Cupcakes and Decorating Frosting!


As most of you, I prefer homemade baked goods in every way. Sometimes life just doesn't want to comply though. Being the busy bee I am I needed to find an easy, cake mix recipe that I could use in a pinch. Here it is! Still nice but with a homemade taste. Try it - I am positive you will see how easy it is to still get those cupcakes together the night before school. You know how kids are :)


1 box cake mix
3 large eggs
1/2 c melted butter
1 c water

Ready, set, go. Dump everything into your mixer. Mix on low for a few minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Now mix on high for another minute or so. It should be thick and creamy. Now fill cupcake about 2/3's full - don't fill to top. Bake cupcakes in a 325º oven for about 18 minutes, until set or toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting is our "thing" - my family has a "thing" for frosting, icing, or any topping you would use on a cupcake. Some hate frosting, some hate "whipped frosting", some hate icing, regular and canned. You can imagine I'm sure. Besides that little issue, I could never find a recipe for frosting that didn't taste like butter. I have looked high and low and tried various types only to throw them in the trash. I recently came across this "no fail frosting". Guess what? I tried it and loved it! It doesn't have that heavy butter flavor that I hate, somehow it came together. It was creamy, thick, and had a nice vanilla flavor. I would recommend if you need a white icing, use a clear butter, colorless vanilla, and regular Crisco without butter. That way you will have the clean white coloring that you need. I was going to dye mine so it didn't really matter. This is your recipe for mile high frosting for decorating cupcakes!

1 c butter (at room temp)
1 c shortening (I used Crisco)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
5 c confectioners' sugar
2 Tbsp whipping cream

Cream your butter and Crisco until well blended and smooth. Scrape sides as needed. Slowly add sugar - one cup at a time until blended. Add whipping cream and vanilla and beat at highest speed until super fluffy about 1 minute. Scrape sides as needed. If you are dyeing your frosting, add your drops one at a time and mix completely until you get the color you need. Store in refrigerator when not using.
Seriously this is the best frosting EVER!

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