Sunflower Cupcakes

 

1

box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1/3

cup lemon curd (from 11 1/4-oz jar)

1

package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened

Yellow food color

1

container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting

4

to 5 tubes (4.25 oz each) Betty Crocker® yellow decorating icing

1/2

cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Sour candy straws, if desired

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 2 By slowly moving end of round handle of wooden spoon back and forth, make deep, 3/4-inch-wide indentation in center of top of each cupcake, not quite to bottom (wiggle end of spoon in cupcake to make opening large enough).
• 3 In medium bowl, beat lemon curd and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Spoon into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut 3/8-inch tip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Insert tip of bag into top of each cupcake; squeeze bag to fill cupcake.
• 4 Stir 4 drops food color into frosting until pale yellow. Frost cupcakes.
• 5 Place unopened icing tube in tall drinking glass filled with hot tap water for 15 minutes. Remove from water; wipe dry. Knead tube gently with hands to soften. Using leaf tip on icing tube, pipe 2 concentric circles of leaves, starting with outside edge of cupcake and working toward center; leave quarter-size area in center with just frosting. Carefully spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate chips onto center of each cupcake; press into frosting. Arrange on tray using sour candy straws for stems and leaves. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Loosely cover and refrigerate any remaining cupcakes.