Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Sandaidh's Note:

I found a Christmas tree cupcake pan at a local supermarket and decided to make them using the Easy White Cake recipe from the recipe booklet which came with my new (Christmas gift) KitchenAid mixer. They were fun to make and messy to frost. LOL Having more than one pan would definately have speeded things up. I decorated the trees with some star-shaped Christmas candies. I also dropped some of the candies into the batter before baking, which gave some of the cupcakes a color-spotted inside. The round cake bits which resulted from cutting off the cupcake "humps" make nice, bite size, sandwich 'cookies' when put together with extra frosting. Spread the frosting on the flat side of one round and cover with another.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 20 cupcakes

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

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in mixer bowl.
3. Add shortening, milk and vanilla.
4. Mix for about 1 minute.
5. Stop and scrape bowl.
6. Add egg whites.
7. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
8. Fill greased and floured cupcake molds about halfway.
9. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven.
11. Slice rounded"humps" from cupcakes.
12. Cool on wire racks.
13. Frost with green frosting and decorate.