Cog Sugar Cookies!

 

These are the toppers for my upcoming robot cupcakes! They're cog-shaped sugar cookies that are iced with royal icing (made with meringue powder because raw egg whites scare me). 

 

First, of course, I rolled out the sugar cookie dough on a mat since my table is tiled.

My first batch, I had cut the cog shapes out and put them on the cookie sheet. I pulled them out of the oven and they looked like flowers. So, I had to end up cutting the cog shapes out of the cookies once they were baked. Therefore, every batch after the first was just circle cookies. 

Cutting the circle shape out of the baked cookies. 

Cutting the centers out of the cookies with a petit four cutter (it was the only circle cutter I could find that was small enough).

Cutting the teeth out of the sides with the petit four cutter. 

Pile of sugar cookie scraps. Mmmmm, good snacking. =]

Finished cog cookies, un-iced. 

  

I used the dip method to ice the cookies with royal icing, since it seemed easiest as I was only using one color for the whole cookie. I dipped the fronts of the cookies in the icing, then pulled them out and set them on a rack to dry. 

Now all I've got left to do is make, frost, and assemble the cupcakes!

Royal Icing

• 2 tbsp. meringue powder (I could only find the Wilton brand, and only at Walmart in the cake decorating aisle)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp. water

Mix all together until smooth. This version is best for using the dip method to ice cookies. There are thicker versions that are better for piping. 

Lots of News!

So, in case you haven't noticed, my blog has had a complete makeover! It was designed by my Aunt Kristi of Kristi's Blog Design and More! In exchange, I'm making 4 dozen cupcakes for her son Benjamin's fifth birthday next week! 

They're not just any cupcakes, however, they're....

 

And they're gonna be soooooo awesome. Here are some concept images of what they'll look like. 

 

 

And here's the supplies I got today! I was shopping all morning at Michael's (I find they have a better variety of cupcake supplies than Hobby Lobby), Wal-Mart (it was on the way home haha), and my faaaaaaaaaaaavorite shop, the All In One Bake Shop!

Rolling pin, non-slip mats (since our table is tiled), red jimmies, blue and green gel food coloring, silver foil liners, 2 different-sized circle cookie cutters (for making the cog cookies), piping bags, 26-piece deluxe piping tip set from Wilton, and 4 plastic 12-cavity cupcake containers (since the robot cupcakes will be transported from Round Rock to Belton).

I can't wait to get started on them! They will definitely be my next update here!

I also got some supplies to make my own tags that will go on every order out from now on! 

 

  

  

They're made by punching over the holes on tags with a Martha Stewart craft punch to get a cupcake-shaped hole. Then, I stamp the "Homemade By" or "Homemade With Love by" and fill in my name with a scrapbooking pen. Then, I color in the stamp using prismacolors that somewhat correspond with my blog. They'll be attached with this awesome cupcake ribbon I got at Michael's. I think I like the "With Love" tags better, but we'll see as time goes on. 

That's about it for now, but stay tuned for Benjamin's Awesome Robot Cupcakes!