With cookie chimneys and candy holiday lights, these snowy cupcakes look like just the sort of hideaway Santa's elves might live in. To make a batch for a school or Scout party, help your child prepare your favorite cupcake batter and bake it in a muffin pan lined with paper bake cups. Once the cupcakes have cooled, follow the easy decorating steps.
Ingredients
- A dozen cupcakes from your favorite recipe
- 8 ounces of softened cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons of softened butter
- 2 cups of confectioners' sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Sweetened flaked coconut
- 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Pepperidge Farm Pirouette cookies
- M&M's Minis
Instructions
- First, mix up a batch of Cream Cheese Frosting. Using an electric mixer, beat together 8 ounces of softened cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of softened butter, 2 cups of confectioners' sugar, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Blend in 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Chill the frosting while you complete step two.
- With permanent colored markers, have your child draw windows and doors on 12 empty paper bake cups. (It's easier if you keep the cups stacked and draw on the outer one rather than on the individual cups.)
- Dab frosting inside each decorated cup (3 or 4 spots spaced equally apart and about 1/3 inch down from the top should do it. Now fit the decorated cups over the ones the cupcakes were baked in, pressing gently so the frosting sticks the 2 layers together.
- Spread frosting on each cupcake, heaping it in the center to resemble a peaked, snow-covered roof. Carefully press on sweetened flaked coconut, if desired. For a chimney, gently but firmly push half of a Pepperidge Farm Pirouette cookie into the cake. Finally, add M&M's Minis holiday lights around the roof's perimeter.
