Three Tiers for Mom!!

It's Mother's Day.  Instead of a traditional cake, this year I opted to make cupcakes.  They are extremely simple to make and look so pretty set out on a table .  They start with a  simple boxed cake mix that has been spruced up with a few extra ingredients.  The taste is absolutely out of this world good.  I promise you will be grabbing for seconds and thirds.

Ingredients

1 box french vanilla cake mix

1/2 cup butter

4 eggs

2 Tbs mayonnaise

1 cup milk

2 tubs Vanilla Frosting

Sprinkles & food coloring for decorating

Substitute 1/2 cup melted butter for the vegetable oil listed on the box's instructions.  Instead of water, I added milk and 2 Tbs. mayonnaise.  The instructions on the box called for 3 eggs, I added another one  to make it 4 in total.  (If your boxed mix has different liquid and egg proportions, substitute the same amount of butter for oil, and milk for water according to what it lists. Add an extra egg to whatever it requires. My box asked for 3 eggs, so I added a 4th.  If your box asks for 2, add 3.)  Add the 2 Tbs. mayonnaise, regardless.  Mix well, pour into a lined cupcake pan and bake at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes.

Once they are cool, it's time to decorate.  I used prepared white frosting, but you can use buttercream, vanilla, or cream cheese if you like.  Anything as long as it is white so you can add color to it.  

I used only two piping tips - Star Tip 30 and Petal Tip 103.  Use any color you like for the decorations.  I used a combination of pink and yellow for the lighter ones, and cornflower blue and purple for the darker ones. Simply paint random rows of stripes with the food colouring on the inside of the piping bag before adding your frosting.  Use the petal tip to make flowers by holding it, wide side down, and making arches while turning the cupcake.  Fill in space with the star tip as you like.  Garnish with giant sprinkles, (I used white and gunmetal).  I find placing in odd numbered amounts works best.   You can customize them however you like, and you don't have to be a whiz at piping to make them look great!  

A quick, easy and delicious way to say: "Thanks Mom - Happy Mother's Day!"