Making these cupcakes is a “piece of cup-cake!”

The assembly is self explanatory and I used my (already posted) chocolate cupcake recipe, so there’s not too much to talk about…

Let’s read fun facts about rainbows instead: 🙂

• In Irish mythology, they are thought to be the hiding place for pots of gold.
• According to Greek mythology, the rainbow is a bridge between heaven and earth.
• Earth is the only planet in the solar system where rainbows are possible.
• On the ground, we only see a semi-circle rainbow but from very high up, such as on an airplane, you can see a rainbow in a complete circle.
• Double rainbows occur when light bounces inside the water droplet more than once.
• The colors of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (thanks Sir Isaac Newton!).  An easy way to remember the colors of the rainbow is “ROY-G-BIV.”

 

It’s sooo hard for me to believe it, but this past weekend my daughter turned 5 years old!!  She wanted a “sweet shoppe” birthday party infused with unicorns and magic, and I think everyone on the planet knows that unicorns are all the rage now, but we can’t have unicorns without rainbows so I made these cupcakes for more party “magic!”

 

They’re very simple to make.  You need blue food dye or gel to tint the frosting, and you can make the clouds by using mini marshmallows or white frosting.  I found this jar of ‘decorating candies’ at Hobby Lobby and they taste like the marshmallows in Lucky Charms.  Jet-Puffed marshmallows work well too.

 

You can find rainbow belts just about anywhere.  The package here is from HomeGoods, but I was also able to find a 3 oz. package of ‘Airheads Xtremes’ at Walmart for $0.97.

 

“You’re my dream, my sparkly rainbow cupcake dream”

The cupcakes were SO cute and really tied into the magical unicorn and sweet shop theme.  I hope you give them a try 🙂

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Rainbow Cupcakes

If chocolate and cream cheese aren’t for you, then substitute whatever recipe you prefer, just make sure the frosting is blue.

Simple Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate or Devils Food Cake Mix
• 1 box Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix
• 4 Eggs (room temp)
• 1 cup Milk (room temp)
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Couple dashes of Salt

Simple Syrup:  1 tablespoon of sugar dissolved into 1 tablespoon warm water.

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line cupcake pan with liners.  Blend cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, milk, vegetable oil, melted butter (slightly cooled), vanilla extract and salt until moistened.  Mix for 1-2 minutes.

Pour into cupcake liners and bake for 13-15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  DO NOT over-bake!  Let them finish cooling on a cooling rack.  Use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of each cupcake and brush with simple syrup.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 block (8 ounces|1 cup) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 stick (4 ounces|1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter
• 2-3 cups Powdered Sugar
• Blue Food Gel
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

Bring the cream cheese and butter to room temp.  Beat both together really well in a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer).  Begin adding the powdered sugar in one cup intervals (sweeten to taste).  Once the sugar is fully mixed, add the blue food gel.  Then add the vanilla and salt.  Mix until combined.  Needs refrigeration.

Additional Ingredients

• 3 oz. package Airheads Xtremes Rainbow Belts
• Mini marshmallows
• Chocolate coins (optional)

Once completely cooled, frost each cupcake, sprinkle marshmallows (or pipe white frosting) on opposite ends of the cupcake, then use one rainbow belt cut in half for every two cupcakes.  Chocolate coins are optional but reaaaaally cute!  Needs refrigeration. 

Enjoy!  xoxo

 

Rainbow “fact” sources came from the following websites:

• https://www.seriousfacts.com/rainbow-facts/ 
• https://www.sunsigns.org/rainbow-symbolic-meanings/