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Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing and Watch Treat

Time: – Yield:

Yellow Cake Cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 to 45 minutes

Bake Time: 18 to 20 minutes

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 ⅓ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
  • 5 extra large eggs, at room temperature
  • 4 cups cake flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1 ⅓ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Cupcake liners

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2, 12 cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
  5. Combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk.
  6. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup.
  7. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, beating until well blended.
  8. Scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary.
  9. Beat the batter for 7 minutes on medium speed.
  10. Divide the batter evenly between cupcake pans. Tap the pans on the counter to ensure there are no air bubbles.
  11. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Test doneness by touching a cupcake top. If it springs back, it is done.If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer.
  12. Cool the cupcakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from pans.

 

Cream Cheese Icing

Prep time: 15 minutes

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
  • 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  1. Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer for 3 minutes. At the end of the 3 minutes, scrape the bowl extremely well.
  2. Add the vanilla extract and beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, beating on low to ensure the sugar does not fly out of the mixing bowl.
  4. After each addition of confectioners’ sugar, scrape the bowl extremely well.
  5. Once all the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated, beat on low speed for 3 minutes.
  6. Ice the cupcakes using a piping bag with a swirl tip.

 

New Year’s Eve Watch Treat

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Sour belt candy
  • Vanilla icing
  • Vanilla wafer cookies
  • Number sprinkles
  • Sprinkles
  • Toothpick
  • Knife to spread icing
  • Kitchen shears

Directions:

  1. Start by spreading the icing on your vanilla wafer cookies.
  2. Place the number sprinkles on the cookie like a clock. “12” at the top, “3” on the right, “6” on the bottom, and “9” on the left.
  3. Make the hands for your clock by using a long sprinkle and a short sprinkle. Place the sprinkles in the middle of the cookie. The long hand is pointing at the 12 and the smaller hand is pointing between the 11 and 12.
  4. For the strap, take a piece of sour belt candy. Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut a triangle at the tip of one end of the sour belt candy.
  5. Use a toothpick to make 5 evenly spaced holes in the opposite end of the sour belt candy. Do this along the center of the candy belt. Space out each hole about ½ inch apart.
  6. Attach the watch face to the strap using a small amount of icing.
  7. Place the watch on the cupcake as a topper. Roll the ends of the watch strap so they do not hang off of the cupcake.