Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Below is a picture of some (adorable) Cookie Monster cupcakes I made for my daughter's birthday.  There's also a link I included to my video tutorial on how to make them.  Enjoy!  (You can use any kind of cake batter you want - I just tinted mine blue.  As for frosting, I recommend buttercream, so it keeps its shape a bit better.)

Cookie Monster Tutorial

Shirley Temple Cupcakes

The delicious drink perfect for recovering alcoholics - now available as a cupcake!  This recipe is so wonderful - the cake is moist, and the frosty is incredibly creamy, so I felt obligated to share it with you all (internet world).

Ingredients
Cake
1 1/2 cups flour + 1 tbs flour
1/2 butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup 7-Up (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbs maraschino cherry juice
Red food coloring

Frosting
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
2 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (more or less, depending on the consistency you like)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs maraschino cherry juice
12 maraschino cherries (I patted mine dry on a paper towel so the excess juice wouldn't mess up the frosting, but that's probably not a necessary step)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line one cupcake tin (makes 12 cupcakes).  Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth, then add the eggs and beat them in.  Add half a cup of the flour, the 7-Up, then the other half cup of flour and the vanilla, and beat thoroughly.  Separate half a cup of the batter, add the remaining tablespoon of flour, the maraschino cherry juice, and a few drops of red food coloring.  Mix thoroughly, then spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of the 12 cupcake liners.  Fill the liners with the rest of the batter, then bake for about 15-17 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).
Frosting:  Beat the butter until creamy, then gradually add in the confectioner's sugar (while beating).  Add the vanilla extract and maraschino cherry juice, and beat until combined.  After the cupcakes have cooled, frost them, then put a cherry on top of each one.

Andes Mint Cupcakes

Minty chocolate?  It's pretty much either a love or hate relationship.  Luckily, my taste buds fall into the love category, so I can munch on these cupcakes all day, every day.

Ingredients
Cake
4 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
Devil's food cake mix
Mint chocolate filling
2 tbs heavy cream
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
Frosting
6 oz cream cheese (softened)
6 tbs butter (softened)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (more or less depending on the consistency you want)
1 tbs heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Green food coloring

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans with 24 liners.  Whisk together the sour cream, oil and vanilla, then beat the eggs in until smooth.  Alternate between adding the cake mix and the milk and water, mixing until smooth.  Pour into cupcake liners, then bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Filling:  melt the chocolate chips in a small pan with the heavy cream, then remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract.  Fill a squeeze bottle with the filling, then squeeze a little bit into each cupcake.  (I didn't have a squeeze bottle, so I actually used a baby medicine syringe-thingy, but I think it's more likely people will have squeeze bottles on hand.)
Frosting:  Beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then gradually add the powdered sugar and peppermint extract until you reach the desired consistency.  Stir in the green food dye - only a couple of drops because it is a lot more potent than you think!
Top the cupcakes with the frosting, drizzle a little of the leftover filling over the frosting, then top with an Andes mint!