Chocolate Wax Seals on Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes

Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate "Wax" Seals

I found the inspiration for chocolate “wax” seals in a magazine last year while I was researching wedding cakes. Maybe you remember my plight? I was nervous about making my first wedding cake so I studied a mountain of books and magazines on the subject ad nauseum. It was a great learning experience, but I’ll never forget the car ride to the reception hall with a triple-tier cake in the back.  My heart was in my throat exactly nineteen times (the number of bumps in the road) and I may have shed a tear when we arrived with the cake intact. (I digress.)

I’ve seen chocolate seals plenty of times on Sacher tortes and other fancy pastries, but I couldn’t find instructions for making them at home. So, I ordered a couple of inexpensive wax stamps – and some real sealing wax in case things didn’t turn out as expected – and experimented with bittersweet chips. I found a neat no-temper method that I think just about anyone could replicate at home.

Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate "Wax" Seals

I used an “H” to indicate the flavor of the cake but plan to get double use since it’s my initial, too. The crown imprint turned out well, and even the more intricate bee stamp worked perfectly, which was surprising. Those little bee legs are so delicate!

I made a video to show how easy it is to make your own at home.  It simply involves keeping the wax stamps on ice so the chocolate sets fast when the impression is made.


Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate "Wax" Seals

I could talk finishing touches all day, but I have to tell you about this poured fondant recipe. It’s delicious and so simple. The usual recipe is made with corn syrup but I substituted honey, and wow– what a difference! It’s so flavorful, and has the most beautiful smooth matte surface when dry.  I love it with the honey-lemon cake in this recipe.

Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate "Wax" Seals
Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate "Wax" Seals

There are a couple additional things to keep in mind when making the seals, and I’ve explained that in detail in the body of the recipe.  If you need a wax stamp, then you can find one here (around $10 apiece), but I’ve also seen them at art supply shops so there’s a chance that you may find them locally.

I think these would be beautiful on a wedding reception table, but they may be making an appearance for our 10 year anniversary this year.  My husband loved the lemon-honey cakes and the honey fondant really is something special – hope you’ll give it a try sometime!

Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes with Chocolate “Wax” Seals

Heather Baird
Transform ordinary looking cupcakes into beautifully decorated confections using a wax seal stamp and chocolate.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16

Equipment

  • wax seal stamp

Ingredients
  

Cakes

  • 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tbsp salt
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp. milk
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg

Poured fondant

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey

Chocolate “wax” seals

  • 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • Parchment paper
  • Cup filled with crushed ice
  • Metal wax seal stamps

Instructions
 

Cakes

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners. This recipe makes about 16 cupcakes so if you have two tins, line four additional cups with liners.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk sour cream, milk, lemon zest and juiced in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
  • Beat butter, honey and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Turn off mixer and add half of flour, combine on low until just mixed. Add the sour cream mixture and beat again. Add remaining flour and beat until well combined.
  • Spoon 2 1/2 level tablespoons of batter into each cupcake liner. Bake for about 18 minutes. Cakes should rise up to just below the top edge of the cupcake liner. Let cool completely.

Poured fondant

  • Stir all the ingredients together in a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture and bring to a hard boil. Boil to a temperature of 238 degrees. Immediately pour the syrup into a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
  • Let mixture stand uncovered in the food processor until the temperature cools to 140 degrees; about 25-30 minutes. Attach the lid of the food processor to the bowl and remove the small feed tube. Process for 2-5 minutes or until the liquid is pale and opaque. Immediately pour fondant over cupcakes and fill to the top of the cupcake liner. Let stand until set and completely cooled.

Chocolate “wax” seals

  • Gently heat chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave at 30 second intervals; be careful to not over heat.. Stir smooth.
  • Transfer chocolate to a clean bowl. Let it stand 3-5 minutes or until it’s barely warm to the touch. It’s important the chocolate is not too hot when you make an impression with the stamp. The heat from the chocolate will warm the metal stamp and it will cause the chocolate to smear.
  • Place metal wax seal stamps in the cup filled with crushed ice. The stamp bottoms need to be thoroughly chilled.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop dime-size amounts of chocolate onto the parchment paper. Remove a stamp from the ice and quickly wipe it free of water droplets with a towel. Place the stamp onto a mound of chocolate, press down gently then release. Let the stamp stand pressed in the chocolate for 3-5 seconds. Press down again very gently but firmly once more before you lift the stamp (see instructional video for clear visual). You should be left with a clear impression in the chocolate. Replace metal wax stamp into the crushed ice until it is thoroughly chilled and repeat with remaining melted chocolate. Refrigerate finished chocolate seals until firm.
  • Place a dot of melted chocolate or honey to the center of the set cupcakes. Use a spatula to transfer the seals onto the cupcake tops; press gently to adhere.
Keyword chocolate wax seals, poured honey fondant
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Mary @ The Kitchen Paper
Mary @ The Kitchen Paper
10 years ago

