Recipe courtesy of Our Best Bites
1 18.25-oz white cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. almond extract
Yellow and orange Wilton food gel (about a heaping 1/2 tsp. of each)
A double batch of Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 24-cup muffin tins with white paper liners. Combine all ingredients except for food coloring in a large bowl and beat on low speed for 1 min. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat on medium for 2 additional minutes. Divide batter equally into 2 bowls: about 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups of batter in each bowl. Mix about 1/2 heaping tsp. of yellow coloring into one bowl of batter and 1/2 heaping tsp. of orange coloring into the other bowl.
Divide the yellow batter evenly among the muffin tins, about 1 tbsp. Bang the tin a few times on the counter to level out the batter. Repeat the process with the orange batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in the pan and then allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
These "doctored up" cake mix cupcakes are sooo delish! And the frosting! It is divine. Definitely a little more challenging than a regular buttercream but worth it. So yummy!
Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling
recipe by ourbestbites.com
3 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup milk (whole milk is best, I used a combination of 1% and heavy cream and it worked great - the recipe writer said they have used skim before to good results)
1/2 cup real butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together the flour and the milk. Heat in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Whisk continuously until it starts to thicken. Let it cook, while stirring, until it looks like pudding (you should be able to see the bottom on the pan when you stir it). Even though it's thick, you can still push it through a mesh strainer (whisk in the strainer to push the thick stuff through) and then let it cool completely to room temperature. If it doesn't cool completely, it will melt the butter in the frosting.
In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and the sugar for a minute or two until well combined and fluffy. Use the whisk attachment. Then while beating add in the thickened milk mixture and the vanilla. Beat on the highest speed possible without making a mess for 7 minutes, maybe even 8 or 9. It will look like a weird goopy mess and then towards the end it gets amazing.
Frost cupcakes and garnish with a candy corn.
Can store at room temperature in a sealed container.
Happy Halloween!!
