Pretty Pink Cool Whip Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes (YUM!)

“What are we going to do today, Mom?”

It is an all-too familiar question in our house. With K in pre-K three days a week, that leaves four days a week for me to fill her time with things that are fun and educational. On days that I have planned ahead, I am quick to answer the familiar question. Unfortunately, I don’t always plan ahead. On those days I find myself scrambling to create projects, encourage quiet play and throw in some extra workbook time.

This week, I thought ahead.

With a seemingly impromptu trip to Walmart, I announced that we should make cupcakes this week. My mini baker was thrilled with this idea, and we set out to find all of the necessary supplies including the new Cool Whip Frosting. (You can see our full shopping trip in my Google + story.)

I have never iced a cupcake with a piping tool. I am more of a slap-that-icing-on-with-a-spatula-cover-in-sprinkles-and-hope-it-tastes-better-than-it-looks kind of a gal. But I was feeling crafty, so I decided to concur my fear of piping tools and go for pretty cupcakes.

When discussing “pretty cupcakes” with my daughter, she assured me that Cool Whip Frosting in white (vanilla or cream cheese flavored) or brown (chocolate) was not a pretty icing. In order for our cupcakes to be pretty, they must be PINK!

So now not only was I going to attempt to pipe my cupcakes, apparently I also needed to color my icing. While I was at it, I decided to turn our project into a lesson (just call me supermom).

“If we buy white icing, what color could we mix with it to make it pink?” I asked.

After pondering for a moment or too K exclaimed, “RED!”

Back at home our baking / lessons continued. “What happens when we add the water to the powder?” “How many eggs does the box say we need?” Etc…

We measured, mixed, stirred and baked to perfection. Then it was time for the icing… could I do it?

K helped me add five drops of red food coloring and squealed with delight as we mixed white icing into pink. Slopping the fluffy pink stuff into an icing bag I gently squeezed and… ta-da!

It was crazy easy! Seriously, why didn’t someone tell me long ago how easy this is? Forget the spatula method, this is just as easy and makes a statement!

After letting K add the finishing touches, the sprinkles, we discussed what to do with 24 cupcakes. I gently suggested sharing them with friends, and we were off to deliver to all of the neighborhood crew. At each door moms asked what prompted cupcakes and we replied, “Just because!”

As we left each house, I couldn’t resist one more lesson. So we worked on subtraction. “There were 10 cupcakes in that box and we gave them two, so how many are left?”

It was a good day to celebrate just because.

Oh and the best part – they were delicious! The Cool Whip Frosting was more than pretty, it was light with just the perfect amount of sweet. My husband insists that this should be come my go-to frosting. He has been known to scrape off frosting because it is too sweet, but he ate every bite. And K? She licked her icing off first!

Want to make your own Pretty Pink Cool Whip Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes? How about a coupon for the yummy Cool Whip frosting?!

Here is what we used for our creation:

• Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate (or other boxed cake of your choice) made according to the box directions
• Extra mini chocolate chips (because you can never have too many)
• Cool Whip Frosting – Vanilla
• Red food coloring
• Sprinkles

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community.  This content has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias® and Kraft Cool Whip, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. #CoolWhipFrosting #cbias #SocialFabric