Balloon Mini-Cupcakes

Gabriel & I were invited to our church's Vacation Bible School recital so I wanted to bring along something special. The theme was Up in the air, fly... so I made these cute balloon minis to bring. They are very easy but so cute & fit the VBS theme very well!

<3 Lishie

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes 

from Gourmet January 2004

1 c a-p flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

6 TBSp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, & salt in a bowl. Stir together milk & vanilla in a small bowl. 

Beat together butter & sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4mins . Add egg & beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning & ending with flour & mixing until just combined. 

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, & bake until tops are pale golden & a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 mins. Invert cupcakes onto a rack & cool completely. 

For each color, transfer 1/4 c frosting (see below) to a separate small bowl and tint with food coloring, then frost tops of cupcakes. Use curly ribbon to create the "balloon affect". I also used a little edible blue glitter on the blue ones to make it a little more special. The recipe says it yields 24 mini cupcakes, but I actually got 30+ out of it!

Vanilla Frosting

• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 4 c powdered sugar
• 1/3 c milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients together until smoothe.