Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Yesterday I told you about the chocolate covered peeps I made for the bake sale.  I also made these Pink Lemonade Cupcakes.  Some kids liked them, and some kids thought they were way too sour.  The same goes for the parents.  Here’s the recipe I followed from Real Mom Kitchen (warning: I made some adjustments to the original, so what follows is my version.  If you want the real thing, check out the Real Mom Kitchen website) so I will let you decide.

By the way….all of the cupcakes were sold by the end of the bake sale, so I guess that does say something.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Cake:

1 (16.25 oz) package white cake mix
1 small package (3.4 oz) vanilla instant pudding
3 Tbsp sweetened pink lemonade drink mix 
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 whites eggs 
6 drops of pink food coloring

Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest from 1 lemon
2 pound package  or 7 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
3 drops of pink food coloring

In a large bowl, whisk cake mix, pudding mix, and drink mix together.  Add sour cream, lemon zest, water, oil, and egg whites to the dry mix. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick.

Scoop batter into 24 lined muffin tins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes don’t look wet and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

Prepare the frosting by creaming butter and the lemon zest together. Then add lemonade concentrate, milk and vanilla with a mixer. Beat until smooth.  Then gradually add the sugar, mixing well until light and fluffy. Beat in the food coloring.

Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes. With the straws cut the top 1/3 of the straw off just below the flexible part.  Discard the tops.  Then cut the remaining straw pieces in half.  Place one straw piece in each cupcake to resemble a drink.

Until next time....

Thin Mint Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes cakes last week for the Teachers Appreciation Luncheon at the Monkey’s school.  I was told that they were a big hit, and I am going to choose to believe it, because the container came home empty.

You can find my go-to chocolate cake recipe here.  Your Cup of Cake has some really creative cupcakes, and her photos are beautiful.

Normally, I would make a butter cream frosting and call it a day, but I tried something different.  I searched the web for a cream cheese frosting, and found one that was simple enough.  However, for the life of me I can’t remember where I got it from (so I can’t thank that person, or link to their page, which is a blogger no-no).  I will say that I tweaked the recipe a bit, as it was vanilla flavor, and I wanted a mint flavor.

Cream Cheese Mint Frosting

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 3 oz. cream cheese softened
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ½ tspn. Peppermint extract
• 16 oz. 10x sugar
• Green food coloring
• Thin Mints (for garnish)

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, and gradually add the powered sugar.  The frosting will appear thick and lumpy.  Slowy add in the milk, and mix until well blended.  Mix in extract, and then mix in the food color.  There isn’t any specific amount of coloring to add – use your best judgment.

Of course I had Thin Mints on hand (what Girl Scout leader doesn’t have a box in the freezer).  If you didn’t stock up during the last cookie sale, you could always use the Keebler knock off version.  However, I highly advise against that, and ask that you support your local Girl Scout!

Until next time.....