BUNNY CUPCAKES (NATURALLY COLORED)
Natural Beauties, aren’t they? Pink Banana Cupcakes are colored with beets! This recipe is for a cake that I’ve used for all of the kid’s first birthdays. In it’s original form, it’s not pink but a banana cream colored layer cake which is perfect with cream cheese frosting (recipe here).I’ve dared to experiment with beets for this and am so happy to share these results with you, today. Conscientious about sugar and additives, I love these for toddlers and kids alike. Naturally colored
Pink Banana Cupcakes (with beet coloring)
2 1/4 cups cake flour
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omit when serving children under 3)
1 cup mashed bananas — about 2 ripe
1/4 C Beet juice or 1/4 cup beet puree
1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 C cup sugar (depending on taste, I use only 1/2 C)
2 large eggs
Preheat cover to 350F. Line cupcake tins.In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another small bowl, mix the banana, beet juice, yogurt and vanilla.
In larger bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and then, beat in the eggs 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour and banana mixtures alternately, beginning with the flour. Do not over mix. Fill cupcake tins with the batter and bake 15 minutes or until cupcakes are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean. These can be made a head of time, but cover them and store at room temperature.HOW TO MAKE BUNNY CUPCAKES:
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (I omit when serving children under 3)
1 cup mashed bananas — about 2 ripe
1/4 C Beet juice or 1/4 cup beet puree
1/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 C cup sugar (depending on taste, I use only 1/2 C)
2 large eggs
Preheat cover to 350F. Line cupcake tins.In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another small bowl, mix the banana, beet juice, yogurt and vanilla.
In larger bowl with electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and then, beat in the eggs 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour and banana mixtures alternately, beginning with the flour. Do not over mix. Fill cupcake tins with the batter and bake 15 minutes or until cupcakes are springy to the touch and a tester comes out clean. These can be made a head of time, but cover them and store at room temperature.HOW TO MAKE BUNNY CUPCAKES:
Supplies:
Toothpicks
Tape (double sided)
Scissors
Pencil
Pink Paper
Small MarshmallowsHOW TO ASSEMBLE:Ears: Cut bunny ears out of the pink paper. Cut 4 for each cupcake. Place ears on table and place one piece of double sided tape in the middle. Place toothpick on the tape and cover with a second ear, so that the toothpick is hidden. (You may use glue instead, if you prefer) Place two ears on each cupcake in a bunny like fashion. Tail: Cut toothpicks in half. Secure the toothpick and attach to cupcake like a tail.*
Toothpicks
Tape (double sided)
Scissors
Pencil
Pink Paper
Small MarshmallowsHOW TO ASSEMBLE:Ears: Cut bunny ears out of the pink paper. Cut 4 for each cupcake. Place ears on table and place one piece of double sided tape in the middle. Place toothpick on the tape and cover with a second ear, so that the toothpick is hidden. (You may use glue instead, if you prefer) Place two ears on each cupcake in a bunny like fashion. Tail: Cut toothpicks in half. Secure the toothpick and attach to cupcake like a tail.*
*NOTE: With small children, I prefer to omit toothpicks (hazardous) with the marshmallows: Omit tail or simply attach tail with frosting. I use toothpicks in this version to minimize sugar.
