Cupcake Candles
Learn how to make these adorable candles using the "whipped wax" technique.
You Will Need:
- Pillar Wax (such as IGI 4625 or IGI 1343)
- Container Wax (such as IGI 4630)
- Pouring Pitcher
- Whisk
- Cupcake Cups
- Muffin Pan
- Wick (appropriate for the size of your cupcake cups. We used C-60 for standard-size cups)
- Fragrance
- Dye
1. Melt your pillar wax in a double boiler, add your fragrance and dye, and mix thoroughly. Place your cupcake cups inside of the muffin pan. Pour the wax into the cupcake cups, almost up to the top. For this layer, pour the wax at about 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. When the wax starts to congeal, insert your pre-tabbed wick, just as you would do when making a votive candle.
3. When the wax has completely cooled, carefully peel the cupcake cups away from the wax and place the candles on a cookie sheet or on top of newspaper or paper towels to catch any excess wax when you add the frosting.
4. While the wax is cooling, prepare your whipped wax. Melt your container wax in a double boiler and add your fragrance. For white frosting, do not add any dye. For colored frosting, add a few drops of your desired color. Take the wax off the heat and whisk it as it cools. As the temperature lowers, it will start to congeal. Continue whisking the wax as it lightens in color. Soon it will begin to look 
like whipped cream. When the temperature reaches about 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit, scoop the wax onto the top of your cupcakes and use a fork or spoon to smooth it out for your desired look.
5. To make "syrup" to drizzle on top, re-melt any container wax used for your frosting, or melt new container wax if you'd like to use a different scent. Add more dye for a darker color, and mix thoroughly. Allow the wax to cool until it thickens. At this point, the wax will have a "gooey" congealed look. Carefully drizzle the wax over the top of the frosting.
6. Non-flammable decorations, such as wax hearts, can be added while the frosting is still warm.
7. Allow to cool completely, trim your wick, and enjoy!
What about burning? How safe it to burn these? I ask as I recently made pie candles that I purchased from another company and when lit they had a lot of black smoke and a high flame. It's scary as these are beautiful but what is the risk?
Thank you
lovely idea, i like it very much
I'm wondering if the container wax would get too soft to use as the icing. Would it be better to use pillar wax for the entire cupcake?
Cute idea.. I wonder can you put the whipped wax in a piping bag and pipe it on like cupcake frosting or is it too thick?
Absolutely love this idea! I'll have to give this one a try!
This is a lovely ideal since I already do the strawberry shortcakes, fruit tarts and fruit pies.
That's awesome, I don't know if I could resist not eating those though :P
I was looking for the forum to ask about the cupcake candles. I have made them, but it said to use "container wax" for the icing. I tried that but it stayed soft and sticky. Could I have misread it?? I whip the pillar wax, only problem is, it cools rather quickly, but it works great. Do you mix the pillar and container waxes together? I thought about trying that but wanted to see if it had been tried before first. Could not find the forum. Miss it . Thanks for the help/ My website is at this time only informational. You can reach me at the email address though. Thanks,
Joyce Curtis
Thank you for this wonderful ideas. I hope I have the same results as you. I would also appreciate new ideas and techniques.
jutta
Fun idea and always impressive to folks.
I've placed birthday candles on top for a "candles on a candle" birthday cupcake.
I've also used the whipped wax technique to make snowball candles. commercial sphere molds make it easier, but I first used two curved coffee cups (not mugs) for molds, released the candle halves by placing briefly in hot water, joined together with a bit of melted wax and wicked using a hot knitting needle. Finally add the whipped wax.
@joyce Do you mix the pillar and container waxes together?
I don't think so...mixing the 2 waxes will limit your color selection.
Are you allowing your whipped wax to cool to 85-90 degrees F?
I might forget that these are candles because they can easily pass for a real cupcake.
