Cotton Candy Cupcakes!

I learned that there is a national cotton candy day. Man, is there are day designated for everything? Well, the day is officially on December 7th. Well, we've all got time to prepare don't we? I say let's do it cupcake style! I will use any excuse for cupcakes :) Here's some inspiration.





(hoosierhomemade.com)
Cupcakes topped with Cotton Candy Pop Rocks



Cotton Candy Peep Cupcakes by Retro Bakery in Las Vegas



Cotton Candy Cupcakes - Thing 1 and Thing 2 Cupcakes based on Dr. Seuss characters



Cotton Candy Cupcake by Retro Bakery in Las Vegas
Vanilla cake topped with pink cotton candybuttercream and blue glitter sugar!



Cotton Candy Cupcakes by CakeSpy

Wanna try to make the above cupakes? I think I might. Here's the recipe from Cakespy.com

Yellow Cupcakes (cake recipe only via foodnetwork.com):

• 1 cup unsalted butter
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup milk
  
• cupcake liners
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixer with a whip attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to cream. Gradually add the vanilla and eggs and mix in well. Sift together the dry ingredients; then mix into the butter mixture alternating with the milk. Pour batter into cupcake paper-lined muffin tins filling them 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and firm in the center and light golden brown on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. (Freeze at this point, if necessary.)


Cotton Candy Buttercream Frosting (adapted from this recipe)

Makes enough frosting for 24 cupcakes

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  
• 6 to 8 cups Confectioners' sugar
  
• 1/2 cup Milk
  
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  
• 1 handful cotton candy (we used this prepackaged kind), broken into small pieces, plus another handful for garnish

1. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.
   
2. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla.
   
3. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
   
4. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
   
5. Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix thoroughly til it's a desired shade of pink.
   
6. Stir in the small pieces of cotton candy, stirring until incorporated. It may melt a little bit into the frosting; this is ok.
7. Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.
   
8. Optional topping: tear off chunks of cotton candy and use as garnish; do this last step immediately before serving, because it will wilt if left out.