Ladybug Cupcakes
Cupcake Decorating Ideas

Ladybug cupcakes may bring you a little luck. Did you know that in most cultures the ladybug is a symbol of luck.

In Belguim it is belived that if a ladybug crosses the palm of an unmarried girl she will be married within the year.

In Brussels the number of spots a ladybug has on her back indicates how many children the person holding her will have.

In Brittain if a large number of ladybugs are seen flying in Spring it is a sign of good harvest.

In Norway if a boy and a girl see a ladybug at the same time there will be romance between the two.

So why not bake up some good luck with these cute ladybug cupcakes.

Ladybug Cupcakes Decorating Ideas

Click on Ladybug Cupcakes Image for Instructions

Buttercream Ladybug	Fondant Ladybug	Ladybug and flower
Happy Ladybug

Buttercream Ladybug Cupcakes

For each of these ladybug cupcakes you will need:

1 black licorice strip
10 mini M&M's or skittles
Cake decorating writing gel - white
1-2 tablespoons buttercream icing colored red

 

 

 

 

1. Spread some of the red buttercream icing over the top of the cupcake.

 

2. Cut a half moon shape from the licorice strap and place it on one edge of the cupcake. You can get the right size shape by finding a cutter that fits the top of the cake and use this to cut out your shape.

 

 

 

 

3. Cut another piece of licorice into a thin strip for the centre wing separation, place this in the center of the cupcake.

 

 

 

 

4. Place the M&M spots on either side of the licorice strip.

5. Use the white decorating gel to make dots for the eyes on the front of the head.

6. If you find that the red icing is a little messy under the licorice head just smooth it out with your finger.

 

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Rolled Fondant Ladybug Cupcakes

For each ladybug cupcakes you will need:

Red fondant icing
Black fondant icing
White fondnat icing

Licorice strap
Cake decorating writing gel - white
Small amount of buttercream icing
or apricot glaze

Rolling pin

Circle cutters
Large round cutter for the body(big enough to cover the top of the cupcake)
Small round cutter for the head
Tiny round cutter for the spots

Small brush and water

For this ladybug you will need a cake that has a rounded top and the edges of the cupcake should not spill out over the paper case.

If you have baked your cupcakes and they did not turn out this way don't worry you can still make this.

Simply trim the edges of the cupcake close to the paper case.

If it has sunk in the middle use some buttercream to build it up into a rounded top. If you have done this just skip step 3 of the instructions.

 

1. On a surface dusted with a little icing sugar, roll out some of the red fondant to about 5mm (.20 inch) thick.

2. Using a large cutter cut out a circle from the red fondant. You will need a cutter much larger than the top of the cake. You could use a bowl or saucer for your cutter.

3. Spread a thin layer of buttercream icing or apricot glaze over the top of the cupcake to act as a glue and then add the large red circle to the cupcake.

Run your fingers gently around the edge to smooth it out. If you need to you can gently pull the fondant so that it covers the top of the cake completely meeting the top of the paper case.

 

4. Use the edge of a ruler or the back of a knife to make a line across the middle for the wings.

 

 

 

 

5. Roll out some black fondant icing 5mm (.20 inch) thick and cut out one small circle for the head and eight tiny circles for the spots.

6. To attach the head apply a small amount of water to the back of the black fondant head circle and press gently onto the red fondant as shown in the picture.

 

 

 

 

7. Cut off the excess black fondant icing to the edge of the red and smooth into place with your fingers.

 

 

 

 

8. Use a little water on the back of the black fondant circles to create the spots on the ladybugs wings.

 

 

 

 

9. Roll out some white fondant icing the same as for the black and cut out two circles for the eyes slightly larger than the tiny black spots.

10. Then position and attach the two white circles on the head with a little water. Add a tiny black circle to each eye.

11. Cut a piece of licorice into a two thin strips for the antenna these just behind the black head on either side of marked center line. You can use a toothpick to make some tiny holes for the licorice to slip into.

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Ladybug Cupcakes With Flower

For each ladybug cupcakes you will need:

1 fondant or marzipan ladybug
5 yellow and 1 orange mini M&M's
Green buttercream frosting

Piping bag fitted with a star nozzel

 

To make your ladybug you will need

Red fondant icing
Black fondant icing
White fondant icing
Small piece of licorice strap

You can also use marzipan to make the ladybug

 

1. Take a small piece of red fondant icing (about a walnut size) roll into an egg shape.

2. Take a small piece of black fondant icing (about the size of a jelly bean) and shape like a jelly bean.

 

 

 

3. Attach the black fondant with a little water to the red fondant as shown in the picture.

 

 

 

 

4. Use the back of a knife to make a line on the back of the red fondant icing for the wings.

 

 

 

 

5. Roll tiny pieces of black fondant for the spots. I made 10 spots, five for each wing.

 

 

 

 

6. Attach the tiny black spots on the ladybugs wings.

 

 

 

 

 

7. Make two white spots from white fondant icing for the eyes and position on the black fondant head.

 

 

 

 

8. Make two smaller black fondant spots for the eyes and place on top of the white eye spots. Cut two small pieces of licorice for the antenna and position into place just above the black fondant in the center of the head.

If you like you can create a mouth use a knife to create this.

 

 

 

To decorate the cake

1. Fill a piping bag which has been fitted with a star nozzle and pipe dots all over the top of the cake.

 

 

 

 

2. Place your finished ladybug on one side of the cupcake.

 

 

 

 

 

3. Create a flower with the M&M's

 

 

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Happy Ladybug Cupcakes

For each cupcake you will need:

Red fondant icing
Black fondant icing
White fondant icing
Small piece of licorice strap

Small amount of buttercream icing

Rolling pin

Circle cutters
Large round cutter for the body(big enough to cover the top of the cupcake)
Small round cutter for the head
Tiny round cutter for the spots

Small brush and water

 

1. On a surface dusted with a little icing sugar, roll out some of the black fondant to about 5mm (.20 inch) thick.

2. Using a large cutter cut out a circle from the black fondant.

3. Spread a thin layer of buttercream icing or apricot glaze over the top of the cupcake to act as a glue and then add the large black circle to the cupcake.

Run your fingers gently around the edge to smooth it out. If you need to you can gently pull the fondant so that it covers the top of the cake completely meeting the top of the paper case.

 

 

4. Roll out some of the red fondant to about 5mm (.20 inch) thick. Cut it in half and then cut out a triangular piece a little more than the center point.

 

 

 

 

5. Use a little water on the back of the red fondant and place on top of the black fondant icing press gently in place.

 

 

 

 

6. Cut out a medium size circle of black fondant for the head, before placing on the cupcake use the large cutter that you used earlier to cut the bottom of the head (by using this cutter the bottom of the black fondant will match the bottom edge of the red fondant).

 

 

 

7. Fix in place by using a little water on the back of the black and smooth into place on the red.

 

 

 

 

8. Roll out a little of the black fondant and cut out some tiny circles for the ladybug spots and two extra for the eye spots. Cut out two small white circles slightly larger than the black for the eyes. Use a little water to postion these on the ladybug as shown in the picture.

 

 

 

9. Use a toothpick to poke holes into the cake just above the black head in the center on either side of the wings for the antenna. Cut two small pieces of licorice for the antenna and place into the holes you created.

10. Create the month by using the edge of a small circle cutter to press in a smiling mouth. To open the mouth gently pull the fondant down with the circle cutter until it opens out a little.

 

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