Sweet Treat Friday – Halloween Cupcakes with Homemade Cake Mix

 This week my kids helped make some Halloween Cupcakes without that much of a disaster doing it. It was the 3rd time in the last two weeks I made the cupcakes. The first time my youngest daughter flipped the frosted cupcakes on the floor. I had spent a couple hours making “monster” cupcakes and they literally went SPLAT on the floor. The second time I made the same very “monster” cupcakes,my youngest daughter again got to them even as they were away from her little fingers. She reached enough though of the corner of the pan they sat on, again frosted and decorated. They ended up dropping face down into the sink. Let’s just say, 3rd times a charm and I’m glad we finally got to eat the cupcakes I went to so much trouble to make! This time though I let the kids help frost and decorate them as I just wasn’t up to all that work.

This recipe is a Basic Cake Recipe, creates 4 equal portions of cake mix.

Ingredients for mix

9 1/2 cups flour
6 cups sugar
1/4 cup baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 cups shortening, softened (not melted)

Directions to make mix
In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar,  baking powder, and salt. Add the softened shortening, cutting it in and mixing till the mixture resembles a crumb like appearance. Divide mixture into 4 portions measuring at 4 and 1/2 cups each. Place in sealed zip lock bags and or airtight container in a dry place for up to 2 months. You can put this in the freezer as well, it will hold up to 6 months.

Using this recipe you can make your own Yellow Cake mix, this is what I made the cupcakes with

Homemade Yellow Cake mix
Ingredients to make Yellow Cake
4 1/2 cups Basic Cake Mix (above)
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Directions to make Yellow Cake

Preheat oven to 350 Prepare your cake pans, or muffins tins just as you would any box cake mix.
  In a large bowl combine all the ingredients. Beat until smooth for about a minute. Pour into prepared pans, muffins tins or sheet cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. A 9×13 cake comes out at about 25 minutes, cupcakes about 12 minutes.

Enjoy !