Cup Cakes

Total Time Needed:: 1 Hour

Here's a special treat for the sweet tooth on a child's list: a coffee mug filled with the fixings for a delicious, near-instant cupcake for one. Teachers, sitters, relatives, and neighbors will love this creative (and yummy!) gift so much, they'll probably ask for the recipe as well.

Materials

One 1-pound, 2 1/4-ounce packaged cake mix -- yellow, devil's food, or spice flavor
16 plastic sandwich bags and twist ties
Glaze mix (see below)
16 adhesive labels

8 large microwave-safe ceramic coffee mugs (1 1/2 cups or larger)
8 index cards
Ribbon, scissors

Instructions

For a batch of 8 cupcake gifts, empty the dry cake mix into a large bowl. Help your child place 1/2-cup portions of the cake mix into plastic sandwich bags and close them with a twist tie. Then, using the list of glaze options below, she can fill 8 more bags with 1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons of the appropriate glaze ingredients. She should label the bags "cake mix" and "glaze mix."
Have your child copy the Cup Cake directions onto the index cards. She can then use ribbon to tie one cake mix and one glaze mix bag together with each card, and set them inside a mug.
Directions for Cup Cake: Generously spray the inside of the mug with cooking spray. Empty the contents of the cake mix bag into the cup. Add 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of water. Mix well, approximately 1 minute. Microwave for 2 minutes on full power or until cooked through. Use a pot holder to remove the cup from the microwave and allow the cake to cool for 1 minute. In a small container, combine the glaze mix ingredients with 1 to 2 teaspoons of water, mixi

Variations:: Make one batch of glaze for all eight cakes: YELLOW CAKE GLAZE: 2 2/3 cups of confectioners' sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of pink strawberry drink mix or cocoa powder. DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE GLAZE: 2 2/3 cups of confectioners' sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. SPICE CAKE GLAZE: 2 2/3 cups of confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.

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