Stars And Stripes Cupcakes Recipes

STARS AND STRIPES CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners; set aside.
• Make the cupcakes: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the granulated sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the melted butter and vanilla until smooth. Reduce the mixer to low speed; beat in half of the flour mixture, the milk, then the remaining flour mixture until smooth.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth, then beat in the vanilla and raspberry extracts. Beat in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until creamy. Transfer half of the frosting to a separate bowl and tint red with food coloring. Put the white and red frosting in separate zip-top bags; snip a corner of each. Snip a corner of a larger zip-top bag; put both frosting bags in the larger bag and twist so that they pipe out of the snipped corner. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
• Make the candy stars: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 45-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Transfer to a small zip-top bag and snip a small corner. Pipe twelve 2- to 3-inch stars onto the parchment, piping double or triple lines for stability. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the stars from the parchment and insert into the frosting on each cupcake.

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-SPANGLED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Use the star tip that comes on the Betty Crocker™ Cupcake Icing can to frost each cupcake. If desired, smooth top with offset spatula.
• Arrange 8 blue gems in upper left area of cupcake to create field of stars. Starting at top, place 3 red gems in a row, second row 4 red gems, third row 7 red gems and bottom row 5 red gems to create stripes. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

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.