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Wanna have some fun with food sculpture, colors and textures? Round up kids of all ages and make these bright Christmas Tree Cupcakes!

Decorating time:  20 to 30 minutes
Bake time: 35 to 40 minutes
Makes: 20 to 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:
One 15.25-oz. Betty Crocker® cake mix (any flavor)
Two 12-cupcake size baking pans
24 cupcake baking paper cups  (optional)
One 7-oz. package Betty Crocker® Red Cookie Icing mix
One  .67-oz. tube Betty Crocker® Green Decorating gel
One .67-oz. tube Betty Crocker® Yellow Decorating gel or icing
One .67-oz. tube Betty Crocker® Blue Decorating gel or icing

NOTE: You can substitute yellow and blue gel or icing with colored nonpareil or other types of candies.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven according to cake mix package directions .

2. Prepare cake batter according to cake mix package directions.

3. Either grease and flour the cupcake sections of baking pan or line them with cupcake baking paper cups.

4. Pour and divide cake batter evenly among cupcake sections in baking pan..

4. Bake cupcakes per package directions.

5. To check doneness of cupcakes, insert a pointed knife in center of one cupcake – the knife should come out clean.

6. If batter clings to knife, bake cupcakes 3 to 4 minutes longer.

7. After 3 to 4 minutes, check doneness again.

8. Transfer baking pans with cupcakes to a cooling rack or counter; let cool to room temperature.

9. When cupcakes are completely cool, remove them from baking pans and set on a flat surface lined with parchment or waxed paper.

10. Using a cake decorating spatula, decorate cupcake tops with the red icing.

11. Next, using green gel tube, create abstract tree design with side-to-side, squiggly lines.

12. Finish decorating each cupcake “tree” with green and yellow dots from decorating icing tubes or sprinkle with decorating nonpareils or other candies.
Text & Photograph ©2019 Nancy DeLucia Real