Kickoff Cupcakes Recipes

KICKOFF CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Special equipment: an ice cream scoop and a small offset spatula
• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with silver foil liners.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vinegar, vanilla, coffee and 1 cup water until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated.
• Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup halfway. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans 5 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
• For the frosting: Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until well combined and smooth. Add a little milk, about 1/4 teaspoon at a time, and beat well after each addition until the frosting reaches a nice spreadable consistency.
• Divide the frosting among 4 bowls. Mix into each the green, brown, yellow or orange food coloring, drop by drop, until you achieve the colors desired.
• Decorate the Cupcakes: Using a small offset spatula, spread the brown and orange frosting over 12 of the cupcakes so that each top is half brown and half orange. Repeat with the 12 remaining cupcakes using the yellow and green frosting. Use the white gel icing to draw a line down the center of each cupcake top, dividing the colors. Then make 3 cross hatch marks across the white line on each to resemble football stitching.

TV DINNER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• To make the drumsticks: Place the bone template on a baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper; set aside. Place melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag. Following the bone template, pipe an outline onto the parchment paper. Fill the bone in with chocolate and lightly tap pan to smooth top of chocolate. Repeat process 3 times. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes.
• Spread vanilla frosting on top of 3 cupcakes, mounding it slightly. Place 1 doughnut hole on top of each cupcake. Spread frosting over the doughnut hole until it is smooth and covered.
• Place cornflake crumbs in a medium bowl. Gently press frosted cupcakes in crumbs to cover completely. Place cupcakes in a 6-cup disposable aluminum cupcake baking tray.
• Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the top of each crumbed doughnut hole. Carefully peel 1 chocolate bone from the parchment paper and insert the pointed end into one of the slits. Repeat with remaining 2 bones and cupcakes.
• To make the mashed potatoes: Spread vanilla frosting on 1 cupcake, mounding it slightly. Use a small spoon to create a well in the center of the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray. Place yellow fruit chew in the well at an angle. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of cupcake so that it fills the well and spills over like gravy.
• To make the peas and carrots: Color vanilla frosting with green food coloring and spread on top of 1 cupcake. Arrange orange fruit chews and green candies on top of cupcake, pressing them into the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray.
• To make the chocolate pudding: Place chocolate frosting in a resealable plastic bag; press out all the excess air and seal to enclose. Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag. Pipe chocolate frosting into a spiral swirl onto the remaining cupcake. Top with sprinkles and place in aluminum baking tray. Serve.

CREAM-FILLED BLACKOUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix on low for 30 seconds to combine. Add the oil, melted butter, water, beaten egg and vanilla and mix on low to combine. Scrape the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula and then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Scrape and fold the batter a few times. Divide the batter into the 12 liners and tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cupcakes comes out with moist crumbs, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Before frosting the cupcakes, cover them lightly with plastic wrap and chill them for 1 hour to make handling easier.
• For the fudge frosting and filling: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high until very smooth and shiny, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the cocoa, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla and salt and blend on low until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add in 1 tablespoon of steaming hot water. Scrape the bowl, then raise the mixer to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low and mix for 1 to 2 minutes to smooth out the frosting and reduce air bubbles.
• Transfer 1/3 cup of the fudge frosting to a small bowl and stir in the marshmallow creme.
• Use a paring knife or apple corer to remove a 1-inch wide "plug" of cake in the middle of the bottom of each cupcake, cutting about halfway through.
• Place the cream filling into a small resealable plastic bag and snip off the tip. Pipe the filling into the holes cut out of the cupcakes; use the plugs or scraps of the cake you removed to plug the holes back up.
• Frost the filled cupcakes with the remaining frosting and top with mini chocolate chips if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.