Cotton Candy Cupcakes #2

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1/4 cup cotton candy syrup (replace with water if needed)
• 1 dram cotton candy oil
• Wilton food gels in Pink and Royal Blue
• 1 pkg cotton candy
• Frosting recipe (recipe and ingredients follow)

Details

Adapted from thedomesticrebel.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners. In large bowl, beat together cake mix, egg whites, unsweetened applesauce and syrup until well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in dram of cotton candy oil, and stir in about 1/2 cup shredded cotton candy pieces (break up with your fingers; you don’t want chunks).

2. Divide cake batter evenly among two bowls. Tint one batch light pink and the other light blue (think cotton candy, people!) Portion into muffin tins (I did one generous scoop of blue on bottom, pink on top for some and vice versa for the rest). Bake, approximately 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Sweet Rich Buttercream:

2/3 cup butter, softened
4 teaspoons cotton candy syrup
About 4 cups powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of stand mixer, beat together butter and three (3) teaspoons of syrup until creamy and combined, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until you’ve reached a stiff but spreadable consistency–add additional teaspoon of syrup if your frosting it too thick or stiff. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and top with remaining pieces of cotton candy.