Mini Cupcake Graduation Hats

By á-3948

I made these for my sons 1st Grade Graduation. His school colors are red & black.

Ingredients

• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
• (Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box)
• 1 bag black shoestring licorice
• 1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
• Red Food color
• 60 square shortbread cookies, from two 10-oz packages
• 60 candy-coated chocolate or fruit-flavored candies

Preparation

Step 1

1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place miniature paper baking cups in 24 mini muffin cups, 1 3/4x1 inch. Make cake batter as directed on box. Fill cups 2/3 full of batter (about 1 rounded tablespoon each). Refrigerate remaining batter.
2 Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool. Repeat with remaining batter. (Leave paper baking cups on cupcakes so mortarboards are quicker and easier to make and more portable to serve.)
3 To make tassels: Cut several pieces of shoestring licorice into 2 1/2-inch lengths.
4 Tint frosting with food color to match paper baking cups. Frost bottoms of cookies. Place 1 candy on center of each. For each mortarboard, place small dollop of frosting on bottom of cupcake; top with cookie. Press 3 or 4 pieces of licorice into frosted cookie next to candy. Store loosely covered.