All Good Things Must Come to an End...

 Summer seems to go by faster and faster each year.  Not that I can complain, many people do not have a career where they get to enjoy a true summer vacation like I do.  Just one of the many perks of being a teacher!

In honor of summer coming to an end, I thought I would post my: 

'Gummy Bear Beach Party Cupcakes'

I made these cupcakes for a weekend at my friends beach house.  Don't worry, I made mini cupcakes!  No one wants to eat too many sweets when they are in a bikini!  

Ingredients:

• Betty Crocker Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 cup sugar free chocolate pudding
• 1 can of vanilla frosting
• blue food coloring
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 large bag of gummy bears
• box of cocktail umbrellas
• one quart size zip-lock bag 
• wax paper

Directions: 

1.      Bake cupcakes according to box adding cup of sugar free pudding to the batter.  This insures the cupcakes stay moist. 

2.      While the cupcakes are baking, mix blue food coloring into frosting one drop at a time until you get your desired shade of blue. (Hint: Do NOT over mix.  It looks best with ribbons of white and dark blue mixed in.)  At the same time, mix the brown sugar and the white sugar in a zip-lock bag for a beach colored sand effect.

3.      Frost the tops of each cupcake with the blue frosting.  Create peaks with the tip of the knife to give a wave effect

4.      Tear a small piece of wax paper as shown below and cover half the cupcake. The uneven tear helps to create a crooked line for the sand.

 

5.      Dust the sugar mixture on the uncovered half of the frosting.

6.      Add gummy bears to the top of the cupcakes.  Make them look like they are laying in the “sand” and playing in the “water.” (Hint: You can also use Teddy Grahams.)

7.      For a final touch, add the cocktail umbrellas!

      Feel free to embellish your "beach party" as much as you want.  You can even add fruit loops and sour belts for rafts.  Now go enjoy my cupcakes and soak up the last bits of summer while you can!