Pinata Cupcakes
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 24 cupcakes
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 24 servings
- Calories
- 322
- Total Fat
- 13
- Saturated Fat
- 6
- Carbohydrates
- 52
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 42
- Protein
- 2
- Cholesterol
- 0
- Sodium
- 262
- Total: 1 hr 20 min (includes cooling time)
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Yellow, red and blue food coloring
1/2 cup mini candy-coated chocolates, such as mini M and M's
1/2 cup mixed small fruit-flavored candies, such as Nerds
1/2 cup rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
1/2 cup jumbo rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
2 to 3 cups your favorite vanilla frosting or two 16-ounce containers store-bought vanilla frosting
Directions
Special equipment:
a 1/2-inch round cutter- Bake 24 cupcakes according to the box instructions. Let cool completely.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup of the shredded coconut. Turn the mixer on low, add 8 drops of yellow food coloring and mix until the coconut is a uniform bright yellow. Transfer to a bowl. Add another cup of the coconut to the bowl and turn the mixer on low. Add 6 drops of yellow food coloring and 4 drops of red food coloring and mix until the coconut is a uniform reddish orange (add a few more drops of each if the color is not vibrate enough). Transfer the coconut to a separate bowl. Wash and dry out the standing mixer bowl and add the remaining 1 cup coconut. Turn the mixer on low and add 6 to 8 drops of blue food coloring. Mix until the coconut is a uniform bright blue. Transfer to a third bowl.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chocolate candies, fruit candies and nonpareils. Set aside.
- Using a 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out a well in each cupcake (reserve the cut-out top pieces of each cupcake). Use a small spoon to scoop out the wells, being careful not to go all the way through the bottom of the cupcakes. Fill each cupcake well about two-thirds full with the mixed candy, about a heaping tablespoon. Cover the holes with the reserved cut-out tops.
- Frost the cupcakes with the vanilla frosting. Press some of the blue coconut onto the outer third of the top of each cupcake to form a stripe, then press some of the yellow coconut in the center third and finally the orange coconut in the final third. You should have 3 equal stripes on the top of each cupcake.