Under The Big Top Cupcakes

Name: Under The Big Top Cupcakes
Ingredients: White Cake:; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1 cup shortening; 2 cups sugar; 4 large eggs; 2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; Paper baking cups; Vegetable cooking spray; Multicolored confetti sprinkles; Vanilla Frosting:; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 3 to 4 tablespoons whipping cream; 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar; Food coloring gel in your favorite colors; Toppings:; Sugar circus animals

23 ingredients

9 steps

Ingredients

White Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose soft-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Paper baking cups
Vegetable cooking spray
Multicolored confetti sprinkles
Vanilla Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons whipping cream
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
Food coloring gel in your favorite colors
Toppings:
Sugar circus animals

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
2

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts. Stir in 1/3 cup multicolored confetti sprinkles.
3

Place paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans, and coat with cooking spray; spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
4

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.
5

To prepare Vanilla Frosting, beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Make 3 cups.
6

Tint Vanilla Frosting with food coloring gels of your choice. Frost each cupcake with tinted frosting. Roll edges of each cupcake in confetti sprinkles, and top each with 1 sugar circus animal.
7

The cake decorating experts at
8

suggest that you check out your local crafts store or look at
9

to buy sugar circus animals.