Ispent the past 10 days up in the Seattle area visiting my family. It was great. The weather was almost perfect, Lizzie got to meet most of my dad’s side of the family, I got to hang out with some old friends and I discovered my favorite Costco (in case you’re wondering, it’s the Seattle one) For some reason, this time of the year brings back the most nostalgia of my childhood. Anticipating the Holiday season, school starting, trick-or-treating in the rain. Hmmm, maybe Washington wouldn’t be such a bad place to settle after all….
My parents had a little family get-together last week, and my mom had been wanting to make these cute cupcakes that are on the cover of a Taste of Home magazine called Fun Food. So, on one of our many shopping excursions, we picked up all the necessities and went to work. They are actually super easy and would be the perfect make it yourself treat for a party where kids need to be kept occupied.
Since we wanted to make these look identical to the photo on the magazine, we went to Kids’ Korner and bought the M&M’s that are sold by weight in every color you can imagine. Granted, this was more expensive, but you only need about 48 M&M’s total, so it really was a small investment. Or you could wait until Spring to make these, when the pastel M&M’s are everywhere.
Thank you to my mom and sister for decorating!
Monkey Cupcakes
1 package chocolate cake mix (or your favorite chocolate cake recipe)
1 can (16 oz) chocolate frosting (or your favorite chocolate frosting recipe)
24 vanilla wafers
Black and red decorating gel
48 pastel blue and/or green plain M&M’s
12 Nutter Butter cookies
Prepare and bake cake batter according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool completely on wire racks.
Set aside 1/4 cup frosting. Frost cupcakes with remaining frosting. With a serrated knife, cut off and discard a fourth from each vanilla wafer. Place a wafer on each cupcake, with the rounded edge of wafer near edge of cupcake, for face. Add dots of black gel for nostrils. With red gel, pipe a mouth on each.
Place M&M’s above wafers for eyes; add dots of black gel for pupils. Using reserved frosting and a #16 star tip, pipe hair. Carefully separate Nutter Butters; cut each in half. Position one on each side of cupcakes for ears.
You can subscribe to Taste of Home where I got this delicious and fun recipe!