Worms in Dirt Cupcakes (2 versions)

Tomorrow is my nephew's graduation from pre-school to kindergarten.  We're having a little party for him tomorrow so I thought I would make some cupcakes for the boy!

I made Worms in Dirt.  Of course 1 kind wouldn't be enough for a crazy four year old, so I made two!

Worms in Dirt (1.0)

Cupcakes
2/3 cup sugar
3 large eggs
¼ cup muddy cocoa
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup milk
8-10 Gummy Worms (you're call on this one, as they will melt when you cook)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  After you have broken up the worms, you can add them to the mix by folding them into the batter.  FYI: they will melt when you make them so there really is no point to this, other than the taste of the gummy worms being in the cupcakes.  Personally, I don't like the taste, but all the kids do.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost.

Chocolate Frosting w/Oreo Bits

1 Cup Butter (room temperature)

1/3 Cup Cocoa

3 Cups Confectioner's Sugar

1/3 Cup Milk

1/2 Cup crushed Oreo's

12 Gummy Worms

Beat butter on medium speed until creamy.  Add in remaining ingredients except for Oreo's.

Once cupcakes are cooled, spread the frosting on them, and then roll the tops of them in the crusher Oreos (I put the Oreos on a piece of wax paper).  Garnish with remaining worms.

Version  2.0

Cupcakes

2/3 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup milk

3 Drops Green Food Dye (neon)

1 Drop Blue Food Dye (neon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 Cups Confections Sugar

1 Cup Butter (1 cup=1 stick)

1/4 Cup Milk

2-3 Dashes of Vanilla

3/4 Cup Crushed Oreos

12 Gummy Worms

Beat butter until creamy.  Add sugar and beat together until combined.  Add milk & vanilla and beat until combined.  Fold in Oreos.  Once cupcakes have cooled completely, ice them (I didn`t have any Wilton bags so I used a Freezer bag and cut a small hole in the tip).  Once iced, add a few pieces of the Gummy Worms