CUPCAKE FONDUE

This one is courtesy of Amanda Krueger of www.bakeitpretty.com.  It's a fun activity you can do with your kids, friends, practically anyone who enjoys the sweetest blessings life can offer.

 Cupcake Fondue
You will need:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup liquid (orange juice, fruit juice, milk, or water)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Miniature-size cupcakes in the flavor of your choice, cooled and unfrosted
Assorted sprinkles, chopped nuts, and other toppings

1. Make a batch of your favorite mini cupcakes – homemade or from a mix. Make them nice and small so you don’t feel guilty about enjoying 2 or 3 of them. If you use paper liners for baking, remove them after the cupcakes have cooled. Pound cake or any other firm cake works well for skewering, but any cake will do. I used a simple yellow box-mix cake. Allow to cool completely before dipping.

2.  Make the fondue: Whisk together powdered sugar, orange juice, and corn syrup.  Adjust the consistency with a drop of liquid or a dash more powdered sugar until you get have a smooth, thick glaze.  I used orange juice for the liquid portion to give it a citrus flavor and cheese-like yellow fondue color.  You could also use grape juice for a pastel purple, or milk/water and add your own coloring.

3.  Pour frosting into the fondue pot.  There’s really no need to heat the mixture, but you can keep a small tea light or very low flame underneath just for looks!  Display sprinkles and toppings in small ramekins or portion cups and arrange around the fondue pot.  Skewer cupcakes in the side and dip the top half into the fondue, then flip the cupcake over and the frosting will drip nicely down the sides.  Sprinkle liberally with your favorite toppings.

Young children can even dip the tops of the cupcakes in with their fingers since the fondue is not hot.  You may need to give the fondue a quick stir every now and then to keep it smooth if you aren’t actively dipping.  This is a sweet, silly, messy project and my son Max (8) and I had a wonderful time making our fondue cupcakes.  This would be a great addition to a party desert table, or for a special treat on a rainy day.  Enjoy!

LOVE in 2011

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