Marshmallow Flower Cupcakes

                For my 2011 finale, I wanted to show you my favorite cupcakes!

                The idea comes directly from the book “What’s New, Cupcake?” which is the sequel to “Hello, Cupcake!”  The ideas are so cute and some are easy to implement (some are actually a bit difficult, sadly).  But this one is really easy!

                Make whatever cupcakes you like.  I’m a big fan of chocolate or red velvet, myself.  Once they are cool, gather the following things:

Ingredients

Icing

Bag of mini marshmallows

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Individual bowls of colored sugar

                Frost the top of one cupcake with a minimal amount of icing.  You don’t need too much because its main purpose is to hold the marshmallows on.  Because the marshmallows are white, I usually use a white frosting, but there’s no rule that says you have to!

                Now, take one mini marshmallow and cut it in half along the diagonal (as shown in the diagram below).  

                Drop both halves in the colored sugar.  Be sure that the sticky inside of the marshmallow has a lot of sugar stuck to it.  Place the marshmallow half on the outer edge of the cupcake.  Continue to add marshmallow halves dipped in sugar all around the edge.  Once the edge is complete, start a new circle of marshmallow halves just inside the first circle.  Make as many circles as you can.

                For the center of the flower, I cut a marshmallow in half directly across the middle (as shown in the diagram below), dip it in sugar, and stick it on.

                The cupcakes come out gorgeous!  So gorgeous, in fact, that if you enter them in a baking contest, people will be too scared to eat one (true story).  I’ve made many versions of these – all the pictures are below.  Enjoy!!