End of School Cupcakes. Welcome Summer!

Great cupcakes for End of Year parties

I just dropped off these cupcakes for my son's class party and they were a huge hit!  I've been in New Orleans for 5 days on a girl's trip, so I needed something really low effort. ;) 

First, buy a box of your favorite cupcake mix and bake according to directions on back of box.

For the fondant face, I used yellow Wilton's Ready-to-use Fondant and Wilton's Food Writers.  (I really should buy stock in Wiltons.)   I rolled out the fondant and used the lid of the garlic salt to make the circles- It looked like a good size!

Wow!  Look at that professional set-up.

I made shortening frosting (I use Spectrum Organic Shortening) and dyed it a bright yellow.  With a Wilton's Star Tip to add the little stars, I finished my sunshine face! 

For the tags, I just printed Welcome Summer on cardstock and attached a Beach Ball sticker from the  Jolee's scrap book aisle at Michael's.  (I love/hate that store.)  Tape a toothpick on the back and you have an instant pick.  I've noticed the big baking companies; Wilton's, Martha Stewart, Duff's, have all started their own line of picks to cash in on the idea.  Really, it's way too easy to make.

All Done!  Drop them by the class and take the day off!

Chocolate Lego Cupcakes...Oooh la la.

Chocolate Bricks and Minifigures

The chocolates are super easy and people will act like you've discovered the cure for cancer when they see them.  For the Minifigures, I  used a Lego ice cube tray I ordered from the Lego store.  They are also available on Amazon.  For the bricks,  I ordered the Building Blocks Chocolate Mold from Amazon for $1.75.  Just google it- there are lots of choices.

For the chocolate, I use Ambrosia white bark coating melted stove top.  I don't have a double burner, (well maybe I do, but I didn't know what what it was and stuffed it in a drawer), so I just rigged it with two pots.  The bottom pot has about a 1/2 inch of water and I slowly melt the chocolate over medium heat.  If you're child isn't deathly allergic to nuts you can use pre-colored candy melts, but I had to find safe chocolate coloring.  They have chocolate coloring at Michaels, but I try to avoid that place and use the brand at Hobby Lobby.  FYI you can not just bust out the old school food coloring for chocolate.  I don't know the chemistry behind the rule, but I tried it and it was a mess.
 

                
                                                                                             

Once the chocolate is melted and the color is satisfactory, gently spoon the chocolate to fill the mold cavities.  Make sure you spray a light coat of cooking spray on the molds before adding chocolate!  I carefully wipe around the edges of the mold and gently shake it to make it even.  Place the molds on a flat shelf in the freezer for about 10 minutes.  When the chocolate is back to a solid, gently pop out the candy! 

Finally for the cupcakes, once again start with my tried and true cupcake recipe...A box of Trader Joe's Cupcake Mix, (Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines or even store brands may be substituted.)   After baked and frosted, gently push a chocolate Lego into the frosting and you are all done!

Oh, Crap! I have to make a dessert for preschool graduation...

 Graduation Cupcakes

So, I love last minute notices to bring in baked items!  For Wyatt's preschool, I had to make a dessert item for the end of year class get together.  When it comes to class parties I definitely like the most "bang for the buck".  For these cupcakes, I used Trader Joe's chocolate cupcake mix with a quick shortening frosting.  (I use Spectrum Organic shortening instead of the death in a can...Crisco.)  For the fondant diplomas and hats, I used pre-colored Wilton's fondant.  I hate that it's full of chemicals, but hey I'm not a baker.  I actually have to search the shelves at Michaels to find the boxes manufactured in the United Kingdom.  Those are nut free and I stock up on them when I find them. Anyway, for the diplomas, I just cut the fondant into strips and rolled them up like a scroll.  I used another bit of fondant to make a tie.  The hats were simple blue square with a white fondant tie.  Oila!  Graduation cupcakes that made me look like a rock star!

Autograph Books for End of School Party!

 Kindergarten Autograph Book

For Cole's Kindergarten graduation, I made all the kids an autograph book to pass around at then end of year party.  It was so simple and the kids LOVED it!  They had a blast running around the class getting all their friends to sign it.  It was actually a last minute idea in case we had some extra time during the party.  The kids had so much fun, we ended up scrapping plans for the other games.  The teacher told me the kids brought them in the next day and continued filling the pages.

I made them in the school's colors of yellow, red and blue.  For the cover, I used yellow card stock and printed a school logo and name line. I then added a graduation cap embellishment.  I cut white card stock for the inside pages and to bind the book I just used a whole punch and red ribbon.  Like I said, E-A-S-Y.