It’s officially August and I can’t believe how fast the summer is flying by. But it’s not over yet, and we have every intention of making the most of our remaining warm weather days. We plan to soak up the sun at the pool, and utilize our beautiful backyard for loads of bubble-blowing, games, arts + crafts projects, camping, picnics, and so much more. And we plan to maintain all of our energy by indulging in delicious summertime treats…corn on the cob, BBQ chicken, fresh fruits, homemade ice cream, and these delectable Simple Sunflower Cupcakes!
We planted some random wildflower seeds in a flower bed last fall and noticed, several weeks ago, that we had one lone sunflower plant growing amongst the others. When our first sunflower bloomed our little nugget was elated. Her joy reminded me of a picture I had pinned on Pinterest awhile back, of these adorable Sunflower Cupcakes from Tastemade.
I love to bake, and I definitely enjoy baking from scratch, but as a busy mom I can’t always find the time required to do so. Sometimes I need to take the simpler route…so that we can make it to ballet or soccer on time…so that we can relish in more time spent outside on a beautiful, sun-shiny day…or to make the process a bit quicker and more enjoyable for my little baking assistant – so she doesn’t leave me high and dry in the kitchen. π
So…while I’m all for the from-scratch recipe shared over on Tastemade, I decided to create a more simplified version. So if you’re like me, and lacking a dedicated chunk of baking time, keep on scrolling. If you prefer to bake completely from scratch, feel free to follow the above link over to Tastemade. I plan to try their actual cupcake recipe one day in the future…when I have a little more time on my hands…because their cupcakes look so delicious!
Simple Sunflower Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 1 Boxed Cake Mix + All Required Ingredients (whichever flavor you like…we chose Triple Chocolate Fudge)
- 2 Canisters Vanilla Frosting
- Yellow Food Coloring
- Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions:
- Bake the cupcakes according to the directions on the box. Once done, remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes are baking, open the canisters of vanilla frosting. Mix a few drops of yellow food coloring into the frosting at a time. Stir until the color is thoroughly incorporated. Continue adding drops of yellow food coloring until you reach a vibrant sunflower yellow.
- Place the canisters of yellow frosting in the refrigerator. I failed to do this step and my sunflower petals were a little droopy, as a result. Cooling the frosting (and firming it up a bit) will make it easier to pipe on the flower petals.
- Once the cupcakes are at room temperature, spread a thin layer of frosting in the center of each cupcake…you want to have something for the mini chocolate chips to stick to.
- Place the remainder of the yellow frosting into a piping bag, fitted with a star decorating tip. Start piping sunflower petals around the outer edge of each cupcake, working your way in toward the center.
- Fill the center of each cupcake with the mini chocolate chips.
- Enjoy!
Our cake mix yielded approximately 22 cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
We now have several sunflowers blooming in our flower bed, creating such a bright and cheery atmosphere. Don’t you just love being surrounded by colorful flowers during the warmer months of the year?
These Simple Sunflower Cupcakes are simply perfect for summer! And they would make a wonderful addition to any summertime shindig.
What are your family’s favorite foods to indulge in during the summer months?
