Graduation Cupcakes
Chocolate cupcakes, whipped mint chocolate chip cream cheese frosting, and a graduation cap and tassel! These Graduation Cupcakes or should we say “cap”-cakes are perfect for impending Graduation parties!
Servings 24 cupcakes
Calories 343kcal
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce box Kroger chocolate cake mix or brownie mix prepared in cupcake form, according to package directions.
Mint Chip Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½- 1 teaspoon pure mint extract
- Green food coloring 2-3 drops
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
- pinch of salt
Graduation Caps:
- 24 squares package Kroger Graham Crackers broken into squares (24 squares needed, so 12 crackers)
- 12 ounce bag milk chocolate chips (reserve a few for decorating)
- Yellow licorice I bought the stuffed kind
Instructions
- Cook cupcakes according to package directions. If using brownie mix (fudgier), then fill liners a little fuller, you will get fewer cakes, and they will be denser.
- Let cupcakes cook completely.
- Mix frosting by beating the butter with a hand mixer in a medium sized bowl until fluffy (1-2 minutes)
- Add in cream cheese, and whip until smooth.
- Add in extracts (vanilla and mint), to preferred taste
- Add food coloring
- Beat together.
- Slowly add powdered sugar. Whip until fluffy.
- Add a pinch of salt, and whip again until free of lumps.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips.
- Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
- Melt chocolate by putting it in a microwave safe bowl, and heating in 20-second increments, stirring between each. When silky and smooth, dip crackers in, and coat. Use a fork to hold graham cracker above the bowl, and lightly tap to get excess chocolate off.
- While chocolate is still wet, place a chocolate chip in the center. Then place a piece of yellow licorice off the side, like a tassel. I cut the licorice into 4 strips, and then cut bigger chunks off the end and inserted the thin strips into the center so it resembled a tassel (see photo).
- Place graduation cap graham cracker on top of frosting. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 198mg | Potassium: 76mg | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1.1mg
