Dragon Ball Z Cupcakes

When I was still teaching high school math I had a student who loved to draw anime.  She was a really smart math student, but her real talent was art.  On the back of every homework assignment, quiz, and exam, she would draw amazing pictures of the class from some point during that week, and it was so easy to identify the characters.  She always teased me (rightly so) because I couldn't even draw a rhombus that looked like it had the correct properties!  My husband would completely echo her sentiments on my lack of drawing ability, but he is always quick to point out, "she can't draw anything with a pencil, but give her icing and it's a done deal."  When I got the order to make these Dragon Ball Z cupcakes I had two thoughts.  First, I vaguely remember when my little brother was obsessed with Dragon Ball Z.  Second, I was terrified of drawing anime and wished desperately my former student could draw the character faces for me.  Though the faces are far from perfect I do think my student would be proud-ish of me... at least she'd say they were better than some of my rhombi!  

Seven of these cupcakes are made of yellow cake and eight are red velvet, but they are all decorated in red, yellow, back, light blue, white, and orange buttercream icing with blue and red foils.  

The cost of these cupcakes are as follows:

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $5.10

7 Yellow Cupcakes and 8 Red Velvet Cupcakes: $1.20
Red and Blue Foils: $2
Labor: $6.00 per hour x 3 = $18
Total: $26.30

Blacksburg High School Graduation Cupcakes

These cupcakes were made for a Blacksburg High School graduation party.  They are yellow cake decorated with orange, black, white, navy, and gold buttercream icing.  I think when cupcakes are made for a party they should be treated as decoration, so I always try to vary my designs.  The young woman graduating played basketball and soccer during high school, so I made basketball cupcakes with orange and white zigzag foils and soccer cupcakes with black and white checked foils.  The rest of the cupcakes were decorated in the school colors with "Class of 2014," "Congrats," "Maura," and the Blacksburg Bruin claw.  I tried to make these cupcakes interesting by varying the colors used on each cupcake as is visible from the side view  picture.  Some cupcakes have yellow foils with yellow icing and blue decoration, some have blue foils with yellow icing and blue decoration, some have yellow foils with blue icing and yellow decoration, and some have blue foils with blue icing and yellow decoration.  It takes some extra planning and attention to detail, but overall I think the end result more than makes up for the time involved. The price of these cupcakes is as follows:

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55 x 2.25 = $5.74
Yellow  Cake: $1.93 x 2 = $ 3.86
Foils: $3
Labor: $6.00 per hour x 4 = $24
Estimate: $36.60

Rose Cake

This rose themed cake was made for the mother of a friend of mine who was celebrating her 95th birthday.  One of the reasons why I love making cakes for my local friends is because the friends and family I grew up with are so very far away.  I know if I lived closer to home I would be making cakes for the children of my best friends, and maybe even a cake like this for my MaMa's birthday.  Making new friends and seeing the delight on the faces of those receiving my creations brings me joy and a hope that just maybe the East Coast can be home too.  This cake is a two layer 9" round red velvet cake decorated with white buttercream icing and red buttercream roses with green leaves.  I think the rose theme is delightful and the effect of cutting into a red cake when the theme is red roses is striking.  The cost of the cake is as follows:

 

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55 x 1.5 = $3.83

2 Layer 9" Red Velvet Cake: $1.93

 Wrapping and Plating: $4.88

 Labor: $6.00 per hour x 2.5= $15

Total: $25.64

Tinkerbell Cake

This cake was made for a little girl's third birthday who loves Tinkerbell.  It features a sun, Tinkerbell's tree, a meadow with flowers, two clouds in the "shape" of a heart and butterfly, and of course Tinkerbell.  It is a yellow 9x13" cake decorated with blue, brown, black, green, white, dark pink, light pink, yellow, and tan buttercream icing.  It's hard to tell in these pictures, but Tinkerbell is really very small and required a lot of detail which is difficult with buttercream icing.  

The price for this cake is as follows:

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55 x 2.5 = $6.38

Yellow Cake: $1.93
Wrapping and Plating: $4.88 

Labor: $6.00 per hour x 3= $18

Total: $31.19

End of the School Year Cupcakes

These cupcakes were made for a friend for her children's teachers as a thank you for the end of the school year.  They are made from yellow cake and are decorated with white, red, blue, black, brown, yellow, and green buttercream icing to look like letter writing paper, an apple, a chalkboard, and an art palette.  I think they turned out pretty cute!  The price for these 12 cupcakes was:

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55 x 1.25 = $3.19

Yellow Cake: $1.93 x .5 = $.97
Foils: $1 

Labor: $6.00 per hour x 2.5 = $15

Total: $20.16

Teacher Appreciation Flower Cupcakes

I made these 10 cupcakes for Teacher Appreciation Week at my son's preschool.  They are yellow cake cupcakes with green checked foils to symbolize foliage decorated as flowers with light pink, purple, orange, and yellow buttercream icing.  I have always thought we can never do enough to let our children's teachers know they are a valuable part of our children's lives. The cost of these cupcakes were: 

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55

Yellow Cakes: $1.93 x .5 = $.97
Labor: $6.00 per hour x 1.75 = $10.50
Total: $14.02

I Love Soccer Cupcakes

One of my clients loves to celebrate the end of her children's soccer seasons with a small party and cupcakes.  This year she provided the cupcake toppers and the soccer foils while I provided the 48 yellow cake cupcakes and the blue and lime green buttercream icing.  I hear they were a hit!  The cost of these cupcakes was:

Buttercream Icing per Batch: $2.55 x 4 = $10.20

Yellow Cakes: $1.93 x 2 = $3.86
Labor: $6.00 per hour x 3 = $18
Total: $32.06