"Hello, Cupcake!"

There are lots of things I would love to learn. One of them is sewing and one of them is cake decorating. Somehow I am not sure if I have the patience for either one. I have convinced a sucker, uh friend, to teach me to do some simple sewing this summer. She says she thinks it is going to be something close to the Amos and Andy show, but we are going to try anyway.

I figure one skill in a summer is enough so for now I am sticking with decorating cupcakes. And when it comes to cupcake decorating I have found a new book that makes me look like a pro!! It is called, Hello! Cupcake by Alan Richardson and Karen Tack.

Like.... how adorable are these cupcakes? Wouldn't they be cute at your 4th of July picnic? What about your next BBQ? The best part about these? They are super easy!!!

Corn on the Cob Cupcakes





INGREDIENTS
• 24 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
• Yellow food coloring
• About 3 1/2 cups small jelly beans (Jelly Bellys) in assorted yellow, cream, and white colors
• 4 pieces yellow fruit chews (Laffy Taffys, Starbursts)
• 1 tablespoon each black and white decorating sugars (available at baking supply stores)
• 8 sets of corn holders (optional)





DIRECTIONS
1. Tint the vanilla frosting pale yellow with the food coloring.
2. Working with 3 cupcakes at a time, spread yellow frosting on top of each. Arrange about 5 rows of jelly beans, close together, on each cupcake. Place the 3 cupcakes side by side on a corn dish or a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, frosting, and jelly beans.
3. Cut the fruit chews into eight 1-inch squares, and soften the edges slightly by hand so that they look melted. Place 1 square on top of each group of 3 cupcakes. Sprinkle with the sugars. Insert 1 corn holder, if using, in each of the end cupcakes.



Another recipe in the book is for Buttered Popcorn Cupcakes. I think I am going to plan a movie night under the stars for the boys and some of their friends and try making some of these. One of the dollar stores had the popcorn boxes not too long ago. Better head over there before they are gone!

INGREDIENTS
• 36 mini vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
• 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
• 3 cups white mini marshmallows (from a 10.5-ounce bag)
• 1 cup yellow mini marshmallows (from a 10.5-ounce multicolored bag)
• 3 popcorn boxes half filled with crumpled tissue paper (available at party stores; optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. Spoon 1/4 cup of the vanilla frosting into a ziplock bag. Press out the excess air and close the bag.
2. For each piece of popcorn, use 2 marshmallows of the same color. Using clean scissors, cut 1 marshmallow into thirds, crosswise. Arrange the pieces on the cookie sheet in the shape of a three-leaf clover, pressing gently with your fingertips to flatten slightly. Snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag and pipe a dot of frosting on one end of the second marshmallow. Press the other marshmallow into the center of the cloverleaf arrangement; the frosting will hold the 4 pieces together. Repeat with the remaining white and yellow marshmallows until you have 225 to 250 pieces of popcorn.
3. Spread the tops of the mini cupcakes with the remaining vanilla frosting. Press 6 or 7 popcorn pieces onto the top of each cupcake. Any loose pieces can be secured with a dot of frosting from the ziplock bag.
4. Let the cupcakes sit for about 30 minutes before stacking them in the popcorn boxes or a bowl.