Cupcakes!

I've been busy making cupcakes for a classroom birthday celebration today, so I thought I'd share.  Chloe asked for chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting.  So, I went with a butter fudge mix, and made a vanilla buttercream frosting from scratch.

When planning these, I found two new things in the baking aisle that I wanted to share.  First: edible glitter!  How did I not know about this before??  Here's how it looks in the package:

I was excited about this glitter -- VERY excited.  Honestly, I didn't love it on the cupcakes as much as I thought I would.  I like the way the white glitter looks on the white icing, but the pink.... not as much.  Still, what  a fun idea!  I'm wondering what else I can use this for.  [ADDED NOTE: now that we've actually eaten the cupcakes, I have to pass along that I don't like the way the glitter tastes.  I thought it would taste like sugar sprinkles, but it tastes kind of like, well, paper.  Not yummy.  So, if you're going to use it, I'd use it on something you're decorating for show, not on something you're planning to eat.  Maybe it's just me, but I wanted to let you know.]

My other discovery was in the candy-making section: molds for candy cupcake picks!  I bought a crown mold, and whipped up these:

I made them a solid color and then "painted" on a contrasting color with a toothpick.  That worked okay, but I think I need some more practice.  These are so darling, they're fine in just one color, I think!

Anyway, here's how they came out.  Hope the kids like 'em!  :)