ICEE Cupcakes {and other fun Softball treats}

Softball season is officially over. It's kind of sad, really, because Jordan loved it so much.

I will not miss having to get dinner ready for her at 4:00 and packing it up in a cooler for Mel and I. Nor will I miss the post-school night-game whining.

I will miss watching Jordan learn how to catch. And watching her hit, without a tee, for entire games.

Last weekend I volunteered to host the end-of-the-year softball party. For 12 first-graders, their parents, and siblings.

Yes, I'm certifiably insane.

But I love doing it. Even when I was going crazy on Friday trying to get the house clean and do last minute prep and make eight dozen mini cupcakes, when I was growling "why do I do this???" at my husband, I still was having fun.

For the cupcakes, I decided to go with a "softball snack shack" theme. You know, that crap you buy while you're bored out of your mind watching your kid play. Popcorn, hot cocoa, Icees, candy.

I made mini cupcakes out of two box mixes, one yellow cake and one chocolate. FYI, that makes a lot of minis. I had no idea how many it would make. Be prepared. Probably 3-4 dozen per box.

{Just because I majored in math, you didn't expect me just know that a mix making 24 regular sized cupcakes would make a whole lot of mini ones, right?}

I made one large batch of homemade buttercream and divided it into four portions to make the four flavors of cupcake.

These ICEE cupcakes were the biggest hit. The frosting is made with cherry jell-o. Joan at Chocolate, Chocolate, and More used Jell-O in cupcakes awhile back and when brainstorming ideas, I came up with these.



The straws are from Target. I may have * accidentally* brought home a couple extra with my diet Pepsi fountain drink. Cut them in fourths and they are the perfect size for mini cupcakes.


Here is a link to the printable ICEE logo. I printed them on regular paper and attached them to a paper liner with double stick tape. Using those cute little paper cups would be great too, but I didn't have any.

For some reason being at any sporting event reminds me of pink popcorn. You know, the kind that comes in a chewy brick? I have no idea why sports reminds me of this. I did not play sports as a child and I did not attend sporting events. I got my pink popcorn at the park after riding the train. But anyway, I always think of it. These were really pretty cupcakes too. (But make a note, the popcorn got stale overnight. Best to make it the day of.)

The Hot Chocolate ones were my favorite. I put hot cocoa in the mix and topped them with hot fudge sauce. To. Die. For.

And last, but not least, Bubblegum Cupcakes. I used one of those Duncan Hines flavor packets and topped them with bubblegum. Not my favorite flavor, but the kids loved them.

I must say, if you're making cupcakes for a crowd, make minis. People eat more when food is miniature. I had no cupcakes left. The kids ate way too many, but hey, then I didn't. :)

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

ICEE, Popcorn, Bubblegum, & Hot Cocoa Cupcakes {Softball Inspired}

by Crazy for Crust

Ingredients

8 dozen mini cupcakes (2 box mixes)

Frosting Base

• 4 sticks room temperature butter
• 8 cups powdered sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla

For the Cherry ICEE Cupcakes

• 1 pack cherry Jell-O mix
• 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice (optional)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (if it seems too wet)
• Red straws
• ICEE label
• Cream or milk, a teaspoon or two as needed for consistency*

For the Popcorn Cupcakes

• 3 cups popped popcorn, kernels removed
• 4 squares white almond bark
• Food coloring and candy coloring

For the Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

• 1 pack hot cocoa mix
• 1/4 cup hot fudge, melted

For the Bubblegum Cupcakes

• 1 pack Duncan Hines Frosting Creations, bubblegum flavor
• 24 bubblegum balls

Instructions

1. Make your base frosting: beat butter until fluffy in a very large bowl. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix well between additions. Beat in vanilla. Separate into 4 separate bowls.
2. Make the Cherry ICEE Cupcakes: Add cherry Jell-O powder, maraschino cherry juice, and additional powdered sugar (if needed) to 1/4 of the base buttercream. Squeeze onto the top of 2 dozen mini cupcakes in on large mound. Cut each red straw in fourths and stick into icing. If your frosting seems gritty at first, try adding a little cream or milk and mixing, adding more powdered sugar if needed to thicken.
3. Make the Popcorn Cupcakes: melt almond bark according to package directions. Tint with candy coloring and mix with popcorn. Let harden. Tint 1/4 of base buttercream desired color and frost 2 dozen mini cupcakes. Press popcorn into the top of each cupcake. Note: popcorn gets stale overnight, prepare right before serving.
4. Make the Hot Cocoa Cupcakes: Stir hot cocoa mix into 1/4 base buttercream. Pipe onto 2 dozen mini cupcakes. Melt hot fudge and place in a ziploc sandwich bag with the tip of a corner cut off. Drizzle onto cupcakes.
5. Make the Bubblegum Cupcakes: Stir bubblegum flavor into 1/4 base buttercream. Pipe onto cupcakes and top with a bubblegum ball.

Powered by Recipage

***Update: I made the ICEE cupcakes again, by themselves. I needed enough frosting for 30 minis, so I used 1 1/2 sticks of butter, about 3 cups of powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla, the cherry jell-o and maraschino cherry juice. If you need something to help with consistency or grittiness, you can add a little cream or milk to thin it out (and, more powdered sugar, if needed). I've updated the recipe above.***

I link up to all of these fabulous parties each week!

Talent Show Tuesday at Chef in Training, Trick or Treat Tuesday at Inside BruCrew Life, Cast Party Wednesday at Lady Behind the Curtain, Sweet Treats Thursday at Something Swanky, Chic-and-Crafty at the Frugal Girls, Tastetastic Thursday at A Little Nosh, Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli-n-sons, I'm Lovin' it Fridays at TidyMom, Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet as Sugar Cookies, A Well-Seasoned Life, Strut your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters' Stuff, and all of these too!