Rainbow Cupcakes pt. 2 with Buttercream Recipe

I've been really liking the rainbow cupcakes i just made, Sri much so that i wanted to try it another way and share my results. Plus i just can't help myself with wanting to try new things. :)

I just used a basic white cake mix from the store. I just like working with box mixes right now. Following the directions on the box, i mixed up all the ingredients. I wanted to see if i could get all 6 colors in so i used my godson's toddler bowls to split up the batter equally as best as i could. I just grabbed a 1/2 cup measuring cup and tried to make sure they were even by doing one scoop at a time.

Once they were all separated i added my color. I use Wilton because i like the color results. Making sure to not over mix but getting the color throughout the batter. I once again received assistance from the godson and used his plastic baby spoons. This worked out awesome for adding the colored batter to the cupcake liners. I did one heaping scoop of each color into the cupcake tins lined with cupcake liners. I got 23 total cupcakes. Keep in mind the order you want your colors to be in. I put purple on the bottom then, blue, green, yellow, orange with red on top. Baking as directed on the box or recipe you're using. Let cool completely before frosting.

Now for the fun part. I decided i wanted to use buttercream (recipe below) and colored it sky blue. To frost i just used a large star tip in a circular motion working from the outside rim of the cupcake to the middle. To make the rainbow i found some rainbow sour gummy rope at my local store in the candy section. I cut each ribbon in half and positioned in the frosted cupcake. To make the clouds i just used about 1/2 cup of the frosting un-colored and put it into a sandwich size plastic bag. Cut the tip off the bag and squeezed a small cloud on either side of the rainbow and voila! A awesome rainbow cupcake! Enjoy! Please share your results if you try it.

Buttercream Recipe
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
1-2 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1. Combine butter and shortening in bowl. Use mixer on medium/high speed for approximately 2 minutes. Should look light and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
3. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each added.
4. Once all sugar had been added, add 1 tablespoon of milk. If frosting is still too thick add 1/2 tablespoon at a time till desired consistency.
5. Add colors as desired.

Rainbow Cupcakes

This winter has been absolutely miserable and cold all around. To get out of that funk I decided that a little color was needed. I've seen a lot of rainbow ideas and thought what the heck, lets try some rainbow cupcakes! :-) I decided i only wanted 5 colors in the cupcakes and i would make some color swirl basic buttercream frosting. I chose to use red, yellow, green, blue and purple for the cupcakes and use orange and red for the frosting.

 I mixed a basic vanilla box cake with a hand mixer following box instructions. I have to say it is oober important that you mix as directed. If the box says 2 minutes count to 60 in your head twice out set a timer. The batter needs this to get to tree right consistency for nice fluffy cupcakes that we all love to snack on. 

Split the finished batter into five small bowls. I used my godson's toddler bowls cause they were just the right size. Lol. For the color i like using the Wilton gel colors. Some colors come out pretty vivid and others take a lot of the coloring. 

I wasn't sure how i wanted to add the batter to the pan for the best results and came up with using plastic baggies. I poured each bowl into a baggie and cut off the tip off my first color. I decided i wanted the blue on the bottom and work through the colors in order of the rainbow. I squeezed what looked like the same amount into each liner. Put them in the oven following box directions.

For frosting I'm pretty basic because I love a simple buttercream frosting. It is just right for sweetness and it is just so easy. I make basic buttercream frosting using half butter and half shortening. I like the lighter taste like this. 

They turned out amazing. However the frosting didn't come out quite as dark as i wanted. Next time..... lol. I'm gonna have to do this again with my godson for St. Patrick's day. Tell me what you think! Any other ideas i should try?