Tie Dye Cupcakes

The most fun you will ever have making cupcakes- I promise!!

And they're super simple!!

** I apologize for not having many pictures for this DIY- but check out the tutorial for Christmas Peppermint Tie Dye Cupcakes - there are many more pictures that explain the process! 

Ingredients:

-Your favorite vanilla cake mix (white cake works too.. but it's a little to light & airy of a cake to handle the dye well... the texture came out a little off where there was no difference when using vanilla cake mix)

-Whatever other ingredients your cake mix calls for.. in my case eggs, water, and vegetable oil
-Vanilla Frosting 

-Food Coloring (in a bunch of different colors) .. I really like Wilton brand food dye because it has a nice, thick consistency and the littlest bit still packs a big punch of color!

Step One: 

-Make the cake batter according the the directions on the box. 

-When the batter is completely blended and smooth, separate into small bowls or custard cups (one bowl for each color you would like to use)

-Slowly add dye to bowls. Remember, a little bit usually goes a long way so blend completely before deciding if more dye is needed. Also keep in mind that no one wants to bite into a bubble of dye so blend completely... and then blend even more. 

Step Two:

-Line your tin with cupcake liners. 

-Using a different spoon for each color, layer spoonfuls of various colored batter in each liner. The smaller the spoonfuls (and the more layers) -the more of a tie dye effect you'll get. 

-Fill liners 3/4 of the way (or whatever the recipe calls for)

-DO NOT try to swirl or mix the different colored batter! This will only make it turn a muddy greyish/ brown. LAYERING ONLY!!

-Step Three:

-Bake for as long as the recipe on the box calls for!

-Remember you added an ingredient (the dye) so a little extra baking time may be needed! Just be careful and keep an eye on your cupcakes!

Step Four:

-Decorate!

-After your cupcakes have cooled, ice them! I used a plain vanilla canned icing and an icing bag and topped it off with colored sugar sprinkles!

I love how the wrapper looks when you take it off of the cupcake! Enjoy!! 

YUM!

Chai Frappuccino Cupcakes

For my Aunt's recent birthday I decided to make her favorite Starbucks specialty- Chai Frappuccinos- in the form of cupcakes!!

These adorable deserts can be made two ways- the 'Vanilla Chai' way or the 'Chai Spice' way. I chose Vanilla Chai for this batch for a milder, sweater taste.

Makes 24 cupcakes!

Ingredients:

-1 box French Vanilla Cake mix (for vanilla chai)

OR

-1 box Spice Cake mix (for chai spice)

-1 can heavy vanilla frosting

-powdered chai tea mix (I used oregon chai, found at local grocery store)

-Any ingredients needed for the box cake mix (in my case 3 eggs and a quarter cup of oil)

-Cupcake liners & pan

-Ground Cinnamon 

Supplies:

-green Starbucks straws (about 8 for 24 cupcakes)

-Starbucks hot/cold sleeves (atleast 24)

-Stapler & staples

-Scissors

-Ruler

Step One:

Bake you cupcakes!

Follow the instructions on the box for ingredients and amounts.

When adding dry ingredients, also add 4 tablespoons of powdered chai mix.

Make sure all ingredients are well blended (I beat batter on high for about 3 minutes).

Bake cupcakes as box instructs and let cool completely in pan (mine took around 30 mins total).

Step Two:

Mix your icing.

(This step is optional)

For an extra burst of chai flavor mix powdered chai into icing!

Approx. 1.5 tablespoons for an entire can of frosting. Blend well!

Step Three:

Make cupcake sleeves!

Cut straight lines across sleeves using ruler & scissors.

Undo the glue that holds the sleeve together. Then measure around the cupcake and staple sleeve where  it will fit around the cupcake bottom. Trim excess cardboard. Make sure the bottom of the sleeve is nice and even- the cupcake will rock if it's not! 

Place completely cooled cupcakes into sleeves.

Step Four:

Decorate!

Using a pastry bag (or a plastic baggie with the corner cut off) ice the cupcakes started on the outside brim and circling inward. This will make the icing look like whipped cream!

Top icing with ground cinnamon (a little goes a long way). 

Cut green Starbucks straws into thirds and place one straw in each cupcake.

Enjoy!