PARTY SWEETS by Sandra Lee

  • 12

Ingredients

  • 1 (18.25-ounce) package butter-recipe yellow cake mix
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 (12-ounce) cans vanilla frosting
  • Food coloring
  • Vanilla extract
  • 24 mini tart shells, Clearbrook Farms Mini Bite-Size Sweet Tart Shells
  • 1 can (21-ounce) strawberry pie filling
  • 2 pints whipping cream, chilled
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 12 medium fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved
  • 24 small fresh mint leaves
  • Raspberry vodka
  • Sparkling apple-cranberry juice

Preparation

Step 1

PASTEL CUPCAKES
(MAKES: 24 cupcakes BAKE: 30 minutes)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper baking cups and set aside. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 1 3/4 cups buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Remove from muffin cups and cool on wire racks.
4. In 4 small mixing bowls, place 6 ounces of frosting in each. For pastel shades, add a couple drops of yellow, blue, green, and red coloring to each. Mix well. Frost cooled cupcakes with colored frosting.
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TINY STRAWBERRY TARTLETS
Makes 12 servings (2 tarts each)
1. Fill each mini tart shell with 1 to 2 tablespoons strawberry pie filling.
2. In a chilled bowl beat whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Place whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe on top of each tart.
3. Drizzle a little bit of the pie-filling liquid over each tart. Garnish with a strawberry half and mint leaf. Serve immediately.
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BLUSHING BUBBLY
In each flute, pour 1 ounce raspberry-flavor vodka, Smirnoff Sorbet Light Raspberry Pomegranate. Top with chilled sparkling apple-cranberry juice, Martinelli Sparkling Apple-Cranberry.