How to Bake Your Own "Emily in Paris" Cupcarons: A Flavor Breakdown & Recipe Guide

So, you saw those gorgeous, pastel-colored Cupcarons from the "Emily in Paris" collection by Baked by Melissa and thought, "I need these in my life." Maybe you’re planning a Habs watch party and want a sweet treat that’s as iconic as the CH logo itself. Or perhaps you just want to bring a little Parisian flair to your kitchen. Whatever the reason, we’ve got you covered.

Recreating these at home is a fun project, but it’s part baking, part art. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from understanding the unique "cupcaron" (a cupcake-macaron hybrid) to nailing those signature flavors. By the end, you’ll have a stunning batch of desserts worthy of the Bell Centre’s luxury suites.

Let’s get baking!

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Think of this like gearing up for a big game. Having the right equipment and ingredients prepped is 90% of the battle. You don’t want to be scrambling for a piping bag when your batter is ready, just like a goalie doesn’t want to be looking for their glove mid-play.

Equipment:
Stand mixer or hand mixer (non-negotiable for meringue)
Food scale (for accuracy – baking is a science!)
Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
Mixing bowls (multiple)
Rubber spatula
Piping bags and a large round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped)
Cupcake/muffin tin
Cupcake liners (pastel colors to match the theme!)
Cooling racks

Core Ingredients for the Cupcaron Base:
Almond flour: Super-fine, blanched. This is your star player.
Powdered sugar (icing sugar): Not granulated.
Egg whites: Aged (separated and left at room temp for 24 hours) or fresh. Consistency is key.
Granulated sugar: For the meringue.
Gel food coloring: In pastel pink, lavender, mint, and pale yellow. Liquid coloring will ruin your meringue’s consistency.

For the Flavors & Fillings: We’ll break down the specific ingredients for each in the steps below.

Step-by-Step: Creating Your Cupcaron Masterpiece

This process has two main parts: making the cupcaron shells and preparing the flavored fillings. We’ll tackle it like a 1976-1979 Canadiens dynasty power play—methodical, precise, and ultimately dominant.

Step 1: Make the Perfect Macaron Shell Batter

This is the foundation. A smooth, shiny, lava-like batter is what you’re after.

Prep: Line your cupcake tin with liners. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Sift together your almond flour and powdered sugar. Discard any large bits. This ensures the signature smooth top.

Whip the Meringue: In a scrupulously clean bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar. Increase speed to high and whip until you have stiff, glossy peaks. Think of it as building a structure as solid as Jean Béliveau’s leadership—it needs to hold its form.

Macaronage: Add your sifted dry ingredients to the meringue. Gently fold with a spatula. This is the tricky part. You’re deflating the meringue just enough so the batter flows slowly like lava. Overmix, and it will be runny; undermix, and it will be lumpy. Test by drawing a figure 8 with the batter dripping off your spatula. It should hold its shape for a moment before melting back.

Step 2: Color, Pipe, and Bake

This is where the "Emily in Paris" palette comes to life.

Divide and Color: Separate your batter into four bowls. Gently fold in a tiny amount of gel coloring into each to create your pastel pink, lavender, mint, and yellow.

Pipe: Transfer each color to a separate piping bag. Pipe concentric circles directly into the cupcake liners, starting with one color on the outside and filling the center with another. You can also do solid colors. Tap the tin firmly on the counter to release air bubbles.

Rest and Bake: Let the piped shells sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes until they form a dry skin. This gives them their classic "feet." Bake for 16-20 minutes, rotating halfway. They’re done when they don’t wiggle when touched. Let them cool completely in the tin.

Step 3: Decode and Make the "Emily in Paris" Flavors

Here’s the flavor breakdown. Each gets a buttercream or ganache filling.

