Week 26: Rainbow Nerd Cupcakes!

Hello!  So this will be my last cupcake blog until the fall due to the lack of membership for the summer.  I did however make it half way!  Working at my company has been a little crazy.  Lately our motto, “keep calm and carry on” has turned into “it’s all about rainbows and unicorns”!  That was my inspiration for this week’s cupcakes. .. Rainbow Nerds Cupcakes! Aka the new and upcoming fun-fetti cupcakes!!

I got this week’s cupcake from:  http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/2011/08/rainbow-nerds-cupcakes/

Rainbow Nerds Cupcakes:

Yields: 24 Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

1 box of white cake mix, plus ingredients needed on box

1 tablespoon instant grape Kool-Aid Mix

1 cup of nerds

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 cupcake tins with 24 cupcake liners.  Make cake mix according to box instructions.

Set aside 1 cup of batter and mix it with the Kool-Aid mix and set aside.  Mix the nerds with the rest of the white batter.  Fill the cupcake liners ½ full with the white batter nerd mix.  Top each liner with a spoon full of grape batter and swirl with toothpick or sharp knife.  Bake for 15 minutes or until tops springs back when lightly touched.   Leave in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting:

4 sticks butter, room temperature

4-6 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons lemon extract

½ tablespoon instant grape Kool-Aid

Orange and red food coloring

Additional nerds for decoration

In a bowl of a mixer, beat butter, milk and lemon extract on medium speed until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and beat on low until combined and smooth, use as much sugar to your preference using a cup at a time. 

Divide frosting into three bowls.  In one bowl add the Kool-Aid and mix well.  In the other two bowls add orange food coloring to one and red to the other, until well combined.  Pipe each color onto the cooled cupcakes.  Top with additional Nerds for more color!

Ps. I finished before I left for the airport!  Now to finish getting ready and I am off to the UK!

Love always, aloterella :)