What is in your Easter Basket?

My other fun recipe over the weekend was Easter Basket Cupcakes. I made these for my family, the kiddos I tutor, my friend's daughter and now I am bringing two dozen to school tomorrow. They are so easy and are totally cute. I have also posted the recipe below. Enjoy!

Recipe Picture

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Easter Basket Cupcakes
Ingredients

·                     3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

·                     1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·                     1 1/2 cups sugar

·                     1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

·                     3/4 teaspoon baking powder

·                     3/4 teaspoon salt

·                     2 large eggs

·                     3/4 cup warm water

·                     3/4 cup buttermilk

·                     3 tablespoons canola oil

·                     vanilla icing tinted green (use store bought icing or try this recipe)

·                     Cadbury Mini Eggs

·                     12 standard pipe cleaners (brown works best); cut in half

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Sift cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth.

3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to wire racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.


4. Make frosting if you will be using the homemade kind. I like to make homemade icing, as it always tastes better than the store-bought kinds. However, in a pinch, store bought icing works well. I also recommend that you colour the icing using a gel paste and not liquid food colouring. The gel paste allows for stronger, bolder colours and does not add liquid to your icing & make it runny. You can find the gel pastes at places like Michael's (craft store).


5. Frost the cupcakes with the green icing. In order to make the icing look a little like easter grass, I used a decorating tip like this one. Place 3 Mini Eggs on the top of each cupcake. Curve the pipe cleaners into a basket handle and stick right into the cupcake. And voila....adorable easter basket cupcakes!