Use cupcakes to tastefully deliver messages of good fortune for the new year.
Fortune cupcakes can help you usher in a sweet start to the new year. The fortunes, or messages, can be baked inside the cupcakes or used as decorations on top. You can make the cupcakes from scratch, or pick them up from a bakery and decorate them yourself. Finally, more good fortune for any party planner: This idea can easily be transformed to fit any theme, from birthdays to baby showers to office celebrations. Does this Spark an idea?
Paper Fortune
The secret to hiding fortunes inside cupcakes is to use paper that will not burn during baking. Parchment paper is heat-proof and can be written on with a pen. Write the fortunes on strips of parchment paper, and press into half-filled cupcake tins. Fill each tin with more batter to cover the fortunes, and bake the cupcakes as usual. Use positive predictions, such as "You will meet someone special," "You will go on a long trip," and "You will discover new-found wealth."
Trinkets
Instead of paper fortunes, bury small plastic trinkets inside each cupcake to indicate a fortune for the coming year. Interpretation of the trinket can be part of the New Year's party activities. A ring might point to a future wedding or anniversary. A small plastic baby, usually used for Mardi Gras king cakes, could be a sign of children in someone's future. A plastic coin could hint about wealth.
Charms
Decorate baked cupcakes with charms to bring good fortune for the coming year. Spread a smooth layer of icing over the cupcakes. Press marshmallows from Lucky Charms breakfast cereal onto the edges of the iced portion of the cupcake. Place a stencil of a good luck charm on top of the cupcake (stencils of horseshoes, four-leaf clovers and stars are available at baking supply stores). Sprinkle powdered sugar to cover the stencil. When you lift the stencil away from the cupcake, the shape will be left behind in powdered sugar.
Fortune Cookie
Bake a fortune cookie inside the cupcake batter, or place one on top of an iced cupcake. The paper fortune will be protected by the cookie if you choose to bake the cookie inside the cupcake batter. To decorate the fortune cookie cupcake for the New Year's party, write the year on the top of the cupcake with icing. For cookies placed on top of iced cupcakes, dip the fortune cookie in chocolate and roll it in edible confetti sugar. The eaters can choose to open the fortune cookie before or after eating their cupcake.
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