This all looks wonderful! I'm definitely excited to try the fondant – I've never made a frosting/icing/fondant with that technique… Sounds interesting, and looks beautiful!

kelsey_the farmer's daughter
kelsey_the farmer's daughter
10 years ago

you are absolutely brilliant! these look so incredible, and I love the video you made! so helpful, and it does look so easy 🙂 can't wait to try it out!

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
10 years ago

Wonderfully spring-like cupcakes and cute seals!

Cheers,

Rosa

ThisGirlBlogs
ThisGirlBlogs
10 years ago

This is fantastic! Such a neat idea and looks brilliant 🙂

Sue
Sue
10 years ago

I love this technique. The cupackes look so pristene and perfect, and I have a soft spot for all things bee related:)

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

Delicious!!
Have a nice weekend

Krissy @ Make it Naked
Krissy @ Make it Naked
10 years ago

Oh my goodness! I love this so much!

Sarah Ruthless
Sarah Ruthless
10 years ago

Chocolate wax seals? Get OUT of town that is way too clever.

Kelly
Kelly
10 years ago

Heather I love this. It is so elegant, but relatively simple to make! This is perfect for a birthday I need to bake for this weekend!

Megan
Megan
10 years ago

So beautiful! And such a good idea to use honey in the fondant! Love this idea.

La Table De Nana
La Table De Nana
10 years ago

Brilliant brilliant brilliant!
Can't wait to try.I have used my M butter mold stamp.on fondant…never thought to use the seals..
Now on chocolate?Beautiful.
Any idea.. on what to add the make a chocolate poured fondant?
I think it could be good too?

Melted chocolate? or cocoa powder? How much would you add?

Tieghan
Tieghan
10 years ago

These are so cute! You are amazing what you can do with a cupcake!

Jillian
Jillian
10 years ago

I just wanted to say I am a new follower and I truly love your stuff. You have such fantastic ideas and great tutorials. Thank you for sharing them with all of us!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Oh wow…these are stunning! And I bet they taste every bit as delicious as they look.

Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles
10 years ago

This is so neat, and incredibly beautiful. My mind is racing with all the possibilities of edible seals!! LOVE this!!!

Dorangela
Dorangela
10 years ago

absolutely love this since it's dairy and gluten free my boys will love it! And I can sneak in some seasonal honey in there. Would you mind telling me where you bought your wax seal stamps? obsessed with the crown one. thanks

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

These cupcakes are absolutely beautiful! I recently made a cake that made me fall in love with honey all over again 🙂 And I like the idea of the poured fondant thing too.

Cassie | Bake Your Day
Cassie | Bake Your Day
10 years ago

These are simply stunning, Heather! And using the seals with chocolate – perfect. I actually think I have a set of those!

lourdes elbuhogoloso
lourdes elbuhogoloso
10 years ago

What a lovely cupcakes, I love honey. I'm wishing to make them

Heather
Heather
10 years ago

I have to try that frosting! It makes it look so clean and beautiful!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Kim –
I love this idea – always have loved the wax seals; this is even better!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Loved this idea, just wondering if you can add color to this poured fondant

Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier
Jenn @ Once Upon a Tier
10 years ago

These are so cute! What a brilliant idea!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

I found a Hogwarts stamp on Ebay and I am SERIOUSLY considering buying it and making Hogwarts cupcakes!!!

Mari @ Oh, Sweet & Savory
Mari @ Oh, Sweet & Savory
10 years ago

These are so lovely! What an elegant finish to cupcakes. Wonderful idea!

Wicked Goodies
Wicked Goodies
10 years ago

Brilliant.

