Marshmallow Cupcakes

For a while, I've been wanting to try the Marshmallow Cupcakes, since they have an interesting design to them. The perfect occasion came around, a "Catch Up Birthday Party." Eight friends got together to celebrate everyone's birthday with two rounds of laser tag at Laser Quest, pizza, dessert, and a gift exchange. I was asked to make dessert, and of course I said "heck yes!" The final question was: What to make for this particular group of friends? This isn't a typical group of friends. This is the group that I had lunch with in high school almost every day, and then a few extra people who are "worthy" of joining the group. That sounds really bad, but "worthy" actually means "Can you geek it up enough?" This extends to new friends, siblings, and significant others. The party consisted of 9-10 people, and the group can get up to 10 more people than that at times. I knew I had to make something that could be consumed by 9 people or by 20 people. My answer? CUPCAKES! Which cupcake was the hard choice, since I have quite a list to choose from. I really wanted to do a homemade recipe with a homemade topping, but I was strained on time because of such a busy week that I resorted to a Betty Crocker box of cake and can of frosting. Betty Crocker makes some darn good boxed cakes, but there's just a major sense of accomplishment when you watch someone eat and enjoy something you made from scratch. Below is the recipe and some of my own pictures, but the recipe can be found here: Marshmallow Cupcakes 

Information:

Prep Time: 25 min

Total Time: 1 hour 25 min

Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box

2 containers (1 lb each) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy creamy white frosting

24 to 30 large marshmallows

Betty Crocker® colored sugar or candy sprinkles

White or colored birthday candles

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes, using water, oil and egg whites. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Frost cupcakes with frosting.
3. Cut marshmallow with dampened kitchen scissors into slices; sprinkle with colored sugar. Arrange on cupcakes in flower shape. Place candle in middle of each flower.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude directions on cake mix box for cupcakes.