Cupcake Challenge

I love calendars and tend to buy more than I need but I give them as gifts, esp. if I can make it up to Joann's or Michael's for their $1 calendars, and that's what I'm talking about today, my $1 calendar that has inspired a challenge. It's the Betty Crocker Creative Cupcake calendar, so I thought why not post a cupcake recipe each month from the calendar, we can make them together! January is Moon and Stars cupcakes, recipe will follow. If you have the calendar you have a better idea of what I'm talking about, but it is pretty easy and should be fun! I know what some of you maybe thinking, not to worry about the calories! Cupcakes are easy on the waistline if you only eat one, if your temptation isn't that good, bake them for fun and give them away, maybe your child's class, or donate them to the senior center or have hubby take them to work? The challenge here, at least for me, is to get me more creative in the kitchen and with my baking. My goal here is to learn how to frost a cupcake like the pros, they always look so good! So, let me know if you wanna join me with this monthly challenge, I'll be posting a new recipe and design challenge each month. I've peeked ahead and all do look pretty easy, you may even find better ways to decorate them, if so, I wanna know!

Moon and Stars Cupcakes
Yellow cake mix
White frosting
Blue paste or gel food color
White edible glitter or sugar crystals
Large yellow gumdrops
Large white gumdrops

Bake yellow cake mix as directed for cupcakes or muffins. You should have 24 cupcakes. Tint white frosting with food coloring to make blue. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with glitter or white crystals. To make moons and stars, flatten gumdrops on wax paper with rolling pin till 1 7/8 in. sprinkle with sugar to keep from sticking. From yellow gumdrops, cut out crescent shapes with small knife or small cookie cutter. From white gumdrops, cut out stars. Place on top of cupcakes with toothpick holding them in place. Each cupcake contains 260 calories.