Cupcakes with Sparkle

Why be plain and boring ... when you can Sparkle!!

...is how our bubbly and friendly pommy instructor Jason described his cupcakes.
Yes Shankette and I are off on another cupcake adventure and many thanks to Kathryn @ Sparkle Cupcakery for inviting us to join in their chocolate decorating class.

What's that ... did someone say Chocolate!!
We were both very excited to learn, design, and taste a different style of cupcake decorating.

I first discovered Sparkle Cupcakery at the Taste of Sydney exhibition and really liked their simple yet elegant signature design of cupcakes. What really blew me away were the cupcake flavour combinations. Matcha & Bubbles, Lychee & Rose, and Pistachio & Cardamon to name a few.

The class of 10 ranged from domestic goddesses wanting to pick up a few more cake decorating tips to a guy who had heard of, but never used a hand mixer. There was initially shyness in this group of bakers until the ice was broken early by someone pressing the 'on' button instead of the release button of the hand mixer, spluttering cake mix for all to wear. (Hence Jason's expression in the above image).

The course consisted of preparing the cupcake batter, preparing Pettinice icing, cupcake designs, how to make ganache (and in our case how to bring it back when the mixture has split), tempering chocolate, and how to create chocolate shards and decorations.

Once the cupcakes were cooled we were unleashed to a plethora of decorations. From the chocolate buttons, shavings, shards, and designs we'd created earlier; all types of colourful sprinkles, disco-style cachous, and 10kg of sweet sweet butter cream (in chocolate and vanilla). Jason ordered us to go crazy with our decorations but warned that "sometimes less is more".






















After much fun making a sticky mess, Kathryn had sandwiches, macaroons, and champagne awaiting for us in their funky dining area. Our course included a 2hr class, light refreshments, half dozen self-decorated cupcakes, and Sparkles Boobs & Moobs Sparkle apron.

For my XGLUTs out there you'll be happy to know that Sparkle did not forget about us either. They serve a gluten-free flavour daily. It was also to my excitement to find that the gluten-free cupcakes are the same size as the regular cupcakes, and also the same price. This is a rarity in itself as all other bakeries/pizzerias I have been to charge extra for their gluten free range and it's a smaller serving size.

Nice one Sparkle.

How could I leave without tasting one of their signature cupcakes. As fate had it, they happened to have the flavour I'd been meaning to try, Oriental Flower. The verdict, a light fluffy cake, well balanced with the butter cream that had fragrant notes of Lychee and Rose - as beautiful a combination as I'd imagined.

It's all happening at Sparkle. Besides this awesome class they are holding cupcake classes for kids, you can book them for CCC (Canapes, Cupcakes and Champagne) parties, they're listed in SIFF in October 2010 with their version of High Tea (Sparkle T Party) and 'Lets Do Brunch' where they serve a delicious-sounding croque monsier.

So go find your Sparkle @ 132 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.


Mr and Mrs Shanks attended Sparkle's cupcake design class as guests of Kathryn of Sparkle Cupcakery and Brian at Emotive Ideas - Many thanks to you both and Jason.


Till next time ... we eat!!

Shanks.