Kid-Friendly Sparkly Cupcake Frosting | America's Test Kitchen Kids

recipe

From simple to deluxe, here are five decorating techniques to make your cupcakes wow-worthy.

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Sparkly Cupcakes

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Prepare Ingredients

2 cups

vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting

12

cupcakes, baked and cooled

Sprinkles, nonpareils, or sanding sugar

Gather Equipment

1-tablespoon measuring spoon

Small icing spatula

Small cookie cutter

Get Started!

1

2 cups

vanilla frosting or chocolate frosting

12

cupcakes, baked and cooled

Mound 2 tablespoons frosting in center of cupcake, forming a thick layer. Use small icing spatula to spread frosting to edge of cupcake to create flat top. (Keep frosting off paper liners.) Then use spatula to smooth frosting so it is flush with edges of cupcake. Smooth edge of frosting so it is straight up and down. Flatten top again as necessary. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

2

Sprinkles, nonpareils, or sanding sugar

Lightly press cookie cutter into top of frosting. Using cookie cutter as guide, fill shape with thin layer of sprinkles, nonpareils, or sanding sugar. Carefully remove cookie cutter, leaving behind festive decoration. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.