# What You’ll Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 0.5 cup whole milk
→ Buttercream Frosting
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Blue gel food coloring
→ Fondant Fish Toppers
14 - 8 ounces white fondant
15 - Gel food coloring in blue, green, orange, and yellow
16 - Edible black marker or black food coloring
17 - Cornstarch for dusting
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with milk in three additions. Mix just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely.
07 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually incorporate sifted powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Add milk as needed to achieve a fluffy, spreadable consistency. Tint frosting with blue gel food coloring.
08 - Divide white fondant into portions and tint each section with desired gel food coloring to create various fish colors.
09 - Mold small ovals from colored fondant for fish bodies and flatten slightly. Shape tiny triangles for tails and fins, attaching them with dabs of water.
10 - Use edible black marker or a tiny brush with black food coloring to add eyes to each fondant fish. Allow toppers to air-dry completely on parchment paper.
11 - Frost cooled cupcakes with blue buttercream, swirling to resemble water. Place one fondant fish topper on each cupcake.
