A Very “Pink” Halloween

Perhaps my teaser yesterday didn’t hook very many of you (except perhaps Clara) but at last the big reveal is here!  I’ve been thinking all month about entering Beantown Baker’s Power of Pink Challenge, and what I could do to be creative with it.  Then wouldn’t you know it, I Heart Cuppycakes added a Pink Challenge too!

Then I also wanted to enter I Heart Cuppycakes and How to Eat a Cupcake’s Boo-tiful Halloween Cupcake Contest. Does that make this a 4-fer?  It just might! 😉

So while I am pondering all of this, I noted that my husband is out of the country (far far out of the country, in Japan even) and I don’t need two batches of cupcakes sitting around, and he can’t take them to his office.  Then it happen, why not do both?  I’m not sure why it took me so long to think about combining them, but I hope you find the results appealing.

I found both of the recipes I used on Allrecipes.

Because I wanted something very pink, I decided to try the Pink Princess Cake with this buttercream icing.

I don’t have any “making the cupcakes and icing” photos, but I have to say that the batter was incredibly thick.  I’m not sure if that’s something we did, or just the regular consistency of it.  It reminded me of strawberry Laffy Taffy.  The icing was pretty good though, it has a great taste!

Without further ado: the photos.  Keep in mind, the lighting was bad, and I was using someone else’s camera.  Please forgive the poor quality.

They are really yummy, but I warn you, they are VERY RICH!  You are also most likely going to want a glass of milk to go with them! 😀

Now for the recipes:

Pink Princess Cake

Ingredients

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch bundt or tube pan. (Cupcake liners in this case)
   
2. Combine the cake mix, gelatin, flour, eggs and thawed strawberries. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add the oil and beat for one more minute. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cake cool before frosting or serving. (For cupcakes we baked app. 25 minutes.

Quick and Almost-Professional Buttercream Icing

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3 drops food coloring, or as needed (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream room temperature butter with a hand mixer, the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, or a wooden spoon until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.
2. Pour in milk and beat for an additional 3-4 minutes. Add food coloring, if using, and beat for thirty seconds until smooth or until desired color is reached.