DIY: Colored Sugar Cupcakes for Valentines!

Here's a sweet treat just in time for Valentine's Day! No time to bake? Take plain, store-bought cupcakes and make them extra special by adding a little something extra. Instead of spending money on colored sugar, why not make your own? Chances are you have the ingredients already. Enjoy!

You'll need:

• granulated sugar
• food coloring
• freezer bags (Ziploc)
• icing (purchased or made)
• cupcakes (purchased or made)
• scissors
• chopstick or mixing tool, optional

How To:

• Pour sugar into freezer bag (as much as you think you'll need to decorate cupcakes).
• Add drops of food coloring to bag of sugar and scrunch bag to mix color. Use a different bag for each color.
• Once mixed, open bag and allow sugar to dry overnight.
• Sprinkle your sprinkles on your cupcake to decorate, or roll the cupcake in the sprinkles.
• Want even more decoration?Take vanilla icing and scoop into a Ziploc bag. Add food coloring and mix with a chopstick. Or seal up bag and scrunch bag around to mix color with icing.
• Snip off the bottom corner of bag and use to decorate cupcake. I *tried* to get mine in a rose pattern for Valentine's Day. See pic below.

Tips:

• Colored sugar goes beyond Valentine's Day, and beyond cupcakes.Try sprinkles on cookies, cakes, or other treats.
• I was originally going to post this for my Superbowl party, as I made colored sugar sprinkles for the team colors (red and blue this year). This idea could easily transcend to holidays or almost any party.
• I've always used my colored sugar within a few days of making. However, it could keep for at least a week if properly sealed.
• Add a couple of drops of peppermint or other flavoring to change the taste of your vanilla icing. Peppermint, for example, would be a great idea for Christmas cupcakes.

PS: Check out my Valentine Drinks here.

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