Are you sick of cupcakes yet? I’m not!
I’ve had Shirley Temples on the brain lately, if you hadn’t noticed based on my post last Friday. For today’s cupcake, I decided to make Shirley Temple inspired cupcakes. These are fun, and a definite kid pleaser. You can go all out and make them actually look like a Shirley Temple drink by baking them in little glass cups and adding details (like a straw).
Or you can go simple, and make them into regular cupcakes.
Either way, the cupcakes are made with a lemony white cake batter–half of which is mixed with a packet of red gelatin (I used strawberry flavored). You put globs of each color of batter into cups,
and then swirl them together a bit with a spoon,
and then bake them.
Then you add some frosting, a “cherry” (piece of red candy), and a straw to complete the look.
Shirley Temple Cupcakes
Makes 30 cupcakes
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening or butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups buttermilk*
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 package (4-oz.) Strawberry/Cherry/Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
1. Grease and lightly flour thirty 2 1/2″ muffin cups or line with paper liners. Set aside.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat shortening, butter, or margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each. Add dry mixture and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just till combined. Stir in lemon zest.
4. Pour half of the batter into medium bowl. Add dry gelatin mix; stir until well blended. Spoon half of the white batter and half of the pink batter, side-by-side, into each prepared pan. Swirl batters together using a teaspoon.
5. Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
6. Cool thoroughly and then frost with frosting of choice.
* If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, substitute sour milk in the same amount. For each cup of sour milk needed, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar in a glass measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 1 cup total liquid; stir. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before using it in a recipe.
** To make them look like a Shirley Temple drink, bake the cupcakes in small glasses and style the frosting to look like whipped cream (use a star tip). Add a straw and a piece of red candy (like a red M&M) to look like a cherry.
*** You’ll get a slightly whiter came if use shortening instead of butter or margarine to prepare this cake.
Butter Cream Icing
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup shortening
4 2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup water
In large mixer bowl, combine butter, shortening, and powdered sugar; beat until very creamy. Add lemon juice and vanilla; mix until well blended. Add water and mix until very light.
P.S. Flop on over to my genius cohort in crime to see what she has cooked up for you today (Ok, I’ll cheat and give you a hint. Lean in close so I can whisper: cupcake tags and shrinky dinks!!! Shhhhhh, you didn’t hear it from me!) Speaking of genius, LollyChops is responsible for all of the recipe cards you’ve been seeing this week–aren’t they awesome?
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are THE cutest cupcakes I have ever seen!
This is such a great thing, love your recipes. Can’t wait to try them, especially this shirley temple cupcake. My kids just love Shirley temples, won’t they be surprised to see a cupcake created in honor of that drink. :)
What a great idea!! I bet they taste fabulous!
Thanks for sharing!
wow they look so good! what a great idea putting them in a glass cup! they look so fun and i bet they taste even better!
This is brilliant. I never thought of cooking cake in a glass! They look so adorable this way! I love being able to have something that my guests have never seen before! Thanks for the inspiration!
Rebecca
RootsAndWingsCo.blogspot.com
Ok, that’s just awesome. I’m sending this to my sister to make with her girls, they would love it.
This is such a clever idea Fuji! I think these cakes are extra pretty too!
Please let Mr. Snakebite know that I am working on an all snakes all the time week just for him!
Loads-o-Snakes header, snake tags, snake softies, snake download and print freebies, maybe even some sunday guest recipes featuring snakes. It’s going to be snakerrific!
P.S. If you say snakes a lot… it starts to make you laugh. What a funny word.
love the presentation!
These are too cute – and you could make a whole bunch of cupcake “drinks” – strawberry milkshake anyone? (strawberry cupcake with whipped cream and a cherry on top) would be delish!
LollyChops–I’ll pass on the message to Snakebite…he’s gonna be mighty disappointed if you don’t follow through…heh.
Joanne–You’ve totally caught my vision! Drinky cuppies here we come! :-)
Those are ADORABLE!!!
This is so neat! Genious!! i love the interpretation of it. This would be a definite crowd pleaser
Awesome and adorable cupcakes ideal for kids and…adults indeed totally irresistible :)
This is so much fun! These would make awesome extra-special birthday cupcakes for a party. Hmmm….chocolate and vanilla swirl with white icing and M&Ms on top! My DS would love that!
Are there any special tips for baking in a glass? I’ve never done that before. Do you grease the glass with shortening or something? And you just set the glasses on cookie sheet, or hmm…maybe I have some glasses that would fit into a cupcake tin…just for stability purposes.
Tina– Just make sure that your glass is heat resistant enough to go in the oven (most are). I greased mine before spooning the batter in. I set mine on a cookie sheet–which is a total pain if your making very many because it’s unstable (if you have more than about 4 on your tray). If you’re making a bunch, using a cupcake tin, or a casserole dish, would be better!
These are so amazing! Shirley you two can’t get any more creative!
Awesome! I am for sure going to try making these. You amaze me with your creativity :)
How cute! And I can only imagine how great those tasted!
These are so cute! I am just wondering if you mean “Jello” when you say “flavoured gelatin”?
Thanks!
Dianne– Yes, Jello! Any brand of gelatin will do though. If the packet size is slightly smaller that’s okay too (some brands are 3.5 oz. and not 4 oz.).
So cute!
Lolly, you do snake week and I’ll be a devoted fan forever and ever (not that I’m not already).
these are so cute!
yummy yum!
any tips on what kind of glass cups – just a generic drinking cup will do?
never mind – should’ve read the comments BEFORE i posted!!
Very very creative! Love it.
cute! Great idea.
Cassie– I used Duralex Picardie Bistro glasses in the smallest size they make (7.75 oz.). I LOVE these glasses and they are SUPER durable. I bought them at World Market. You can read more about them, and get sources for them here: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/tabletop/found-the-elusive-duralex-picardie-glasses-055467
Squee!! Those are best. ever.! I want to have a diner – themed party now. Well any excuse to have a party is good, right? :)
You win!! That is by far the cutest cupcake that I have ever seen!!
Oh goodness. I think the massive overload of cute is going to kill me haha x].
So adorable! <3
Ps. I felt so special that THEE Fuji Mama commented on my humble little blog! Haha Thanx so much for stopping by! :)
So beautiful and creative – not to mention delicious looking too! Awesome job!!
hello mai i publish you shirley temple cupcakes recipe I would give you full credits
thanks
Haha! Those cupcakes look really cute. It's very unique. And who knew baking cupcakes in a glass is possible? :D
Thanks for sharing the recipe.