Cupcake Model For Practice

Decorating By cadaless31 Updated 4 Nov 2017 , 4:03pm by cadaless31

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cadaless31 Posted 19 May 2017 , 2:06am
post #1 of 10

Hi all, does any have any suggestions or know where i can get a cupcake 'model' that i can practice my decorating skills on. This would ideally be a silicone reusable 'cupcake' that i could play around with laying out designs and decorating?


What do you all use? I don't want to have to bake my cakes all the time for practice

9 replies
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leah_s Posted 19 May 2017 , 12:30pm
post #2 of 10

There are styro cupcake dummies.  Is that what you want?  I have some I'm not going to use.  If you'll pay postage I can send them to you.

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johnson6ofus Posted 19 May 2017 , 1:27pm
post #3 of 10

When I taught classes, we actually used a standard full sized jar of sprinkles as a cupcake "top". The students held the jar, "decorated" the top (using the jar itself as a solid item to hold on to --rather than a flower nail or those stupid cupcake holder nails). Then they dump the icing back in the bowl by tapping the jar on the icing bowl.  I used this method for learning/teaching various swirls and tip usage.The students could easily practice bag holding, position and pressure.... while developing a "feel" for the various swirls and techniques.

Obviously, if you add any solid decoration items, they cant go back in the practice icing bowl.

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cadaless31 Posted 19 May 2017 , 1:27pm
post #4 of 10

@leah_s thank you for the offer!

are they reusable? Or more once and done. I guess if Styrofoam I can always cover with sarnwrap.  Approximately how many do you have? 

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johnson6ofus Posted 19 May 2017 , 1:33pm
post #5 of 10

Those cupcake Styrofoams are hard to work with for practice. The icing tends to make them top heavy. They are great for display, but they tip easily. That is why I adopted the "sprinkle jar lid" method.

Don't forget to note the tips used and photograph them for your own personal "library" of styles.

I would use the jar method for "Practice" and the true Styrofoam forms for realistic looking photos (if that is needed).

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leah_s Posted 19 May 2017 , 2:27pm
post #6 of 10

just like any stryo dummy, you will need to anchor them to work with them.  Shove a toothpick in the bottom and anchor it to another piece of stryo that has been taped to your turntable.  Easy.  I know I probably have at least 6.

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mkcherry Posted 8 Jun 2017 , 8:46am
post #7 of 10

I have a set of Styrofoam dummy cupcakes but i dislike it like i dislike all cake dummies. Instead I baked a batch of inedible  "cupcakes" (just flour, oil, vinegar and baking soda rise like a cupcake nice and round so I can practice poured fondant / piping etc ) I used good expensive cupcake liners so they dont disintegrate on me and keep them in the fridge for weeks, icing / decorate, arrange and take photographs for my website then I wipe the frosting off and decorate again. If i make a huge layout to photograph I might put them in the freezer for second so i can just pull all the icing off. Not exactly reusable but I think they look better than the dummies did and help me build my portfolio without a lo of waste or investment 


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cadaless31 Posted 25 Jun 2017 , 4:24pm
post #8 of 10

Thank you that sounds like a great idea! What are you proportions for the inedible cupcakes?

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mkcherry Posted 25 Jun 2017 , 4:56pm
post #9 of 10
Cupcake Model For PracticeCupcake Model For PracticeCupcake Model For PracticeCupcake Model For PracticeCupcake Model For Practice


  • 2 3/4  cups all Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 cup water 
  • ⅓ cup  Oil
  • 1 Tbsp (15ml) White Vinegar


I barely bake them at 350 until just solidified or they get a bit a dark and use  really good wrappers, taking them out of the pan immediately  so they don't get soggy from condensation forming on them 



This recipe for photography cupcakes is actually my vegan vanilla cupcakes with all the flavoring removed. For great vegan cupcakes make the following subs. I just mix the wet ingredients and dump into the dry. 


Flour =  1 3/4 cups cake flour

Water = almond milk 

+ 2 T vanilla extract 

+ one cup sugar 

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cadaless31 Posted 4 Nov 2017 , 4:03pm
post #10 of 10

Thank you!!!

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