Cool Summer Cupcakes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

07 Aug 2009 06:32 AM

Fish and flowers on cupcakes? It's not as bad as you think, especially when the colorful decorations are made of pure sugar.

You don't need a special occasion to make these fun cupcakes. Simply whip up a batch with your kids and celebrate what's left of summer.

BLOOMING CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) devils food cake mix

Oil, water, eggs as directed on box to make cupcakes

16 pieces Fruit by the Foot

24 large green gumdrops

48 large assorted gumdrops

48 pretzel sticks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cupcakes are directed on package making sure you fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from tins to wire racks to cool completely.

Cut three 9-inch pieces from each fruit roll piece.

With a small pastry brush, lightly brush water on one end of a fruit strip. Wrap around bottom portion of cupcake; press ends together. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Lightly brush water on one side of remaining fruit strips; fold in half lengthwise. Brush one end with water; wrap around the cupcake top to form the rim of the flowerpot, slightly overlapping bottom fruit strip.

Press each gumdrop into a 1-1/4 inch circle.

With scissors, cut each green gumdrop into four leaf shapes; set aside.

Cut each remaining gumdrops into tulip shape. Gently press a pretzel into each tulip shaped gumdrop. Gently press gumdrop leaves onto pretzels. Press two flowers into the top of each cupcake.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

FISHY CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

1 box devils food cake mix

Water, vegetable oil, eggs called for on cake mix box

1 container vanilla frosting

Blue food color

24 cocktail straws

24 pieces dental floss

24 Shark Bites fruit snacks or gummy fish

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Make cake as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.

Stir together frosting and 2 or 3 drops food color. (Use more coloring if you want darker blue.)

Frost cupcakes with blue frosting when cupcakes are completely cooled.

To make fishing poles, cut each straw into 3-inch pieces.

Cut dental floss into 3 1/2-inch pieces.

Attach one piece of dental floss to the end of each straw to look like fish line.

Attach one fruit snack to the end of each piece of dental floss.

Decorate each cupcake with a fishing pole and gummy fish.

Related Articles:

Kid-Friendly Frozen Treats

Make a Watermelon Ice Cream Cake and other Cool Summer Treats

Having Fun with Cupcakes

Chocolate Pizza

You Can Never Have Too Much Chocolate

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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