Wilton's Christmas in July Cupcake Contest ~ A Blue Ribbon Winner

 

This is my youngest daughter Andrea's entry for the Wilton's Christmas in July cupcake contest.

She won first place also. She was the only youth to enter this contest.

Snowman Cupcakes
1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1 container Pillsbury peppermint icing
white sanding sugar (she used CK products brand)
Wilton's orange candy melts
48 regular chocolate chips
Wilton's black sugar pearls
12 toothpicks
3 mini pink marshmallows

~ Prepare white cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Adding 1/2 cup sour cream.
~ Bake as directed on package for cupcakes.
~ Remove cupcakes from oven, allow them to cool about 5 minutes before removing them from the muffin pan to cool completely on a wire rack.
~ Frost each cupcake with a smooth layer of peppermint icing.
~ Pour sanding sugar on a small plate, dip the tops of each frosted cupcake in the sanding sugar, set aside.
~ Push a chocolate chip upside down into each cupcake for the eyes.
~ Melt candy melts in a cake decorating bag in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove from microwave, knead bag, place back in microwave and heat 15 seconds at a time until the candy melts are completely melted.
~ Place a large piece of waxed paper on a cookie sheet.
~ Cut a small hole in the tip of the cake decorating and pipe 24 small carrot shapes onto the paper. Place the candy carrots in the refrigerator until they are firm.
~ Using the peppermint frosting and a toothpick, place a small amount of frosting on the back of each carrot. Place a carrot just under the eyes on each cupcake.
~ Just before serving add sugar pearls for the mouths, The sugar pearls color will bleed onto the cupcakes if left on the cupcakes overnight. For twelve cupcakes, cut a mini marshmallow into fourths, roll each piece of marshmallow in sugar and stick each marshmallow on the end of a toothpick. Insert each toothpick into one cupcake slightly under the nose, as shown in the photo below.