Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How To Make Mermaid Cupcakes
Our cat’s favorite toy is a mouse dressed as a mermaid. We put it away every night and by morning, it finds it’s way back into the middle of the floor of our office, which doubles as the “cat room”. Between seeing this toy magically reappear every morning and my dog’s (Minnie Pearl) birthday (oh, how she loves the beach!), inspiration for these mermaid cupcakes was born. Read on to learn how to make mermaid cupcakes.
The mermaid cat toy inspiration
If you aren’t familiar with mermaids, they have long captured the imagination of both young and old, appearing across various cultural folklore and literature. These enchanting beings, half-human and half-fish, are often depicted as beautiful and alluring creatures, with flowing hair and iridescent tails. Legends speak of their mesmerizing voices, capable of luring sailors to the depths of the sea.
Mermaid and Seashell cupcakes
With their mythical existence, mermaids symbolize a sense of mystery and fantasy, evoking a longing for the unknown depths of the ocean. Whether seen as symbols of danger or as enchanting companions, mermaids continue to fascinate and inspire tales of adventure and romance. Their mythical allure reminds us to embrace the magic and wonderment that exists within our world.
See the white chocolate seashells being made in the short video below or via my YouTube channel:
Melted white chocolate
I used a little bit of creative magic I felt from the mermaid concept and my own intuition to create these mermaid cupcakes. After doing some research, many mermaid cupcake tutorials I saw were in pinks and blues, but I have a BIG love of a turquoise-teal ocean color and thought this color would be appropriate for my creation. I also decided to make some white chocolate seashells to amp up the mermaid vibe.
The seashell candy molds
I melted Guittard white chocolate baking chips in a glass bowl. So they would not burn, I melted them in the microwave on a 50% heat setting in 15 second increments, stirring after each cycle. Once it was melted enough, I added the melted chocolate to a candy making bottle with a pointed tip. I squeezed the chocolate into seashell chocolate molds, tapping them on the counter to settle the chocolate and to help remove air bubbles.
White chocolate starfish
To make the chocolate set faster, I placed the filled molds into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. I then flipped over the molds onto a plate and the chocolates gently fell out. I then dusted them using a paintbrush (one I only use for food) and edible luster dust, giving each seashell a pearlescent color. I then set them aside.
My candy seashells
I made 12 cupcakes via a chocolate Simple Mills muffin mix in parchment liners, as we try to eat grain free when possible. You do not have to make cupcakes from scratch for them to taste good. I used to use a white Pillsbury mix and add a little white chocolate Jell-O pudding mix to the batter, which was delicious AND produced a very moist cake. All of the Simple Mills mixes are very moist, so I like using them now.
The edible luster dust
Watch my 1 minute video tutorial that shows how I created the mermaid cupcakes below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden.
I made a half batch of delicious buttercream icing via a Liv for Cake recipe that I have made many times. Her cake recipes are also delicious! I added a few drops of gel teal food coloring to the icing and mixed it well with my stand mixer. I added a bit of blue and green gel food coloring too, until I got it to the color I wanted.
Placing an icing tube in a glass helps you fill it easily
I cut off the tip of a 12-inch Wilton disposable piping bag, and dropped in a 1M Wilton icing tip. I placed the bag in a tall glass to keep it upright while I easily added the buttercream icing to the bag. I squeezed the air out of the bag, eased the icing down towards the tip and swirled on a rosette onto each cupcake. I added a second rosette on top of the first to make each design a bit taller.
I used a 1M Wilton icing tip
I then sprinkled on some light brown sugar to look like sand, added my white chocolate seashells and starfish, edible candy and chocolate pearls, I sprinkled on a little more luster dust and they were complete. I added them to a mini cake stand with some seashells I gathered from our local Sanibel Island beaches.
An icing rosette swirl with a 1M Wilton tip
You could easily recreate these mermaid cupcakes using pre-made buttercream and cupcakes either made from a mix or homemade versions. You could even buy store bought cupcakes and add your own mermaid décor like cute mermaid tails and sprinkles.
Mermaid cupcakes
My husband, mom and my neighbor loved these magical mermaid cupcake creations, especially the white chocolate seashells. When you make something with love for those you love, using inspiration from things you love (and the pets you love), it will always turn out perfectly!
Beachy cupcakes
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Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.