Tie-Dye Cupcake

I LOVE these cupcakes! Just looking at them makes me smile. They are playful and have fun written all over them.  Whether it's a kids birthday, a small celebration or a big retro party blowout, these cupcakes are versatile enough to serve up at most any occasion.  To make this colourful treat you'll need...

• Vanilla Cake Mix (plus ingredients to make the cake...usually eggs, oil, and water - but we're subbing out the water for this one)
• Buttermilk (to replace the water)
• Assorted Gel Food Colouring (as many or as few colours as you'd like)
• Store Bought Vanilla Icing
• Butter (room temperate...around 1/2 cup....but it's up to you)
• Icing Sugar (optional)
• Garnish Ideas: This cupcake doesn't really need a garnish, but if you wanted to up the colour insanity you could always sprinkle rainbow coloured candies or chocolate chips

Now how to make them...

Step 1: Follow the direction of your Vanilla Cake Mix - from preheating your oven through to adding the eggs and oil BUT replace the water it calls for with Buttermilk.  Mix together the batter until smooth.

Step 2: Here comes the COLOUR. Decide how many colours you want to include in your batter.  For simplicity, let's say you go with 6.  Take 6 medium-small sized bowls and divide out your batter evenly - or not...no one will know.  Add your selected Gel Food Colouring to each bowl and mix well.  Now you have 6 different colours of batter!


Step 3: Using a teaspoon,  spoon in a single colour of batter into your cupcake liner.  Alternate between all the colours until you've filled your cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full.  While you're filling each cupcake liner, try tipping the pan slightly as you add a colour so that the layers aren't lying flat on each other.  Bake as directed on the package.


Step 4: While your cupcakes are baking, why not whip up the vanilla icing. Mix together your Vanilla Icing and Butter on high until smooth.  Taste your icing and if it's not sweet enough for you or too buttery add in some icing sugar.

Step 5:  To make your Tie-Die icing, you'll need a piping bag, tip of your choice (I used tip 1M - my favourite!), assorted Gel Food Colouring and a small paintbrush or long stick.  Take your piping bag and brush or scrape on a long stripe of Gel Food Colouring on the inside of the bag.  Alternate around the colouring around the inside of your bag until it looks like a multicolour peppermint wheel.  Carefully spoon in the icing trying not to mess up the sides - you'll touch the sides a bit but it's not a big deal.  Pipe the icing on as you normally would and it will come out rainbow streaked!

Happy Faking!