Lucky Charms Cupcakes...magically delicious!

The Finished Product 

These cupcakes were almost too easy. I feel like making them over and over and over cuz they turned out so incredibly cuuuute! Not to mention, they were a 'piece of cake' to make. 

I'm obsessed with Magnolias, a cupcake bakery that I go to every time I'm in New York. I thought it would be fun to give one of their recipes a try, turned out tasting like the real deal! I went with a classic; the Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream. To make it more exciting I scooped out the center and filled it with homemade marshmallow fluff. Then I died the icing light green and added some Lucky Charms cereal to the top. It appears I have created the perfect 'throwback to our childhood' cupcake. Who didn't eat a bowl of lucky charms every morning for breakfast as a kid?

Now I give you the steps to creating your childhood in a cupcake: 

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcake

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until
smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts,
alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes.

Scooped out cupcakes

Cupcake Guts

Once your cupcakes have cooled completely you can scoop out the middle (I used a cupcake-insert-remover-thingy but a spoon would do the trick). Keep the scooped out parts, or cupcake guts as I call them for later use. 

Home-Made Marshmallow Fluff

Ingredients: 

3 egg whites

2 cups light corn syrup 

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups icing sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions: 

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, corn syrup and salt; beat with mixer in high speed for 10 minutes or until thick. Add in icing sugar; beat on low speed until blended.Beat in vanilla until blended.

*NOTE* This recipe makes a lot of fluff, but may be frozen for later use, just remove from freezer and stir well with a spoon, or it can be refrigerated for up to 1 week, just make sure to stir well with a spoon before using.

Now you can take a spoon and fill your scooped out cupcakes about 3/4 of the way. 


Then take your cupcake guts, cut the tops off and replace them on the cupcakes to give them a smooth top. They are now ready to be iced!

Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Icing 

Ingredients: 

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 pound)
2 to 3 tablespoons milk 

Green & Yellow food coring 

Directions: 

In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar,
one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of
bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and
beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. To tint the icing bright green you're going to have to play around with food coloring. Add a few drops of green and yellow and mix until you get your desired color! Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth
until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in
an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using. 

Once you have iced your cupcakes grab a box of lucky charms cereal and just throw some on top! This doesn't take a lot of decorating skill so just about anyone can do it! 

I'd have to say these were definitely one of my most tasty cupcakes yet! I can't wait for all my friends and family to give them a try. Hope you enjoyed this recipe just as much as I did!!!

See ya soon:) 

Cupcake & Icing recipe from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/MAGNOLIA-BAKERY-VANILLA-CUPCAKES-WITH-VANILLA-BUTTERCREAM-ICING-50055058

Marshmallow fluff recipe from: http://www.food.com/recipe/fantastic-marshmallow-fluff-clone-75813