Winter Fantasy Star Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Tightly wrap 12 cupcakes; freeze for later use.
• Fill 1 large resealable freezer plastic bag with frosting. Cut off bottom corner of bag. Pipe frosting in mounds on each cupcake to look like snowdrifts and ski slopes. Decorate frosted cupcakes with white candy sprinkles and coarse white sparkling sugar.
• Unroll fruit flavored snack, and peel off paper backing. Cut off 2x1/4-inch strips; cut into thin strips for scarves. Attach 1 scarf to each Teddy Grahams™ neck by gently twisting strip. Cut and shape triangles out of gumdrops, and attach to tops of Teddy Grahams™ with small dots of icing for hats. Cut out small pieces of another color gumdrop to attach to top of each hat for pom-pom.
• To make each sled, hold 1 Tootsie Roll Midgee™ candy in hand to warm slightly. Flatten candy to make thinner, and curve one end to look like sled.
• Use decorated Teddy Grahams™, candy sleds, pretzel sticks for skis and ski poles, and rosemary sprigs for trees to decorate cupcakes as shown in photo or as desired. To make stars, flatten 1 yellow gumdrop, and cut out small stars for tops of trees. Use icing to attach Teddy Grahams™ and stars as needed.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-holed muffin pans with baking cups; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined.
• With mixer on low speed, add 1 cup reserved flour mixture; mix until combined. Add 1/2 cup buttermilk; combine. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with flour, until all has been incorporated.
• Fill each baking cup with 1/4 cup batter; batter should almost reach tops of cups. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to a wire rack to cool.
• Remove cupcakes from tins, and frost with cream-cheese frosting. If desired, use a pastry bag fitted with a plain writing tip to pipe letters or designs onto cupcakes. Decorate with berries, sprinkles, and nonpareils.