Pink peppermint swirl cupcakes

Yummy cupcakes to eat or share with the neighbors.

PINK PEPPERMINT SWIRL CUPCAKES

8 ounces cream cheese (about 1 cup), softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix (recipe works best if you use a name brand cake mix i.e Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker; not a generic brand)
1 cup water
2 t. peppermint extract

1 C. crushed peppermint candy canes (divided)

a touch of red gel food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12 count muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix, water and peppermint and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Divided the batter evenly into two separate bowls. Add 1/2 cup crushed candy canes as well as the gel color to half the batter. Fill the muffin cups with half white batter and half pink batter. Using a tooth pick, lightly swirl the two batters together. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.When cool, frost with vanilla bean frosting (recipe below), and sprinkle the remaining crushed candy canes on top.

VANILLA BEAN FROSTING
1/2 C. butter softened (1 stick)
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 + C. milk
1-2 t. vanilla bean paste**

**(You can also use regular vanilla if you don't have or don't want to purchase Vanilla Bean Paste)
In a mixing bowl combine the butter, vanilla bean paste and powdered sugar. Mix, starting slow, until somewhat combined. Start by adding 1/4 C. milk and mix. Slowly add more milk, one or a tablespoons at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.
it!

Color burst cupcakes

I got this recipe off of studio 5.

CREAM CHEESE VANILLA CUPCAKES (or cake)

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 egg whites
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 box white cake mix
1 cup water
1 t. vanilla
In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix, water and vanilla and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. If you want to divide batter into different bowls and dye with Wiltons icing color. It needs to be professional food coloring or the color will bake out. Fill 24 muffin cups to just below the rim and bake 350, about 18 to 20 minutes.

VANILLA BUTTER CREAM FROSTING

1 C. butter softened (2 sticks)

2 lb. powdered sugar

1/4 + C. milk

1-2 t. vanilla

In a mixing bowl combine the butter, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix, starting slow, until somewhat combined.

Start by adding 1/4 C. milk and mix. Slowly add more milk, one or two tablespoons at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. **This makes a lot of frosting. Can be halved.