Star Studded Celebration Cupcakes Recipes

"YOU'RE A STAR!" CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, adding almond extract with the water.
• Meanwhile, on sheet of paper, draw five-pointed star (about 2 inches wide) to use as pattern.
• In small bowl, place half of frosting. Dip toothpick into paste food color; stir food color into frosting in bowl until color is evenly distributed and desired shade. Frost 12 cupcakes with blue frosting. Frost remaining 12 cupcakes with white frosting; sprinkle blue candy sprinkles over white cupcakes.
• In small microwavable bowl, place candy coating. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave 10 seconds longer. Place in heavy-duty food storage plastic bag; seal bag and cut tiny hole in one bottom corner of bag.
• Place paper star pattern under large sheet of waxed paper. Squeezing bag of candy coating, trace the star on waxed paper; move pattern under waxed paper to make 12 stars. Let stars cool until set, about 5 minutes. Remove stars from waxed paper; insert 1 star in each of 12 cupcakes. Store loosely covered.

STAR-STUDDED CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• In 1-quart saucepan, melt sweet baking chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently. Place waxed paper on cookie sheet. Spread melted chocolate in 8-inch square on waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Remove chocolate from refrigerator; let stand until room temperature. Cut with cookie cutters of desired shapes and sizes. Refrigerate until ready to place on cupcakes. Carefully peel cutouts from waxed paper, handling as little as possible. Dip half of each cutout into melted white baking chocolate; refrigerate until set.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 36 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl, beat all remaining ingredients except frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread with frosting. Garnish with chocolate cutouts.

STARS AND STRIPES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, sour cream, oil, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and the eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in cherries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, water, corn syrup and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon over cupcakes, using back of spoon to spread. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Place 1 candy star on each cupcake as shown. Using writing tip, pipe icing in wavy stripes on each cupcake to look like flag. Store loosely covered.

STAR SURPRISE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, 1/3 cup butter, the flour and egg until soft dough forms. On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 1- to 1 1/4-inch star cookie cutter, making 92 stars. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 23 regular-size muffin cups (make a small cut in each baking cup to mark the front of the cupcake).
• Make cake batter as directed on box. Spoon batter into 1 baking cup, three-fourths full (this cupcake will be crumbled and used as a garnish). Spoon 1 heaping tablespoonful remaining batter into each of remaining 23 baking cups. Place 3 cookie stars, standing up in center of batter, in each of the 23 baking cups. Carefully spoon 2 heaping tablespoonsful remaining batter on top of cookie stars in each, taking care not to tip them over.
• Bake at 350°F 22 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat marshmallow creme, 1 cup butter and 1 tablespoon of the milk with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar on low speed, adding 1 teaspoon milk at a time as needed, until fluffy and spreadable.
• Pipe or spread frosting over top of each cupcake. Place remaining cookie stars on tops of cupcakes, facing front of cupcake where small cut is. In small bowl, crumble remaining cupcake without star cookies inside; sprinkle on cupcakes.