Baby Face Cupcakes

Jess4Freedom's Note:

Baby Face, You've got the cutest little baby face.... What a cute idea for a baby shower or similar idea. Little cupcake with baby faces. I use pink, yellow, and blue paper liners. In addition to the ingredients listed below, you will also need cheap plastic baby pacifiers for decoration. I suggest checking the dollar store or party supply store.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 cupcakes

For Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites
• ½ cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

For Frosting

• 1 cup butter , softened (not melted)
• 6 -8 cups confectioners' sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 -4 drops red food coloring

For Decorating

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 48 chocolate chips (additional)

Directions:

1. .:. For the Cupcakes .:.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix at low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl. Add egg whites and mix at high speed until fluffy and smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
4. Fill liners 1/2 full of batter. Do not overfill. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove from pan, and place on wire racks to cool completely.
6. .:. For the Frosting .:.
7. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
8. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar.
9. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly, adding one drop of red food color at a time until you get a good skin color. Flesh colored gel may be used as well. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
10. .:.For Decorating.:.
11. Put 1 cup of chocolate chips in zip top bag. Heat in microwave until melted, squeezing between fingers until smooth. Cut a very, very small piece of one bottom corner. On piece of wax paper, draw 24 curls for the top of babies head. Put in refrigerator to set.
12. Frost cupcakes, use two chocolate chips for eyes, put a chocolate curl on top of face and stick pacifier where mouth would be.