FLAMINGO CUPCAKES

If you're planning on hosting a summer party or get together, you NEED to make these flamingo cupcakes to share with your guests! Not only are they super cute, but they taste AMAZING! You can use cake mixes and store bought frosting for easier cupcakes, or you can make them from scratch if you are looking to impress your guests with amazing flavor.

First make the flamingo heads and wings. Color the majority of your fondant pink, but leave a little bit plain white. To get the black coloring on the beak and eye, use a black edible marker. Leave the fondant flamingos out to dry overnight. If they still aren't dry or you don't have enough time to leave them out that long, pop them in the freezer to make sure they aren't going to flop over when you put them on the cupcakes.

Now it's time to make your cupcakes. You can use a box mix, or make your favorite recipe from scratch. I used this INCREDIBLE vanilla cupcake recipe. I haven't found any recipe that tastes anywhere close to as good as this one does. When the cupcakes are done, make sure they cool completely before you frost them.

While the cupcakes are cooling is a great time to get started on the strawberry frosting. Again, you can use store bought frosting, or make your own. I used the AMAZING strawberry buttercream recipe below that again, has the best flavor out of any strawberry frosting I've ever tasted.

In an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together 1 cup of slightly cold butter and a pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Slowly add 3 1/2 cups of confectioners' sugar and beat until combined. Then add 1/2 a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Next puree 1/2 a cup of freeze dried strawberries and place 3 tablespoons of the pureed strawberries in the mixer. Mix until blended and the frosting is creamy.

When all the cupcakes have been frosted just press the flamingo wings into the sides of the frosting, and stick the head down into the cupcake.