Premiere Party Cupcake Decorating

Add an ounce of competition to the amazing cupcake decorating with a prize for the most outstanding cupcake. Give guests the tools (see supplies, below) to decorate their hearts out with self-dyed frosting, Ziploc bags to pipe frosting decorations, and of course a plethora of candy treats to add embellishment to their amazing cupcakes.

Supplies: Cupcake Baking Pan

• Scissors to cut a half inch off the botton of the bag to use for piping.
• 1 box of large plastic Ziploc bags (for piping bags)
• Different colors of food dye
• Many small bowls to mix the food dyes and frosting
• Small decorative candies such as M&Ms, thin rope red vines, candy hearts, gummi bears, silver and gold dragees, Red Hots, Mike & Ike's, etc.

Cupcake Ingredients (makes 48 mini cupcakes - 2.5 inch cupcake liners - or 24 regular sized cupcakes):

* 1 stick butter

* 1.5 cups sugar

* 2 cups all purpose flour

* 2 tsp. baking powder

* 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger zest

* 1 small shot bottle of Kahlua liqueur

* 1/2 tsp. salt

* 3/4 cup milk (regular or soy)

* 1 tsp. vanilla extract

* 4 large egg whites

Preparation

* Cut up the stick of butter into 1/2 inch slices, put in mixer and soften on high speed.

* Add the sugar in with the butter and beat for 2-3 minutes, until fully mixed.

* Sift the baking powder, salt and flour together in a separate bowl.

* Mix the milk, Kahlua and vanilla together in a small separate bowl; the ingredients should total 1 cup of fluid. To ensure this, add the Kahlua first into a measuring cup, then the vanilla, and top off with milk for 1 cup total.

* Preset oven to 350 degrees F.

* Alternately add the milk/vanilla mixture and the flour mixture into the mixing bowl with the sugar and butter. Add one third of each mixture at a time, allowing the ingredients you add to incorporate with the sugar and butter mix fully before adding a third of the other mixture.

* Add the Tablespoon of Ginger zest and turn mixer on medium to evenly mix in the zest.

* In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites together until peaks form.

* Fold egg whites into mixture until everything is fully incorporated.

* Using a mini cupcake / muffin pan, scoop one large spoonful of batter into each mini cupcake wrapper.

* Place mini cupcakes in the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to fully cool (at least 30 minutes, outside the baking tray) before attempting to frost.

Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (will generously frost 48 mini cupcakes, or 24 regular sized cupcakes) :

Ingredients

* 4 oz. whipped cream cheese

* 4 oz. regular cream cheese (alternately, you can just use 8 oz. regular cream cheese for denser frosting)

* 4 oz. (1 stick) of butter

* 12 oz. powdered sugar

* 1/4 tsp. orange extract

* 1 tsp. vanilla extract

* zest from 1 medium - large lemon

Preparation

* Place butter and cream cheese in the mixer on high for 2 minutes to soften.

* Add vanilla and orange extracts to the mixture, allow to mix thoroughly until fully incorporated.

* Add powdered sugar in 4 stages, adding a quarter each time. Allow each quarter to become fully mixed with the rest of the frosting until adding more.

* Add the lemon zest and allow to fully incorporate.

* Refrigerate frosting for at least 1 hour, then allow to soften outside fridge for ten to fifteen minutes before frosting fully cooled cupcakes.