https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/cupcake-candles • Posted by StephanieM
I made these for all my friends as Christmas presents. I couldn't find any very good how-to's on the Internet but I gave it a go anyway and they worked really well. I happened to have a candle-making kit at home, so it was really cheap for me to make.
I made these for all my friends as Christmas presents. I couldn't find any very good how-to's on the Internet but I gave it a go anyway and they worked really well. I happened to have a candle-making kit at home, so it was really cheap for me to make.
You make the cupcake in two layers, the 'cake bit' and the 'icing bit'. Make sure your cupcake cases are grease proof on the inside. Fill every cupcake case with paraffin wax so that there is a small mound on top. When the wax melts it will take up less space.
Pour the wax from every case onto some scales. I used approximately 400g of wax for 6 cupcakes. For me, the hardener wax I had was 1 part for every 10 parts of paraffin wax. So I added 40g of Sasol wax.
Poke a small hole through the middle of the bottom of each case. Push some of the wick through the bottom and tape over the hole with sticky tape. Cut the wick at the top so that it sticks out the top of the patty pan by 3 or 4 cm.
To melt the wax you can use a double boiler if you have one. I don't, so I put my wax in a pudding bowl and the pudding bowl in a saucepan with a few cm of water in it. Putting water in the saucepan is very important. I found it doesn't really matter what temperature it's on, I lowered it once the water boiled. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon. When the wax is almost all melted, add a small amount of the yellow or brown dye for light coloured cakes. Add a few drops of food essence or essential oil if you want. Stir in.
Stick the wick over to one side of each cupcake case. Carefully pour the wax into the cupcake case. Get a bamboo skewer/pencil/ popsicle stick and place it across the top of the cupcake case. Making sure the wick is going straight up, lie the end over the stick to keep it in place. Wait a few hours for them to cool. Don't put them in the fridge.
Now it's time to make the icing. I used 1/3-1/2 the amount of wax I used to make the cupcakes for the icing. Repeat the melting process and this time put in your other coloured dye. I used a mixture of pink and purple that came out as a fuchsia (You can't really tell in the photos). Add essence or essential oil if you want. Turn the heat off but leave the wax in the bowl. You can leave it for a couple of minutes but then come back and start whisking. When you notice the wax on the side of the bowl changing colour. It's the perfect temperature and you need to be fairly quick. Push the hardened wax back into the melted wax and mix up the hardening wax from the bottom. It makes a very odd looking texture. Spoon it on top of the cupcakes, making sure the wick still sticks out. Arrange to how you like it. Optional: Sprinkle glitter over the top
After an hour or so they should be completely hardened. You can take them out of their cases if you like and they should have a nice zig-zaggy pattern like the case. You are finished!