I have made these for a Christmas Craft Show, and what I did was I used pillar wax, and I set my tabbed wicks with a low temp glue gun, poured only pillar wax, and when cooled, I topped with whipped container wax, and then sprinkled angel dust over the top and wow what a candle. I used red for the cup cake and only white for the topping. And I used red hot cinnamon scent. They burn great and all you have to do is go to the thrift stores and get old nice looking tea cup plates or any fire safe plate and you have a great bathroom candle or where ever.
I heard a lot about cupcake candles, and then I got the formula to make it here. Thanks a ton for sharing it. I will make it in a few days.
I tried these out and they turned out okay. the fluffy frosting turned out pretty well, and looked nice and fluffy. the topping, however, looked odd and drippy, and never reached a desired consistency
Oh those candles look awesome, I love cupcakes, they're so cute! And candles are the perfect thing for the decoration in the room, my room is pink so these cupcake candles will match perfectly with all my decoration.
Love it! I made these for my childrens teacher, they loved them.
Hi, I love making these but I do have a problem with the cupcakes turning yellow on me a few weeks later, How can I prevent the fragrance oil color from showing up? Can I add something to the wax?
I just love the ideas of these candles. This is the first time that i seen this. I will be trying to make some of these.
I have never seen this design before. I really think this is such a great idea. I think there is a big future for these candles.
I REALLY wish that Peak...or some *other knowledgeable person(s)...would answer some (or all?) of the great questions asked here. =o) That would be a tremendous help!
They look like real!!! Very nice!
Hello Kristin!
You can use pillar wax for the whole cupcake candle, but the container wax is easier to work with and is more opaque than most of the pillar waxes. Hope this helps!
Hello Melissa!
You could try one of the additives we carry to prevent the fragrance oil from turning a white candle to a slightly yellow one. I would suggest either one of the Vybars or the Stearic Acid. Hope this helps!
hello lovely cupcakes, since i also make cupcakes,,but i have a question do i have to wait for the frosting to dry before i put the wax icing? and to make a perfect frosting, because ive been using only spoon but they dont come out those twirl ones. can u pls help me
Hello Noreen!
I would wait for the wax frosting to dry before applying the wax icing, or at least let the frosting begin to congeal. I would suggest purchasing a wisk to use for this application to make the perfect wax frosting, as a spoon cannot sufficiently whip the container wax into a fluffy frosting-like look. Hope this helps!
this is so cute! this is making me hungry too. i wonder how many i can make before i eat them :P
This is so cool I'm trying to work with this in my business! :)
I made these very same cupcakes about 25-30 years ago. I guess I should've got a patent .My only suggestion is after the wax is whipped up, it cools and hardens really fast. I put the large glitter into the "frosting" wax is menlting.I whip up about 1/3 at a time because it cools so fast.Surprisingly enough, the glitter stays in tact.
I made some of these tonight using candles that I melted down...it worked great! I put the whipped wax into a bag and piped it on...i also finely chopped some birthday candle and sprinkled them on top. So cute! My teen daughter is giving these out to her friends for Christmas.
can container wax ig6006 be substituted for the igi 4630? Also what color dye did you use for the cupcake portion?
Hello Patricia!
Yes, you can substitute the 6006 for the 4630. For the cupcake part of the wax, we used about 10 drops of the Coffee Liquid Dye. I hope that helps!
I have been making cupcake candles for a few years (www.crackingcreations.co.uk) and have loved every minute of it. Unfortunately I have just been informed by Trading Standards that it is illegal to make or supply anything which 'looks like food but is not in fact edible' and I have been forced to stop trading. Think it's a very silly law, but it would appear that it is the law, so just warning you all....sorry to dampen the party :o(
I have been making cupcake candles for a few years (www.crackingcreations.co.uk) and have loved every minute of it. Unfortunately I have just been informed by Trading Standards that it is illegal to make or supply anything which 'looks like food but is not in fact edible' and I have been forced to stop trading. Think it's a very silly law, but it would appear that it is the law, so just warning you all....sorry to dampen the party :o(
As the temperature lowers, it will start to congeal.