Candy Corn Cupcakes

• 1 18.25-oz. white cake mix (I prefer Duncan Hines)

• 1 c. sour cream

• 1/2 c. vegetable 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 degrees. Line a 24-cup muffin tin with white paper liners (although you may not make it to 24 cupcakes).

Combine all ingredients except for food coloring in a large bowl and beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat on medium for 2 additional minutes.

Divide batter equally into two bowls; you should have about 2 1/4-2 1/2 c. 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. I used a standard cookie scoop, which measures about 1 Tbsp. I only had enough to make 20 cupcakes with the cups filled about halfway. Holding the edges of each pan firmly, bang the pan a few times on the counter to level out the batter. Repeat the process with the orange batter.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes in the pan and then allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Use a can of white frosting and your cupcake decorating kit to frost with a dollop of frosting. Then perch a candy corn in the top of the frosting.

For a tutorial on how to do this, go to
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/tutorial-how-to-frost-cupcakes-plus-candy-corn-cupcakes/

from the kitchen of Rita MacCabe