Tiny and Cute Cupcakes

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We did! Spend both Christmas eve and Christmas day with family, good food and lots of love and laughs!





I was in charge of bringing dessert at my sister's Friday night - and when I saw these - I knew my niece and nephews would love them!! colorful-cupcake-poppers.  My fave part of these were the icing in between - DELICIOUS!!



Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1/4 teaspoon each gel or liquid food colors (neon pink, neon purple, neon orange, neon green, classic blue)

Frosting
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Gel or liquid food colors (neon pink, neon purple, neon orange, neon green, classic blue) (didn't tint the frosting)

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 60 mini muffin cups. Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter among 5 small bowls, about 3/4 cup each. Make 5 different colors of batter by adding 1/4 teaspoon food color to each bowl; blend well.
 
Fill each muffin cup with 1 level measuring tablespoon batter, making 12 cupcakes of each color.
 
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

In large bowl, beat marshmallow creme and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Beat in powdered sugar until fluffy. Divide frosting among 5 small bowls, about 1/3 cup each. Using the same 5 food colors, lightly tint frosting in each bowl to match the cupcake colors.
 
Assemble each popper using 2 mini cupcakes. Cut tops off each cupcake horizontally (save bottoms for another use - I used the bottom parts too!). Spread or pipe about 1 tablespoon frosting on cut side of 1 cupcake top. Form a sandwich by placing cut side of second cupcake top on frosting; press lightly. Repeat with remaining cupcake tops. Store loosely covered.