Fauxstess Cupcakes - pastel mini's

Wow, where did April go?! I have been too busy to post, so today I am posting one of the desserts I did for our family's Easter celebration...
Remember my previous entry, "Less Mess Fauxstess Cupcakes?" Inspired by that, I wanted to do something similar but with more of a spring/Easter theme...so this is what I came up with. Less mess? hmmm not so much...but super cute, and soooo good, and because they are mini's they can be deceptively dangerous (you know, like, "I just ate 5 of these but that's ok because they're so small..." not that I did that...ahem...)

Here's what I did:

1) Mixed a white cake mix according to box directions, then just for fun I decided to divide my batter equally into three bowls, and colored one bowl pink, one purple, and one blue (note: I was really going for pastel batter, but I dumped a big blob of food coloring into each batter before stirring...these would've been even cuter if the cake itself was pastel).
2) Line 2 24 cup mini muffin tins (or 24 regular sized) with mini cupcake liners.
3) Then I decided to alternate the colors of batter in each cupcake, so that each cupcake would have all 3 colors...but I couldn't decide which order to alternate them in! SO, just to torture myself, I ALTERNATED ALTERNATING the colors...and lost an hour of my life, lol...In the end, I think my favorite are the ones that have the pink on the bottom. or on the top. or in the middle. because I just love pink.



4) After the cupcakes had baked and cooled, I filled each one with my leftover hostess filling, then dipped them in the white chocolate mixture that I had leftover from this (one bag of white chocolate morsels, 3 TBSP shortening, melt in 30 second intervals in the microwave) and when I ran out of that I melted some candy discs from the craft store to dip the remaining cupcakes in. (Note: when I make a recipe, whatever icing/filling/etc. I have leftover I ALWAYS use or freeze - it is so convenient to have them on hand for a quick dessert or new creation, and I hate wasting good ingredients!)



5) After the white chocolate coating has lost it's glossiness but is not completely set (like 5 minutes-ish), sprinkle generously with pastel sugar sprinkles (my favorite way to do sprinkles is over a clean coffee filter, because it makes for easy clean-up and makes a great funnel for returning left-over sprinkles to their container!)...if you accidentally wait too long and the white chocolate has set the sprinkles won't stick - if this happens you can just gently dab the top of the cupcake with a damp papertowel (ask me how I know ;). Then I did the hostess "e-motion" with the hostess icing recipe.



And here's what they look like cut (REALLY wishing they were pastel now...):



And here's where I got a little crazy and decided to bedazzle them with Easter non-pareils...

I know it's a little late, but I hope you all had a Blessed Easter, surrounded by your loved ones and celebrating WHY we live!

"But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said..."
Matthew 28:5-6 NKJV

"I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
John 14:2-3 NKJV

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Less Mess Fauxstess Cupcakes!

I was so excited to find a recipe for "faux" hostess cupcakes...until I read the reviews. Every blogger I could find pretty much promised that this recipe would require every bowl in my kitchen. And maybe a few of my neighbor's bowls too...every.one. I do dishes. Like all day long guys. Family of seven. It's practically my job. So, as much as I love baking and trying new recipes, "every bowl" was definitely a deal breaker.

Enter lightbulb moment! I LOVE using cake-mixes to create shortcut recipes, and this was the perfect opportunity. I had some left-over cake batter and realiazed that it was actually a flavor very close to the hostess cupcake. So, here's what I did:

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Cupcakes:
I used "Triple Chocolate Fudge" cake mix by Betty Crocker - follow package directions
(Or refer to link above for the actual cake recipe)

Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla exrtact
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 cup marshmallow creme

Ganache:
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Icing:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 & 1/2 - 2 tablespoons milk
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Cupcakes:
Pre-heat oven, mix cake batter, scoop into muffin tins and bake as directed (one mix usually makes about 24 cupcakes, I like to use an icecream scoop for consistency).

Filling:
Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside or refrigerate.

Ganache:
Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until
smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag - I like to use disposable decorating bags and tip #230 (check Hobby Lobby or wilton.com) - but a round tip #12 or a medium star tip also work fine. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill. (It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache.)




Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. (I decided to dip mine instead). Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a disposable decorating bag, trim the end of bag with scissors to create a small round opening (no tip needed) pipe cursive e's onto the cupcakes (or write sweet words) to decorate.





And, just for clarification, here's all the dishes that were dirtied for the making of this recipe - not including the actual cake mix dishes, because it was refridgerated left-over batter...but it would have consisted of an additional mixing bowl, paddle beater, spatula and liquid measuring cup :)

I think I can handle that...if you want to be brave and attempt the original batter, maybe you can make a deal with your hubby - he does dishes, you do cupcakes...worth a try ;)

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