Holiday Ornament Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 (9-inch) square cake pans with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg whites with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter into pans. Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely. Cut each cake horizontally to make 2 layers.
• Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on serving plate; spread one-fourth of 1 container of frosting on cake to within 1/2 inch of edge. Top with second cake layer, cut side down; spread with another one-fourth of the container of frosting. Repeat layers with remaining 2 cake layers and remaining first container of frosting. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting from second container. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Spoon reserved 1/2 cup frosting into decorating bag fitted with large round tip; pipe frosting around top and bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate until ready to decorate.
• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, butter and whole egg until soft dough forms. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with floured 4-inch ornament-shaped cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 1 inch apart.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely. Decorate cookies as desired with cookie icing and yellow sugar. Attach cookies to sides of cake using icing. Insert 3 cookies on top of cake.