A Good Walk Ruined

"I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game:  it's called an eraser."  ~Arnold Palmer

Golf Course Cupcake Cake

For those of us that are lucky enough to have golfers in our lives, we have the perfect (cup)cake for you! The best part of this cupcake cake is that it can be modeled after your favorite golfer's favorite hole, can be used with however many cupcakes you want, and can be made out of cupcakes, or a sheet cake! 
Father's day, birthday, anniversary, Tuesday, Boss's Day, the opportunities to impress with this treat are endless.


For this recipe, I'm going to assume that you already have your cake/cupcakes made and cooled. It's just easier for me that way. So, since you have your favorite flavor of cupcakes ready to go on your counter, do me a favor and grab whatever you're going to serve the cake on (cake display board, platter, etc). Play around with the cupcakes and arrange them in the shape of the particular hole that you want. Now that you have the cupcakes arranged, get together the following:


3 C white buttercream frosting (all amounts will be for 24 cupcakes which should = ~ 1/4 sheet cake)
Green food coloring gel
'Spaghetti' or 'grass' piping tip (it looks somewhat like a thimble) 
Piping tip
One chocolate chip
1/4 C crushed graham crackers (for a sand trap)
Blue food coloring gel (if you want a water hazard)


"Glue" your cupcakes in place on the serving apparatus with a small dot of the white buttercream. If you are going to include a sand trap, first frost those cupcakes with white frosting, then sprinkle the tops with graham crackers. Do this before you frost the rest of the cake! It will save you from having sand all over your grass. 

If you don't want a water hazard tint all but a tablespoon or two of the white buttercream a grassy green color (the reserved white is for the golf balls). If you do want a water hazard, separate about 1/4 of the white frosting to tint blue, color the rest green but still reserve some white for the golf balls. With an angled spatula frost the 'green' with the green buttercream. At this time, if you want a water hazard you should use an angled spatula and put that any darn place you want.


Now that you have the green and the hazards out of the way, start piping in the rough using the grass tip. *Warning* Your hand is probably going to get really sore if there is a lot of grass to pipe. Either recruit someone to tap in when your hand gets tired, or make sure there is room in the fridge where you can keep the cake while you take a break. 


Use the piping tip and white frosting to place the golf balls where you want them (in the sand trap and rough for a 'realistic' look). For the hole, take the chocolate chip and place it pointy end down into the green. 


For a large writing space (for "Happy Birthday" sentiments or "You're the Best Boss Ever, Can I Have a Raise?" adulations) make sure that the green, water hazard, or sand trap is large enough for the message. It is incredibly difficult to write a legible message on the grass, just sayin'. 


As always, happy cupcaking, and make sure to send in pictures when you attempt these recipes!