PINK PIGGY CUPCAKES

Pink Piggy Cupcakes image

Provided by Patrick and Gina Neely : Food Network

Categories dessert

Time 40m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

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1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-ounce red food coloring gel
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
1 small squeeze red food coloring gel
6 marshmallows, cut in 1/2, for decorating
12 sugar gummy candies (pink or red slices) cut in 1/2, for decorating
Black licorice string, for decorating, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
12 brown chocolate covered candies, for decorating (recommended: M and M's)

Steps:

For the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, using a hand held electric beater, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vegetable oil and beat well, then add the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring; beat until just combined. Add dry ingredients to the wet and blend until smooth and thoroughly combined.
Divide batter among the cupcake tins, filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake in the center rack of the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
For the frosting:
In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in food coloring and mix until you get a light pink hue.
Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Frost half a marshmallow and place on each cupcake for the snout. Adorn pink gummy candies in appropriate ear locations curved side in. Place black licorice above snout to create eyes and place chocolate covered candies on snout to create nostrils.