Zodiac Pisces Cupcakes Fish (Printable version)

Vanilla cupcakes adorned with colorful fish-shaped fondant, ideal for zodiac-themed gatherings.

# What you need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Buttercream Frosting

09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Blue gel food coloring

→ Fondant Fish Toppers

14 - 8 ounces white fondant
15 - Gel food coloring in blue, green, orange, and yellow
16 - Edible black marker or black food coloring
17 - Cornstarch for dusting

# Steps to follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with milk. Mix just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
07 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk as needed to achieve a fluffy, spreadable consistency. Tint with blue gel food coloring.
08 - Divide fondant into portions and tint with desired gel food coloring. Shape small ovals for fish bodies and flatten slightly. Form tiny triangles for tails and fins, attaching with water. Use edible marker or black food coloring with a small brush to create eyes. Air-dry on parchment paper.
09 - Frost cooled cupcakes with blue buttercream, swirling to resemble water. Place one fondant fish on each cupcake.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The vanilla base is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to impress anyone at a party.
  • Fondant fish are surprisingly fun to make, even if your first batch looks charmingly wonky.
  • You can customize colors and styles to match any zodiac sign or ocean theme you're dreaming up.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for cupcakes; frosting warm cake will cause it to slide right off.
  • Gel food coloring is worth its weight in gold when working with fondant; liquid coloring makes it sticky and difficult to work with.
  • Your fondant fish don't need to be perfect to be beloved; character and personality matter infinitely more than precision.
03 -
  • If your fondant becomes sticky, dust your hands and work surface with a tiny bit of cornstarch rather than more flour, which can make it tough.
  • A toothpick or small sculpting tool is invaluable for adding texture and detail to your fondant fish without damaging them.
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