Sour Peach Cupcakes

My daughter loves the sour peach gummy rings from the grocery store. From the bulk section. She is kind of addicted to them. Mmmmm...

These cupcakes kind of emulate that flavor. Sour peach, in the form of a cupcake.

Ingredients

• 1 box (18.25 oz) white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 (3 oz) peach flavored gelatin
• 24 sour peach gummy candy rings

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups. Place sour peach gummy candy in the bottom of each paper baking cup.
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and peach gelatin with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
3. Divide batter between muffin cups.
   
4. Bake 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan and cool completely.
5. Frost with Sour Peach Frosting.
   

PB&J Cupcakes

It's been a busy weekend here at We Have Cupcakes. We've been making freezer jam, painting sample colors (we are repainting the outside!), and gardening (I can't wait to share my Zucchini Cupcake recipe with you!). And school is still in session, so of course we need cupcakes to stick in those school lunches. And let me tell you--there is nothing better to go with a PB&J sandwich (with fresh strawberry jam!) than a PB&J cupcake!

So, without further ado...

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) pkg white cake mix
• 1 (3 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 3/4 cups chopped peanut butter cookies
• 4 oz fresh strawberry freezer jam
• 8 oz frozen whipped topping*
  

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper liners in 24 muffin cups.
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, milk, oil, water, and peanut butter with an electric or stand mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped peanut butter cookies. Divide evenly between cupcake liners.
   
3. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan, cool completely.
4. Place frozen whipped topping into a medium bowl. Fold in strawberry jam. Frost cupcakes with this fresh, sweet concoction. Enjoy!
   

*I know it seems like the frozen whipped topping is a cop out--especially since I love fresh whipped cream...BUT! the frozen whipped topping holds up better with the strawberry jam folded in.

Cotton Candy Cupcakes

The flavor of cotton candy got me thinking about cupcakes and how I could translate that flavor into a cupcake. I searched the internet to see how other cupcake divas may have handled the problem. Most of them haven't really attempted this idea though--although CakeSpy has come up with a great recipe...I am still working on it, and I think I may have to adapt CakeSpy's version--stay tuned.

In the meantime, I did come up with this version, which is quite tasty and absolutely tastes like cotton candy.

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) white cake mix
• 2 cups (1 pint) melted cotton candy ice cream*
• 3 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups.


2. With a stand or electric mixer, beat together all ingredients on low speed until incorporated, and then another 2 minutes on medium speed. Divide evenly between muffin cups.


3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
   


4. Frost.

*Blue Bunny's website states that they sell a Cotton Candy ice cream, however, it wasn't available in my store. I went to my local ice cream shop and bought a quart of Cotton Candy ice cream there--1 pint for the cupcakes, and 1 pint for eating--cake and ice cream go great together ya know. ;)

Cotton Candy Frosting
This is an adaptation of Magnolia Bakery's old fashioned frosting...

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons cotton candy extract
  

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and cotton candy extract. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.


2. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
   


3. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Frosting can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Strawberry Cupcakes

I was just out watering my garden, and my newly planted strawberry plants. I just love strawberries. Sadly, my daughter thinks they are gross. Ah well...at least my son loves them as much as I do! Unfortunately when we have strawberries for dessert, we have to have another dessert to go along with it, so my daughter doesn't feel left out. Luckily, I made the Buy Me Some Peanut and Cracker Jack® cupcakes earlier this week...

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) box white cake mix
• 1 (3 oz) box strawberry gelatin
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup salad oil
• 4 egg whites
• Strawberry Frosting
  

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups.


2. Combine cake mix, gelatin, water, strawberries, oil, and egg whites in a medium bowl and beat with an electric or stand mixer for 3 minutes. Divide batter equally between muffin cups.
   


3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched.
   Remove from pan and cool completely. Frost with Strawberry Frosting.
   

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

Now that the weather is warming up, I am reminded of the long summer days of my youth. And one of my favorite treats as a child (well, actually now, too!) was a cool root beer float. It's actually one of my fondest memories of my grandfather--the two of us sipping homemade root beer floats together on a warm summer evening. And now my love of root beer floats has translated into an awesome cupcake for you!

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 oz) white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups root beer
• 1/4 vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• Whipped Cream

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups.
   


2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix, root beer, oil, and eggs. Beat with an electric or stand mixer on low speed for 2 minutes. Divide evenly between muffin cups.


3. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan; cool completely.


4. Frost with Whipped Cream.
   

Toasted Almond Cupcakes

I love almonds. They are awesome in a variety of chocolate bars--and they are awesome in this cupcake, too!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1 (18.25 oz) box white cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Caramel Frosting
• 1 cup sliced almonds

1. Heat oven to 375°. Place paper baking cups in 24 muffin cups. In a shallow baking pan, bake slivered almonds 6 to 10 minutes. In a food processor, grind almonds until finely ground.


2. In a large bowl, mix cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and almond extract with electric or stand mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed an additional 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold in ground almonds. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.


3. Bake 20-24 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from pan cool completely.


4. Frost with Caramel Frosting. Press sliced almonds lightly into frosting.