Twisted Kitchens: Somewhere Over the Rainbow for You Cupcakes

Ok, first off, I need to put a disclaimer. I got really slap-happy with the pictures here. It didn’t help that my kids were making these with me and that my older son loves to take pictures as well. So, I’ll blame him because it sounds like the right thing to do.

Second, Liz….I BAKED. Aren’t you proud? I know you are. I didn’t even need a Prozac beforehand.

And third…well, I don’t really have a third. For once, I don’t really have much of a story to put up here. I know, I know, everyone take a collective sigh of relief. I will say that the name of these cupcakes comes from the lyrics of a….bet you’ll never guess….yes, a Gaslight Anthem song called “The Blues, Mary”. Do you see all of this exposure I’m giving you, Brian Fallon, do you?? (God, if the lead singer of The Gaslight Anthem ever read this, I think I’d die)

The music: None today as I have Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban playing in the background
The drink: A Fuji Apple Pear Sobe Lifewater….yummmm

Anyway, here we go…Somewhere Over the Rainbow for You Cupcakes

For the cupcakes, you will need:
½ c. softened butter
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
2/3 c. milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set up your muffin/cupcake tin with liners.

Cream the butter and sugar together first. See how I put my kid to work here? Cheap labor.

Then add the eggs one at a time, making sure that they are well mixed into the batter after each one
then mix in the vanilla. And now I have put the other munchkin to work…muwahahaha!!

Awww, look at them working together. This is epic.

Combine the dry ingredients into a small bowl, then mix together with a whisk. Add the dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, taking turns with both.

Now here comes the mass amount of dishes/time consuming part comes in. Put a bit of the batter into seven different bowls and add food coloring, making sure that there are no streaks left. Ooooo pretty……

Spoon just a little bit of each color into each cupcake paper. Order: purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. Then bake for 18-24 minutes (mine were in for 18) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack while making the frosting.

Almond Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 stick of butter; softened
1-8oz. package of cream cheese; softened
1 ½ t. almond extract (you can use vanilla if you don’t like almond)
2 ½ c. confectioners sugar

In a mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add the almond extract and mix, then add sugar slowly…little bits at a time. Taste the frosting and if you feel that it needs more flavoring or still isn’t quite sweet enough, go ahead and add more. Now go and frost those beautiful cupcakes!