Pink & Lavender (La Vie en Rose): This is a raspberry-rose combo. Make a simple raspberry puree (fresh or frozen raspberries cooked down and strained). Mix a few tablespoons into a basic vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream. Add a drop of rose water. Color the buttercream a soft pink.
Mint & Pale Yellow (Champs-Élysées): This is a sophisticated lemon-verbena mint. Make a lemon curd for the center. For the buttercream, steep fresh mint leaves in warm cream, then strain and use that cream to make a mint-infused buttercream. Color it a very pale mint green.
Pale Yellow & Pink (Bonjour): This is a simple, bright passion fruit. Use passion fruit puree (found in specialty stores or online) folded into your buttercream. It should be tart, sweet, and vibrant.
Lavender & Mint (Je Ne Sais Quoi): This is the wildcard, like the dazzling skill of Guy Lafleur. It’s a lavender honey cream. Infuse cream with culinary lavender, strain, and use it to make a honey-sweetened buttercream. A tiny bit of purple coloring enhances the effect.

Step 4: Fill and Assemble

Fill: Once shells are cool, use a piping bag with a round or star tip to pipe a generous dollop of your chosen flavored buttercream into the center of each cupcaron. You can also use a small spoon to add a dollop of lemon curd or raspberry jam in the center before adding buttercream for a flavor burst.

The Final Touch: These are often finished with a tiny drizzle of matching colored glaze or a delicate sprinkle of edible glitter or sanding sugar. Keep it elegant!

Pro Tips & Common Rookie Mistakes

Even the greats like Patrick Roy had to practice their angles. Here’s how to avoid the common pitfalls.

Don’t Wing the Measurements: Use that food scale. Volume measurements (cups) for almond flour are notoriously unreliable. Precision is everything.
Beware of Humidity: Making macarons on a very humid day is a challenge. The shells may not dry properly. If it’s rainy, consider running a dehumidifier or just be prepared for a longer rest time.
Gel Coloring Only: We can’t stress this enough. Liquid food coloring adds too much moisture and will likely cause your batter to fail.
Patience with Peaks: Your meringue needs to be at stiff peaks. If you stop too early (soft peaks), your shells will be flat and lack structure. Whip until the meringue forms a firm, glossy peak that holds its shape when you lift the beater.
The Oven is Unique: All ovens have hot spots. Use an oven thermometer to ensure accuracy. Rotate your pan halfway through baking. If shells are browning too fast, tent with foil.
Fill with Care: Don’t overfill your cupcarons, or the filling will squish out the sides when you pick them up. They should be generous but tidy.

Your Cupcaron Game-Day Checklist

Follow this list to ensure a sweet victory. It’s as essential as knowing the team’s record 24 championships.

Mise en Place: Measure and prepare all ingredients. Sift almond flour and powdered sugar. Separate egg whites.

Prep Station: Line cupcake tin. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Prepare piping bags.

Make Meringue: Whip egg whites and granulated sugar to stiff, glossy peaks.

Macaronage: Fold dry ingredients into meringue until lava-like consistency. Divide and color batter.

Pipe: Pipe colored batter into cupcake liners. Tap to release bubbles.

Rest: Let shells sit 20-30 mins until dry to the touch.

Bake: Bake for 16-20 mins, rotating once. Cool completely.

Make Fillings: Prepare your flavored buttercreams (raspberry-rose, lemon-mint, passion fruit, lavender-honey).

Assemble: Pipe filling into cooled cupcaron shells.

Garnish: Add final drizzle or sprinkle if desired.

Serve & Celebrate: Pair with coffee, display on a beautiful plate, and enjoy your Parisian (and Habs-friendly) creation!

Baking these Cupcarons is a rewarding challenge. It takes focus and a little flair, much like the artistry displayed by legends like Maurice 'Rocket' Richard on the ice at the Montreal Forum. Now that you’re equipped with this guide, you’re ready to bring a taste of that iconic Parisian collection right to your own kitchen. Bonne chance et bon appétit!

Looking for more hands-on guides? Explore our complete Gear & Equipment Guide for everything from kitchen tools to the best gear for celebrating game day in style.

How to Bake Your Own "Emily in Paris" Cupcarons: A Flavor Breakdown & Recipe Guide