Flat-Petal Flower Cupcakes (Makes 24 cupcakes)

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for flouring the cake pans
• 2 cups sugar, plus more for unmolding the cakes
• 2 cups Italian Custard Cream (optional)
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• Unsalted butter (about 2 tablespoons), nonstick spray, or vegetable oil may be used for greasing the cake pans

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven, and preheat to 350°F (176°C).
2. Put the flour, sugar, custard cream (if using), vegetable oil, baking powder, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, but take extra care not to over-mix.) Mix on low speed for a few seconds, just until the ingredients are blended together. Raise the speed to low-medium and continue to mix until smooth, approximately one additional minute.
3. With the motor running, add one egg at a time, adding the next one after the previous one has been absorbed into the mixture. Stop the motor periodically and scrape the bowl from the bottom with a rubber spatula to integrate the ingredients, return the mixer to low-medium speed.
4. After all the eggs are added, continue to mix for one additional minute to ensure the eggs have been thoroughly mixed in. This will help guarantee that the sugar is dissolved and that the flour has been thoroughly mixed in, which will help produce a luxurious mouth-feel in the final cake.
5. With the motor running on low speed, add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, stopping the motor to scrape the sides and bottom between the two additions. Continue to mix for another minute or until the mixture appears smooth. Before baking, be sure the batter is between 70° and 73°F (21° and 22°C), or the cake will crown. (Test by plunging a kitchen thermometer into the centre of the batter; if it is too warm, put the bowl in the refrigerator for a few minutes; if too cool, let it rest at room temperature.)
6. Grease two 9-inch cake pans (2 inches deep) and flour them.
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and get as much batter as possible out.
8. Bake until the cake begins to pull from the sides of the pan and is springy to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes, preferably one hour. The cakes should be room temperature before you remove them from the pan.
10. Put a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with sugar, and one at a time, turn the pans over and turn the cakes out onto the parchment; the sugar will keep them from sticking.
11. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to decorate.

Flat-Petal Flower Icing

Unless you have two rose tips, you will need to set up and fill the orange bag after using the green bag. Be sure to clean and dry the tip before dropping it into the bag that will hold the buttercream frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green buttercream, #126 rose tip
• 2 1/2 cups orange buttercream, #126 rose tip
• 1/2 cup yellow buttercream, #8 interchangeable plan tip

Directions:

1. Center a cupcake on the turntable.
2. Take the green buttercream bag in hand and, while turning the turntable, apply steady pressure to pipe a border around the edge of the cupcake.
3. Switch to the orange buttercream bag and apply the steady pressure and movement technique (rotating your wrist) to create wide petals, starting in the center and ending just inside the border.
4. Switch to the yellow buttercream bag and squeeze-and-pull once in the center of the cupcake to make a dot.
5. Remove the cupcake from the turntable and repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

Black-and-White Cookies (Makes 12 cookies)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 cups powdered (10X) sugar
• 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips or ½ ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped.

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 340°F (171°C).
2. Cream the sugar and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium. (You can use a hand mixer if you let the butter soften at room temperature before beginning.) Add the eggs, one at a time, paddling about one minute after each egg is added, and then stopping after each one to scrape. Add the milk, vanilla, and lemon juice and paddle just until they are absorbed into the mixture.
3. Sift the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together into a separate bowl. Add them to the mixer bowl. Paddle on low speed just until they have been absorbed by the mixture and it is smooth and consistent.
4. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, using nonstick spray or a dab of butter in each corner to glue the paper in place.
5. Use a 2-ounce ice cream or 1/4 cup measure scoop to scoop batter onto the parchment paper, leaving 2 inches between the cookies.
6. Bake in batches until the cookies are lightly golden brown, about 18 minutes. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and as soon as the cookies can be moved, use the spatula to transfer them to a rack and let them cool.
7. Transfer the cookies to plates and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm them up.
8. Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Whisk in the 10X sugar until the mixture is uniformly smooth and white. Use a spatula to ice half of the top of each cookie, suing the edge of the spatula or the tip of a thin-bladed knife to make a straight edge. (If the icing seizes up, simply return to the pot to the double boiler over low heat and whisk to reinvigorate.)
9. Return the pot to the double boiler and stir the chocolate into the remaining icing until it melts and is blended in. Spread the chocolate frosting over the other half of each cookie.

The cookies may be enjoyed right away, or kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.