When it comes to treats, no one can resist a cupcake. It’s the perfect little pick-me-up in a delightful handheld package—there’s simply no better way to say, “Mom, I think you’re the best” than with a lovely little yummy! However, some moms worry about their waistlines, and the buttery frosting can sometimes put the daily diet over the edge. Never fear! Anyone can happily give Mom a cupcake when it’s made out of polymer clay! These calorie-free delicacies are perfect to put on necklaces, bracelets, or even on cell phones! Check out the cupcake pattern from The Polymer Clay Cookbook by Jessica and Susan Partain to see how to make a delectable gift for the mom you love the best.

Yummy Cupcake

The cupcake just might be the perfect dessert. Compact, portable, and impossible to eat in a dignified manner, cupcakes always make me happy. I’m partial to rich chocolate, or any combination of fruit with vanilla or lemon cake. And the best part? Each is a single serving, so I never feel guilty for not wanting to share.

This recipe makes a traditional chocolate cupcake with pink icing and a cherry. However, we encourage you to experiment with different cake and frosting flavors, as well as to add fun decorations to customize your cupcakes. Why not use the leftover lemon cane from the lemon recipe to add tiny lemon slices? Or make an ultraminiature candy corn to put on top for a fall cupcake? Or use scrap clay to make lots of tiny sprinkles? The possibilities are endless!

yield: 1 cupcake

INGREDIENTS

cake:
3/8″ (1.6 cm) ball burnt umber

frosting:
1/8″ (3.2 mm) ball cadmium red clay
¼” (6.4 mm) ball white clay

cherry:
1/16″ (1.6 mm) ball cadmium red clay

Needle or stippling tool
Headpin

1. Start with the cake part. Roll the ball of brown clay into a small cylinder. Then set the cylinder on end and gently press to flatten the bottom and top.

2. Use a needle or stippling tool to make tiny indentations all over the surface. Don’t forget the bottom!

3. Thoroughly mix the larger ball of red and the white clays to create an even pink color. Flatten the pink ball into an uneven pancake about twice the diameter of the top of your cake cylinder. The edge of the pancake should be a bit thinner than the middle.

4. Center the frosting on top of the cake, then gently fold down the edges of the frosting onto the cylinder.

5. Press the edge of a safety pin into the side of the cupcake to create parallel, evenly spaced lines all around.

6. Push the headpin through the center of your cupcake until the head is flush with the bottom.

7. Roll the remaining red clay into a very smooth ball. Slide the cherry onto the headpin and down until it rests on top. Bake for 18 minutes at 275˚ F (135˚ C).

To Make a Cupcake Charm

1. Finish the headpin in the cupcake into a closed, wrapped loop (see below).

2. Add the charm to a cell phone lariat.

Making a Wrapped Loop

A wrapped loop is the fundamental wire wrapping structure you’ll need to know how to create. Basically, it is a simple loop secured by wrapping the
wire around itself. Creating consistent, clean loops takes a bit of practice, but you’ll soon be a pro!

1. Start with a baked charm on a headpin. Grip the wire about 1/8″ (3.18 mm) above the top of the charm with the end of your needle-nose pliers.

2. Use your fingers to grip the very end of your wire, then wrap it around the tip of your pliers and create a loop. The tail should stick out at a 90 degree angle.

3. Remove the pliers and grip the side of the loop.

4. Hold the tail of the wire and wrap it around the exposed wire between the loop and the top of the charm. You’ll want to spiral the wire downward from the loop to the top of the charm and keep the wire as tight as possible for a clean wrap. You should be able to wrap it around two to three times, depending on how much room you left in step 1.

5. Use your nail clippers to trim off the extra wire as close to your wrapped loop as possible, so there is no little piece of tail to snag anything while you’re wearing your charm.

To glaze your piece, make sure it is cool and dry (after quenching!). Carefully paint an even layer of glaze onto your piece. Try not to put too much glaze on it or you’ll get drips and an uneven coat. One trick is to grip the headpin with a large binder clip so you can cover all sides of a piece with glaze at once. The binder clip can be used to keep the charm suspended until the glaze is dry, which usually takes about a half hour.

Categories: Polymer Clay |

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