Leopard Inside Cupcakes: An Experiment

You've probably seen the videos circulating Facebook about how simple it is to make cake pops, cakes with leopard print inside, etc. I know from my personal experience with cake pops that if you did exactly as the video does, your cake pops are going to fall right off the stick. There's a few important steps missing. I figured it would be the same with these leopard print cakes. (Crumb-coating, anyone?) I also noticed a few cupcakes being made with this same leopard-inside method. There are reasons why I thought this method would work better with a cake than a cupcake, but I won't get into that right now. I decided I was going to try it. I also decided that it might be beneficial to make a video of exactly what I was doing. I realize I don't have the great lighting and beautiful kitchen setup, so bare with me... Here were my results from using the "Bullseye" pattern to create a leopard effect inside cupcakes.

So right off the bat I made the mistake of cutting the cupcake in half to check out the inside. What was visible was straight lines from the ring pattern. If the cupcake is being eaten, rather than sliced, it will be more spotty in appearance. My results were okay... but I thought I could try another idea and get even better results.

I thought, if layered rings work, why wouldn't piping actual leopard spots into the batter work just as well? You could choose exactly where you want them, make them a very specific shape... It should work... It wouldn't be as quick or easy as the ring method, but if you like to take your time and get things right like I do, then the following is the method I would use.

Here are my tips: Some of  which I noted in the videos Prepare your cake batter using room temperature ingredients for better mixing. Do not over-mix. Beat your eggs separately and add them to your mix to help avoid over mixing and ensure an even consistency. Separate your batter, colour it, and transfer it into three separate piping bags... Now let it chill in the fridge for a bit. Why? Because your pattern will hold it's shape a little better rather than using room temperature batter, which will want to sink down and level out. Also, rather than just laying your coloured batter over the black, I like to insert the tip of the piping bag into the black spot and "inject" the coloured batter. You want your coloured batter application to be thicker than your black batter, which you should do as thinly as you possibly can.

I feel with both videos I don't need to do a ton of explaining and frankly I've been waiting for three days to have the time to make this post- so I'm anxious to just get it up for those who have been waiting. If you have any questions just leave them in the comments.

Here are a few photos I took throughout the process. I did decorate a few of the cupcakes with Merckin candy melts, which I painted leopard spots on with coloured icing.

Bullseye Method:

Step 1 (well, sort of. The thin plain layer is technically step 1, but you get it...)

Step two.

Step three.

Step four, and then repeat the pattern. Try not to fill more than 2/3rds of the cup.

This was not as leopardly (tm) as I'd hoped, so I thought I could improve upon it...

If bitten, rather than cut, the design does look more random and spotty. 

Improved Method: 

After a thin plain base layer, lay down some thin black spots.
Inject a thicker spot of colour inside your black batter.
Cover over your coloured batter with a final layer of thin black.
Trace around your spots with plain batter and fill over them.
Repeat the pattern one more time.

More leopardly in appearance than the bullseye/ring pattern,
don't you think?

 I hope this post inspires you to do some experimenting of your own. Let me know how it goes in the comments!


I  have a batch of around 80 cake pops to prepare, ordered for a wedding on Friday so tomorrow if I have time I may write about some of those. The flavors I'm making are Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla, Devil's Food (Chocolate), and Red Velvet! I've been dying to make some Red Velvet, so that's good news!


-H.Cat.