“all the buzz” cupcakes

I know we’re only a few days off Christmas, but I’m already starting to have Spring fever… which is not good since I live in Ohio and will have at least four more months of cold. Regardless of the weather, these beautiful beehive cupcakes from brightideas.com will make any girls luncheon or birthday party all the buzz. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 2 cups SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures
• 1 box (18 oz.) your favorite cake mix
• 2 cans (16 oz. each) vanilla frosting
• Yellow food coloring
• 1 cup orange STARBURST® Brand Jellybeans
• 1 tube chocolate decorative frosting, with plain tip
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• 2 cups M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies
• Resealable plastic bag
• 24 paper cupcake liners classic
• 2 12-cup muffin tins
• 3 pieces construction paper, in bright, spring colors (orange, pink, green, etc.)
• Serving tray, optional

Detailed instructions:

1. Set 24 SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures aside. Chop the remaining candy and set aside.
2. Line the 2 muffin tins with the paper cupcake liners. Prepare the cake mix, fold in the chopped candy, and bake according to the package directions.
3. Let the cupcakes cool to room temperature.
4. In the meantime, tint the frosting with yellow food coloring to the desired shade. Dab a teaspoon of frosting on the bottom of each reserved SNICKERS® Brand Miniatures and place one on top of each cupcake.
5. Frost the top of the cupcake, covering both the cupcake and candy. This will help support the frosting beehive.
6. Spoon the remaining frosting into a resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, snip a small corner of the bag. Pipe the frosting in a spiral fashion, starting at the bottom of the hive and working your way up to the top.
7. Place jellybeans randomly around the cupcake hives, and gently squeeze the chocolate frosting in a zigzag pattern on top of them.
8. For the bee’s wings, place an almond slice on both sides of each jellybean.
9. To serve, create flower cut-outs from the construction paper. Place the flowers on a table or serving tray, put a hive on each flower, and sprinkle with M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies.