Bake it: Area 51 Cupcakes

Bake it: Area 51 Cupcakes

Here’s a secret recipe sure to spark some close encounters of the yummy kind: crazy, colorful Area 51 cupcakes!

Ingredients:
1-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-1/2 c. white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. milk
green and purple icing color paste or green, blue and red food coloring
1 carton vanilla frosting
gummy candy, eyeball candies, sour worms
cake glitter and sprinkles

Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a muffin pan with paper or foil liners. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat thoroughly and stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture, alternating with the milk, until thoroughly mixed. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full with batter.

3. Bake for 15-17 minutes in a preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

4. Let the cupcakes cool. Add a small amount of color paste (with a toothpick) or food coloring to vanilla frosting and mix to the desired color. Frost the tops of the cupcakes. 

5. Add gummy candy, sparkles and eyeball candy to the cupcakes to create Area 51 aliens.