Wenderly
Wenderly
10 years ago

You are BRILLIANT!!! I am in love with these chocolate wax seals! (I've got a stamp already!) Can't wait to play! And the poured fondant?!?! I'm over the moon with that as well! I just adore your site!

Sunchowder
Sunchowder
10 years ago

I LOVE this post 🙂

La Table De Nana
La Table De Nana
10 years ago

Thank you for all you share..I made some seals today..and your Biscoff cake..I didn't surround it completely in the transfer..I just added a transfer heart and some of your seals..
It's for tomorrow night..
I had fun trying.:-)

Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com
10 years ago

So fun! I love the idea of poured fondant! So quick and mess free!

JMS~JOY in the arts!
JMS~JOY in the arts!
10 years ago

Can you really safely put something so hot into a FP bowl without melting it?

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

The cupcake recipe lists only baking powder. In Step 2, it mentions "whisking" baking powder & baking SODA. I'm confused? Does it also call for baking soda? If so, how much?
The "seals" idea sounds really neat. Am anxious to try it. Thank you for such a unique idea. Wish me luck in trying it.

baker in disguise
baker in disguise
10 years ago

This is brilliant.. am totally taken in with the idea of the pouring fondant and it looks doable too!!! Have been seeing the chocolate seals all over the place.. thats another idea to put to work.. just love the end result!! gorgeous!!

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Those are some beautiful pictures !
I love the recipe, you are so talented

Tracy {pale yellow}
Tracy {pale yellow}
10 years ago

The chocolate seals are so elegant and lovely, they would be great for any occasion!

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
10 years ago

@ Anonymous – there's no baking soda in this recipe, it's a typo. Just 3/4 tsp baking POWDER. Best of luck with the seals! @ JMS JOY – Yes, I've never experienced the bowl getting too hot or melting from the heat of the sugar syrup. I made a fondant video if you'd like to see the hot liquid poured into the bowl (link below). http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2011/07/poured-fondant-and-petit-fours.html @La Table de Nana – I think you could probably whisk in 2-4 tablespoons cocoa powder after boiling the sugar syrup. I haven't tried this though. For those asking about the seals – there's… Read more »

Anonymous
Anonymous
10 years ago

Kim – just made the seals – so easy and so fun! Michaels carries several seals in their wedding section. I also found the bee locally at a stationary store.

La Table De Nana
La Table De Nana
10 years ago

I used the baking soda..it looks fine..:) Hope it's good!

Suzanne Perazzini
Suzanne Perazzini
10 years ago

These seals really do make an elegant way to finish off a cupcake. I still think you were very brave with that wedding cake – and it was beautiful.

YinMom YangMom Allie
YinMom YangMom Allie
10 years ago

Heather- Beautiful post as always! Your styling is flawless. The bee seals on honey lemon cake and honey fondant are so perfect!

Amy Kelly
Amy Kelly
10 years ago

Stunning! These are so elegant and sophisticated. What a really lovely idea and such a "wow" factor! I'm curious to try this poured fondant. I've never made or tasted any myself (it sounds painfully sweet), but I may just have to experiment with your honey version. Thank you for the lovely idea and the great "how to."

Angie - Big Bears Wife
Angie - Big Bears Wife
10 years ago

this is so great! I love it so much! I am so doing this!

Rani
Rani
10 years ago

Where is your little honey spoon from? I love it!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

these are almost just TOO pretty to eat!

IFeelCook
IFeelCook
10 years ago

Yummy cupcakes! I love the video, these chocolate seals are funny and cute 🙂

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
10 years ago

@Rani – I found the spoon at Terrain. I don't see that they have this particular piece now, but there's a pretty cute wooden twig spoon in stock.

http://www.shopterrain.com/kitchen-tools-gadgets-/twig-cocktail-spoon/searchString/spoon

Rani
Rani
10 years ago

Thanks Heather! I can't wait to try making the chocolate seals!

Jen @ Jens Favorite Cookies
Jen @ Jens Favorite Cookies
10 years ago

Whoa! I love the poured fondant, and how sweet and simple these are with the chocolate seals. Beautiful!

Colette (Coco)
Colette (Coco)
10 years ago

You have the cutest ideas, Heather!

Unknown
Unknown
10 years ago

What a fabulous addition to take an already gorgeous dessert over the top. Love this idea!