Cupcake Rescue

Now that Passover has come to an end for another year, it's time to refocus on the wedding. For Seinfeld lovers, I'm thinking the planning of this wedding is starting to sound like the episode where friends keep talking about their baby. Remember that one? Jerry keeps saying, "it's all about THE BABY" (Psychgrad's note: I believe they keep saying, "you gotta see THE BABY". Giz's note: I stand corrected - as usual :) Clearly it's not stopping me from sharing some of the trials and tribulations of attempting to create exactly what Psychgrad would like to see.

Today I'm trying a new recipe for cupcakes. Actually, I took a recipe from the Canadian Living "The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book" called Glazed Lemon Cake, cut the recipe in half and baked it as muffins. Half the recipe netted 14 muffins.

Here's the whole recipe:
Glazed Lemon Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups milk

Topping:

1 1/2 cups Icing Sugar
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lemon juice
I didn't make the glaze - wasn't sure if covering the muffins with icing would make it too goopy (technical culinary term)

Method:

1. Grease 13x9 inch (3.5L) metal cake pan, set aside
2. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time beating well after each. Beat in lemon rind and vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Using wooden spoon, stir into butter mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of milk. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top.
4. Bake in centre of 350 F (180 C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean - 35-40 minutes. (22-25 minutes for muffins) Place pan/muffins on rack.






Topping:

In a bowl, whisk together icing sugar, lemon rind and juice. With skewers poke holes at 1 inch (2.5 cm) intervals, all over top of cake. Spoon sugar mixture evenly over top, smoothing with back of spoon. Let cool.

Note: The texture and flavour of these muffins are perfect.

So here's where the "Rescue" part comes in. What I want to create now has to look like this:



Psychgrad's note - Mom - I'm not so convinced that this is the best design. I actually think I like some of the other designs more.
Giz's note: Hey!!! This is my post - other designs can go in your post ...love Mommy Dearest :)
Psychgrad's note: So I guess it isn't really all about the baby then, is it?

For all the accomplished bakers in our blog world:
1. What kind of icing would you use for mid June warm weather?
2. What Wilton tip would you use to create this design?
3. I'm trying to achieve a burgandy colour - what tints of colour would you use to get the right colour - not too dark but not too pinky?

Any other suggestions, ideas, direction would be hugely appreciated.
Also, most of the paper cups I'm seeing are really boring - does anyone have a source for really nice cups?