12 Desserts of Christmas: Day 12-Grinch Cupcakes

By: Jennifer Frost

Ingredients

• 1 box of cake mix, flavor of your choice

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 tbsp heavy cream

• 24 yellow M&Ms

• Red, green, and black food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line cupcake pan with liners. Prepare cake mix according to package.

2. Fill cupcake pan with prepared mix. I filled mine about 3/4 full and only got 12 cupcakes. Place in the oven and bake according to the instructions.

3. If you bought a mixed bag of M&Ms, while the cupcakes are baking separate the yellow M&Ms you will need for later and place to the side.

4. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and set aside to cool.

5. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter until fluffy. Add powered sugar and beat until combined, then add vanilla, heavy cream, and salt and beat until combined. Divide mixture into four bowls: dye on green, one red, 1 black, and keep the last one white. Then, place into four separate piping bags.

6. Start with a thick layer of green, then top with red to form a hat. Add white where the red and green meet, lining the bottom of the hat. Top the hat with a dollop of white. Place the two eyes under the hat. Place a dot in the middle of each M&M and then finish with eyebrows. Enjoy!.