Star Studded Celebration Cupcakes Food

"YOU'RE A STAR!" CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, adding almond extract with the water.
• Meanwhile, on sheet of paper, draw five-pointed star (about 2 inches wide) to use as pattern.
• In small bowl, place half of frosting. Dip toothpick into paste food color; stir food color into frosting in bowl until color is evenly distributed and desired shade. Frost 12 cupcakes with blue frosting. Frost remaining 12 cupcakes with white frosting; sprinkle blue candy sprinkles over white cupcakes.
• In small microwavable bowl, place candy coating. Microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds; stir until melted and smooth. If necessary, microwave 10 seconds longer. Place in heavy-duty food storage plastic bag; seal bag and cut tiny hole in one bottom corner of bag.
• Place paper star pattern under large sheet of waxed paper. Squeezing bag of candy coating, trace the star on waxed paper; move pattern under waxed paper to make 12 stars. Let stars cool until set, about 5 minutes. Remove stars from waxed paper; insert 1 star in each of 12 cupcakes. Store loosely covered.

CELEBRATION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with paper cases. Put the eggs, yogurt, vanilla, sugar, flour, almonds and butter in your largest mixing bowl and beat until smooth and lump-free. Divide between the paper cases and bake for 25-30 mins (swapping the trays after 15 mins if you have to use 2 shelves) until a skewer poked into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. They can be frozen for up to 1 month or kept in an airtight container overnight.
• To decorate, beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth and light. Use a teaspoon to spoon a heaped dollop into the centre of each cake or, for speed, spoon into a food bag, cut about 2cm off the corner and pipe a dollop onto each.
• Divide the icing into as many colours as you want - plus a piece left to be white, or to brush with glitter, if you like. Knead a little colouring into each piece until you have a good colour, then roll out onto a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Use a 6.5cm fluted cutter to stamp out rounds and press down onto the icing to flatten it a bit. Repeat with the other colours to cover all the cakes. Now decorate as you wish, or see our ideas, below.