Name: Hello Flower Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: colored sprinkles, sugar or coconut (recipe follows); 30 large marshmallows; 1 1 container (16-ounce) vanilla frosting; McCormick Assorted Food Colors and Egg Dye or; McCormick Assorted NEON! Food Colors and Egg Dye; 24 yellow cupcakes baked in white paper liners; 1 cup green-colored sugar (recipe follows); 24 yellow spice gumdrops

Hello Flower Cupcakes

By: McCormick & Company, Inc.

Spend time with your family creating a bright and delicious garden or bouquet of flower cupcakes. This recipe is from decorating experts Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, co-authors of the new book, Whats New, Cupcake? (April 2010).

Notes

Get other wonderful recipes for Mother's Day in our free, downloadable eCookbook, Celebrate Mom: 26 Terrific Mother's Day Recipes.

Preparation Time30 min

Ingredients

colored sprinkles, sugar or coconut (recipe follows)
30 large marshmallows
1 1 container (16-ounce) vanilla frosting
McCormick Assorted Food Colors and Egg Dye or
McCormick Assorted NEON! Food Colors and Egg Dye
24 yellow cupcakes baked in white paper liners
1 cup green-colored sugar (recipe follows)
24 yellow spice gumdrops

Instructions

Place colored sprinkles, sugar or coconut in small bowl.
Cut several marshmallows crosswise into 4 slices with sharp scissors. Press 1 of the cut side of each marshmallow piece into colored sprinkles to coat. Place coated side up on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining marshmallows and sprinkles to makes 120 marshmallow petals. For variety, use different colored sprinkles, sugar and coconut to decorate the marshmallow petals.
Tint the frosting bright green, using 1/2 teaspoon green food color and 4 drops blue food color.
Place the green-colored sugar in a shallow bowl.
Spread top of each cupcake with green frosting. Roll the edge of each cupcake in colored sugar.
Arrange 5 marshmallow petals on top of each cupcake to resemble a flower, pressing the marshmallows into the frosting.
Place a gumdrop in the center of the cupcake to complete the flower.

Colored Sprinkles, Sugar or Coconut:

Place white sprinkles or nonpareils, white decorating sugar or coconut in large resealable plastic bag.
Add food color. (For 1 cup sprinkles, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon food color. For 1 cup sugar, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon food color. For 1 cup coconut, add 1/4 teaspoon food color).
Seal bag. Knead sprinkles, sugar or coconut until the color is evenly distributed. (Add additional drops of Food Color for darker shade).
Spread colored sprinkles, sugar or coconut on large rimmed baking sheet. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes or until dried. Store in airtight container.