Homemade Bath Bomb Cupcakes

100% Guiltless Cupcakes. Could it be possible?

Unlike my Chocolate Mousse Pie which is almost guiltless, these cupcakes are completely guilt-free! While they may have you salivating, you can make them guilt-free because you won’t be eating them. You’ll throw them into your bath instead. 😉

American Thanksgiving is over, which means it is ok to think about Christmas. Even though I didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving this weekend (as a Canadian, mine was in October), I still find it taboo to think about Christmas too early. Christmas music has been blaring down St Clair West for the past week, and it was just too much for me. However, it did get me thinking.

Even though I am completely uncreative in the craft department, I got it into my head that I wanted to make a craft cupcake. I thought of making soap cupcakes, but realized it called for way too many ingredients I didn’t have (sodium hydroxide!). My attention next turned to bath bombs which uses many ingredients I already have, including many that I don’t plan to eat anyways (cornstarch, baking soda, citric acid) – perfect for guiltless clearing of my pantry, too! While searching for bath bomb cupcakes, I even came across a chocolate whoopie pie bath bomb made with oat flour, cocoa powder and milk powder. However, I only had 1/2 cup citric acid leftover from my chaat masala so I went with one recipe. Thankfully, this was perfectly timed. My mom was coming to visit this weekend and able to bring ingredients I didn’t have (Epsom salts, icing sugar, food coloring, cream of tartar, SPRINKLES!) and baking contraptions (frosting tips, cupcake wrappers) to frost my cupcakes. Plus, she has mad frosting skills.  I figured I needed a frosting tutorial from her regardless.

As soon as my Mom arrived, we got to work! I looked at her sprinkle collection and fell for the clear green ones. My mom suggested a pale green cupcake base so we were off!  This was definitely a team effort. I sifted and spritzed while my Mom mixed the cupcake batter. I originally used witch hazel to mist my batter but it didn’t seem to work at binding, so then we switched to water which was used in the original recipe. Once it was semi-solid, we packed them tightly into wrapper-lined muffin tins.

You can go as simple or as ornate as you’d like. You could stop right hear and have bath bomb disks. Or use ice cube trays with fun shapes for variety. I didn’t have any fragrances or essential oils (they need to be skin safe) so I went without. I can only imagine how much more awesome this would be with mint.

Next, we got to work on the frosting. For the real bakers out there, you may recognize this as royal icing. Icing that you can mold and allow to firm up solid. It can keep for years if properly stored. It is what you would use for gingerbread houses or pretty flowers on cakes. I decided not to experiment, so I stuck with the original recipe. I had to locate meringue powder, easily found at Bulk Barn, but nowhere else I looked. I know, this doesn’t make the frosting vegan. Only now did I realize there are vegan royal icings. I may try that next time.

So I whipped out my much neglected mixer and we made the icing together. Stuffed the icing into a bag and started piping. Pipe then sprinkled.

The frosting is edible but I don’t recommend eating the cupcake!  For now, you get a silky smooth skin after your glorious bath time. 🙂

I promise not to try soap making, but how about homemade body butter? I have a ton of coconut oil now… and I can only eat so much of it. 😉

Do you make your own beauty products? What gifts are you planning on making this holiday?

100% Guiltless Cupcake Bath Fizzies (Homemade Bath Bomb Cupcakes)
Adapted from Nitty Gritty Pretty

1/2 cup citric acid (find it cheaper in your local Indian grocer or wine homebrew store)
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup Epsom salts
Water
About 6 drops food coloring (I used green, try to use a paste)
10-15 drops skin safe essential oils (omitted, since I don’t have any)

3 tbsp meringue powder (can be found at Bulk Barn)
6 tbsp warm water
4 cups icing sugar (you can use less and add the full amount as you gauge your consistency)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
About 6 drops of food coloring (omitted to keep white)

Sprinkles (jojoba beads work, too – right, I don’t have any either!)

1. In a large bowl, sift baking soda, cornstarch and Epsom salts. Stir in the citric acid until all is well mixed. In a bit of water dissolve your food colouring. Use a mister to spray the food colouring (and essential oils, if using) and water into the bowl. Try to avoid letting it fizz – that means too much water in one place. Stir as your spritz. Mix until the dough starts to come together when pressed. Press into muffin tins, preferably lined with wrappers in case they become crumbly. Pack it all in really tight. You don’t need a flat top. Something curved will allow the frosting to stay attached. Allow to dry for a few hours.

2. When ready, make your icing. In a small cup, combine meringue powder and water. In a large mixing bowl, place sugar and cream of tartar. Slowly add in the wet mixture and beat with a mixer for 5-10 minutes on medium speed, until it is fluffy and stir peaks form. If it is too stiff, add in more water.

3. Use a frosting pipe and tip (or use a plastic bag with an edge cut-out) and frosting your cupcakes. Start at the middle and work your way outwards, then back up in the middle again. Dust with sprinkles. Allow to dry for a few hours, preferably overnight to a few days.

4. To use: plop into a bathtub filled with water. Remove wrapper prior to adding to bath. Watch it fizz!

Makes 14 cupcakes.