Spring is blooming on your Easter table. From yellow chick cupcakes to blueberry French-toast casseroles, there are plenty of ways to wow your brunch guests with simple seasonal recipes.
“Between hiding eggs and preparing baskets, you may be tempted to fall back on brunch basics like pancakes and scrambled eggs, but that’s no fun,” McCormick Executive Chef Kevan Vetter said. “With simple pantry staples – like food color – and a little planning the night before, you can enjoy a fun and tasty holiday brunch.”
Rather than splurging on designer cupcakes, just pipe yellow marshmallow creme on mini cupcakes for a baby chick then decorate with sprinkles for the nose and cut up wafers to look like a hatching egg.
Baby Chick Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24
1 package (12 ounces) white
confectionary coating wafers
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 teaspoon Sunflower color from
McCormick Color from Nature Food
Colors
2 tablespoons milk, plus additional
(optional)
48 unfrosted mini yellow cupcakes, baked
in white paper liners
Sprinkles (optional)
To make broken egg shell pieces: melt coating wafers as directed on package. Spread on large foil-lined baking sheet to 1/4-inch thickness. Refrigerate about 10 minutes, or until firm. Break into small, irregular pieces. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, beating until well blended after each addition, frequently scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in marshmallow creme until well blended. In small bowl, stir food color into milk until dissolved. Add colored milk to frosting; beat until light and fluffy. Stir in additional milk, as needed, to reach desired consistency.
To decorate cupcakes: spoon frosting into large pastry bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe two dollops of frosting on top of each other to form baby chick. If desired, insert sprinkles into face for eyes and beak. Or tint any remaining frosting with food colors to pipe out eyes and beak.7
