Portfolio: A&M Cupcakes

If you're from Texas, you typically bleed one of three colors: red, burnt orange or maroon.  For those of you not from the Lone Star State, those colors represent the triumvirate of universities in this state that have the largest numbers of alumni and fans - Texas Tech (red), UT (burnt orange), and Texas A&M.  Fans of all three schools just love to razz each other about which school is greater and the rivalries are thick.  It is not uncommon for a house to be divided and our family is certainly that way!

My daughter's godsister Ronnie is heading off to Texas A&M to start her undergrad and I love her so much that I allowed the color maroon to enter this decidely burnt orange household.  I made her a batch of cupcakes to take with her as she moves into her dorm room on campus.

The cupcakes are red velvet with a bit of maroon dye thrown in to temper the red down a bit, and I frosted the tops with the traditional red velvet frosting.  I was torn about how to decorate these because she asked for cupcakes.  Colored sprinkles seemed like a good idea, but trying to find maroon colored sprinkles in this town is ridiculously impossible (something about this being the hometown for the University of Texas [grin]).  I thought about printing out Texas A&M logos on paper and creating cupcake picks, but that seemed like a cop out.  Then I found this while perusing the bake shop:

I rolled out maroon colored fondant and cut out a bunch of tiny Texas's, and then hand painted the Texas A&M logo on them once they'd set a bit.  Then once they were dry, I laid them on top and voila!  Handmade cupcake toppers that looked considerably better than any paper pick I could have made.

Ronnie Ryan, we are so proud of you.  I'm sad you won't be attending UT after all, but I am thrilled you found a school that fits you like a glove...and even happier you managed to find a full ride there!  Can't wait to see you at Thanksgiving...when the Longhorns pummel the Aggies, mwahahahaha!

Happy Baking,
Kelly