill another piping bag with the green icing and a Wilton No 70 tip.  Orient your tip so that it will create a nice flat leaf.  We want to almost lay the leaf down on top of the apple.  Begin piping near the point of your apple (left if the last step).  Apply pressure to the bag and sweep downward.  After the leaf is the size you want, release pressure and pull away.

4. Add the Stems

Take a pretzel stick and snap it in half.  Place the broken end down into the point of your apple where it meets your leaf.

See? That was simple.  Now go give your teacher what she/he really wants – a sugar rush to get them through the sadness of summer break being over.

Do you have a favorite back-to-school memory or tradition?  Share in the comments!  For us, everyone went to Jack’s (a local fast food place) to eat breakfast before caravanning to school.