Nut Free

Springerle molds, originally from Germany, are used to form the pure white, spice-laden Christmas cookies of the same name. Yet the wooden molds are also useful for shaping rolled fondant into cupcake toppers in dozens of finely detailed designs, including Easter bunnies. You’ll need to use a springerle mold with a design that is three inches or smaller. Look for the molds from specialty retailers online, or see Sources, page 342. Fondant mimics the color of traditional springerle cookies, but if you can’t find it, use marzipan instead; although it is not white, you can tint it a desired shade with gel-paste food color (see instructions on page 299).

Spicy cupcakes packed with a generous amount of fresh ginger are just right for cool-weather days. Choose fresh ginger that is plump with smooth skin. To peel, run the edge of a teaspoon along the length of a piece, working in and out of the crevices; use a firm but light touch to remove only the papery coating, not the flavorful flesh beneath. A mini chopper or food processor makes quick work of mincing the ginger.

Share the luck of the Irish with cupcakes coated in frosting flavored with Baileys Irish Cream—a liqueur made from a blend of cream, cocoa, and Irish whiskey—and decorated with a sprig or two of real three-leaf clovers. The clovers should be removed before eating (be sure to use only pesticide-free clovers from a reliable source or your garden). You could also decorate the tops with a shamrock stencil, available at craft-supply stores (see Sources, page 342), and green sanding sugar.

Just like the Latin American cake on which they are based, these cupcakes are doused with a mixture of three milks (“tres leches”). Don’t worry: The cupcakes will absorb the liquid without becoming soggy, but you will need to use paper-lined foil liners (plain ones will not hold up after soaking). Airy whipped cream dusted with ground cinnamon is a finishing touch.

Smaller adaptations of favorite desserts, such as raspberry-swirled cheesecake, are always appealing. Everyone gets his or her own, with plenty of buttery graham-cracker crust in each bite. Drops of fresh raspberry puree are pulled through cream-cheese batter to give the cakes a marbleized look. Baking the cupcakes in a hot-water bath produces the creamiest results and prevents the batter from sinking in the oven.

Fashioned by hand from marzipan and cradled in piped-buttercream baskets, tiny, rosy-red strawberries evoke a visit to the berry patch. A basketweave tip produces a thick weave, but you can experiment with different tips, such as ruffle or even plain tips, to create other patterns. See Sources, page 342, for where to find the tools (shown below) for forming the strawberries.

This oh-so-cute caterpillar, made by arranging fondant-covered cupcakes in a curved line, makes a memorable arrangement for a baby’s first birthday party. Here, one jumbo cupcake is used for the head and a dozen standard cupcakes make up the body; the remaining standard cupcakes can be frosted for serving alongside or decorated as instructed below and added to the caterpillar to accommodate more guests. Or you can make two caterpillars by baking the batter in two jumbo and 26 standard cups.

Succulent blackberries, picked fresh from a farm or bought at a local market, are baked into golden cornmeal cupcakes for a delicious taste of summer. Serve the cakes warm from the oven or at room temperature, and pair with ice cream, if desired. Oven temperature is crucial here: If it’s any cooler than 375 degrees, the berries will sink to the bottom.

These single-serving delights are a staff favorite—not only because they are delectable, but also since they are easy to prepare. Instead of a cookie-crumb crust, a whole sandwich cookie serves as the base for each cheesecake. In addition, chopped cookies are mixed into the filling.

This recipe was developed as a more healthy option to serve at a baby’s or young child’s birthday party. Sweetened only with a combination of maple syrup and molasses, the moist carrot cupcakes are sure to entice children and adults alike (which is helpful, since parents and other older guests often outnumber little ones at early birthday celebrations). Paired with a tangy, mildly sweet frosting—just cream cheese and maple syrup—the cupcakes are also a better choice than most for anyone watching his or her refined sugar intake. Mini cupcakes get only a dab of frosting and a candied carrot chip, while standard cupcakes are dotted with a generous amount of frosting.

With their crackly, sunken tops, these chocolate cupcakes seem tailor-made for cradling scoops of ice cream. In place of flour and leaveners, whipped egg whites produce cakes with a light-as-air texture.

Anyone allergic to nuts, eggs, or dairy shouldn’t miss out on all the fun. Whether someone in your family has dietary restrictions or you’re making treats for a whole classroom of kids, these chocolate cupcakes should suit most needs. Divvies Bakery, which specializes in allergen-free sweets, kindly shared this recipe on The Martha Stewart Show.

Golden tendrils of spun sugar formed into a “nest” make a dramatic cupcake topper. Despite its delicate appearance, spun sugar is actually pliable and requires no special handling (except during the cooking stage, when the caramel must be cooked to the proper temperature). The spun sugar should be used the same day; let it drape over the spoon, then shape threads into balls just before placing on a frosted cupcake.

Boston cream pie—which, of course, is not a pie at all—originated at the Parker House Hotel in Boston in the 1850s. When home cooks replicated the dessert, they baked the soft yellow sponge cake in pie tins (hence the name), which were more readily available than cake pans. This petite variation is at once familiar and novel.

You can use any variety of jam to fill these versatile little cakes, as well as vary the type of citrus used in the batter and in the glaze. You could also substitute milk glaze (page 63) for the citrus glaze used here.

Memories of childhood birthday cakes will be evoked by this sweet frosting, made quickly with just three ingredients and a handheld mixer (a standing mixer will take even less time). This frosting can also be tinted with food color; add a drop at a time and stir with a flexible spatula until well combined before adding more.

This deep, dark, satiny frosting (thanks to the addition of melted semisweet chocolate) is a favorite of Martha Stewart Living food editors, since it has just the right consistency for spreading or piping into beautiful swirls. It also has a wonderful sheen.

Made with beaten egg whites, this frosting is similar to meringue, but is more stable and sturdy enough for piping. And, like meringue, it also takes well to browning with a small kitchen torch. Use immediately, as the frosting will harden quickly (have your piping bag ready).

The mild and sweet flavor of Meyer lemon is one of Martha’s favorites; these zest-flecked cupcakes are filled with Meyer lemon curd, which peeks out from the tops. The fruit, which is actually a lemon-orange hybrid, is generally available at specialty stores in winter and early spring. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons instead. The recipe yields a lot of cupcakes, so you may want to consider these for a bake sale or large gathering, such as a shower or special birthday celebration.