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.

　　

Ingredients

makes 24

　　24 Strawberry Cupcakes (page 146)

　　Swiss Meringue Buttercream (page 304)

　　7 ounces marzipan

　　Red and green gel-paste food colors

　　Cornstarch, for work surface

　　

Step 1

Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream over each cupcake. Transfer remaining buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a coupler and a small basketweave tip (#47). Working from top to bottom, pipe a series of lines across top of cupcake, leaving about 1/4 inch between piped lines. Working from left to right, and starting at bottom of cupcake, pipe short horizontal lines over vertical ones, filling in all gaps to create a basketweave effect. Repeat with remaining cupcakes and buttercream. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 2 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before topping with marzipan strawberries.

　　

Step 2

Tint half of marzipan red with gel-paste food color (see page 299 for instructions). Make 24 pea-size balls, and 48 slightly larger balls. Roll balls on work surface dusted with cornstarch, elongating them to mimic a strawberry shape. Using a toothpick, poke indentations all over the strawberries. Tint remaining marzipan green. Pinch off some; roll into 24 thin vines, about 2 inches long. Roll out remaining green marzipan 1/8 inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch; cut out tiny leaves with a calyx cutter. Attach a leaf to the top of each strawberry, poking in the centers with a taper-cone modeling tool and draping the leaf points down the sides of the strawberries. Cut some leaves into halves or quarters, and attach to vines.

　　

Step 3

To finish, drape the marzipan vines over buttercream basketweave patterns on cupcakes; attach strawberries and arrange leaves along the vines.

　　Martha Stewart's Cupcakes