Description
A recipe for Raise the Flag Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix
  
• 1-1/3 cups water
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  
• Buttercream icing (recipe follows) or white, ready-to-use decorator icing
  
• Assorted patriotic sprinkles, colored sugars, party picks, icing decorations
  
• Buttercream Icing
  
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
  
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
  
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 pound)

Preparation
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12 2-1/2-inch muffin pan cups with paper baking cup liners.

In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs and oil; beat with electric mixer 2 minutes. Spoon into baking cups.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before icing and decorating.

Note: For extra pizzazz, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of patriotic sprinkles to your cake batter. You see color bursts when you eat the cupcakes!

Buttercream Icing: Makes 3 cups

Cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.**

Keep icing covered with a damp cloth until ready to use. For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

** To thin for spatula icing cupcakes, add 2 tablespoons of milk or light corn syrup and beat at medium speed until icing is light and fluffy.

To decorate:

Using a spatula or butter knife, ice cupcakes with Buttercream Icing. Or, create an icing swirl using a decorating bag fitted with a star tip, such as Wilton 1M.

* To top with sprinkle mix, place sprinkles on cupcake immediately after icing

* To stencil, place stencil over cupcake, sprinkle with cake sparkles, colored sugars or spray with food color spray.

* Add picks or icing decorations to either spatula or swirl-iced cupcakes as desired.

Nutrition
no information available

Serves
Makes 24 cupcakes

Variations
no information available