Dreamy Sleepover Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat together the orange cake mix, creamy salad dressing, whipped topping mix, 3/4 cup orange juice, eggs, and 2 tablespoons orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture is moist, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then increase speed to medium and continue beating until well blended, about 2 minutes more. Fill the prepared cupcake cups about 2/3 full of batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
• To make cream topping: Beat the marshmallow creme, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup shortening in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Top each cooled cupcake with a 1/2-inch thick layer of the cream topping, using a knife to spread the the topping flat. Allow about 1/2 inch of the orange cupcake to show below the white layer.
• To make orange butter cream: Beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup shortening together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup orange juice, zest of 1 orange, vanilla extract, and food coloring until well combined. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe a decorative layer of orange butter cream, ending in a peak, over the cream topping on the cupcakes.

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Fill 30 paper-lined muffin cups half full. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and salt until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and, if desired, coconut. , Drop about 2 teaspoons cream cheese mixture into the center of each cupcake. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the sugar, gluten-free baking mix, cocoa powder and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add the milk, oil and vanilla and mix on low speed until combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in 1 cup hot water, making sure it is evenly incorporated into the batter.
• Fill the cupcake liners two-thirds full with the batter and bake until the top of each cupcake is slightly springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 14 to 16 minutes. Immediately turn the cupcakes out of the pans onto a cooling rack and let cool completely.
• For the chocolate ganache: Put the cream in a saucepot and heat to a scald over medium heat. Do not boil!
• Put the chocolate in a mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over it. Let it sit a moment and then gently stir to combine and melt the chocolate. Set aside to cool and thicken up slightly. The ganache can be made several days ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• For the caramel corn: Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Spread the popcorn out on the baking sheet and carefully pick out and discard any unpopped kernels.
• In a saucepot, bring the butter, sugar, salt and 1/4 cup water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, boil until the mixture thickens and darkens to the color of peanut butter. Just before the mixture starts to smoke, quickly pour it over the popcorn on the baking sheet. Using two spatulas, quickly toss the popcorn in the caramel to coat the corn, and spread it out on the baking sheet. Set aside to cool completely, and then break up into pieces.
• For the marshmallow creme mascarpone frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer using a whisk attachment, combine the marshmallow creme, mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste and salt and whisk on low speed until there are no lumps and all the ingredients are combined. Turn to medium-high speed and whip to medium-firm peaks.
• Fit an 18-inch piping bag with a round tip and twist and hold the bag right by the tip to prevent the frosting from leaking out. Fold the top of the piping bag over your hand and spoon the frosting into the bag.
• To assemble, dip each cupcake in the chocolate ganache, roll in the caramel corn pieces to create a crunchy shell, top with the marshmallow creme mascarpone frosting and drizzle with more chocolate ganache. Garnish with a piece of caramel corn

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Spoon frosting into corner of resealable heavy-duty food-storage plastic bag. Cut about 1/4 inch off corner of bag. Gently push cut corner of bag into center of cupcake. Squeeze about 2 teaspoons frosting into center of each cupcake for filling, being careful not to split cupcake. Frost tops of cupcakes with remaining frosting.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of each cupcake. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder; set aside. In small bowl, mix hot water and cocoa until dissolved; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat shortening with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about a third at a time, and cocoa mixture, about half at a time, beating just until blended.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In large bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with spoon or electric mixer on low speed. Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons milk. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Frost cooled cupcakes.
• On one side of each cupcake, sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon graham cracker crumbs for "sand." On other side of cupcake, sprinkle generous 1/2 teaspoon green sprinkles for "grass."
• Cut straws into 3 1/2-inch lengths. Cut colored paper into flags. Tape each flag to one end of each straw piece; poke into cupcake. Gently press one gum ball into each cupcake for golf ball.