Spring Polka Dot Cupcakes

To celebrate the onset of spring, I decided to make some pastel colored cupcakes.

These are another Betty Crocker recipe, pretty much straight from the book, besides some decorating tweaks made by my boyfriend.



Spring Polka Dot Cupcakes, from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

Cake
1 box white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil, and egg whites called for on box
1 box (4-serving size) orange-flavored gelatin

Bright Buttercream Frosting
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup softened butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 tbsp milk (I used vanilla soymilk...it makes the frosting sweeter)
Yellow, red, and blue food colors
1/3 cup white baking chips

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

2. Make cake batter as directed on cake mix box, adding gelatin with the water. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 2/3 full).

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat powdered sugar and butter with spoon or with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk. Gradually beat in just enough of the remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable. Divide frosting among 4 small bowls. Stir 6 drops yellow food color into frosting in one bowl. Stir 4 drops red food color into frosting in second bowl. Stir 6 to 8 drops blue food color into frosting in third bowl. Stir 4 drops yellow and 2 drops red food color into frosting in fourth bowl.

5. Frost and decorate cupcakes to your liking :)