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Secret Garden Flower Cupcakes

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I think everyone who has read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett can agree that it is a delightful story. It is bright and hopeful with a cast of characters who all grow-- just like a garden! If you need a sweet recipe to add some extra fun to your Secret Garden reading, you can try one of my very favorite desserts: Flower Cupcakes! 


Baking equipment you'll need:
  • Mixing bowl 
  • Whisk (or something to mix with)
  • Spatula
  • Cupcake pan
  • 24 paper baking cups
Ingredients:
  • 1 package of cake mix (pick your favorite flavor!)
  • An 8 oz. package of pudding (same flavor as cake mix)
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 cup of sour cream 
  • Water or milk (as directed on cake mix package)
  • Oil (as directed on cake mix package)
  • 1 tub of white frosting (or make your favorite homemade recipe!) 
  • 1 bag of mini marshmallows
  • Colored sugar sprinkles 
  • Circular candies (such as M&Ms or Skittles)
Instructions for cupcakes:
Mix together cake mix, pudding, eggs, sour cream, oil, and water (or milk if you are substituting). Pour batter evenly between the 24  baking cups inside the cupcake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. When cupcakes are done, allow them to cool. Add a layer of white frosting to each cupcake. 

For flower design: 
Now comes the really fun part! Cut mini marshmallows in half diagonally. Press the sticky side of the cut marshmallows into sugar sprinkles. Arrange the sprinkled marshmallows along the outer edge of a frosted cupcake, making a circle along the edge. Continue making circles within each other on the cupcake to form a flower shape. There will be a white spot left in the middle. In that middle spot, place your circular candy. Your flower cupcake is finished!

Another fun idea you can try is baking the cupcakes in green cake cones. The green cone will look like a cute flower stem! Happy baking, and happy reading!

*The flower design for this cute cupcake was inspired by the book What's New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack.

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