Word World Cupcakes

Word World Friends

Pig

Monkey

Frog

It's challenging to make everyone happy when you have a child that has food allergies and everyone else at the party can eat "regular" dessert. My non-food allergic 3 year old loves the PBS show Word World, so I made him some cupcakes for his birthday that represented some of the characters (frog, pig and monkey).

After my serving the Safe Nemo Cake to my non-food allergic family at the family birthday party, and everyone thought that it looked better than it tasted; I decided to make two safe cupcakes for Brody and I and make regular cupcakes for everyone else. I am officially baked out! AND I am gearing up for Brody's first birthday at the beginning of November...that means more cupcakes...regular and safe :)

The monkey and the pig are not allergen free because of ingredients used to decorate them, but the frog can be allergen free (and it was for Brody and I)

My biggest problem with the Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Dream Chocolate Cake Mix (it is egg, milk, wheat and peanut free) when I made the Safe Nemo Cake, was that it was not as moist (in my opinion) as regular cake...so, with this batch of cupcakes (the box makes 12), I used applesauce instead of the oil that it says to use on the box. I would have to make a cake using this substitute to really compare, but I thought the cupcakes were more moist.

Everyone enjoyed their regular cupcakes and Brody and I were content with our allergy free ones....plus, they were just as cute :)

What you need to get started making these cupcakes:

-1 container of pastel baking cups

-I made 24 cupcakes from 1 box of yellow cake mix (follow directions on box)

(This made 8 frogs, 8 monkeys and 8 pigs)-these were not allergen free

-I made 12 cupcakes using the CherryBrook Kitchen Gluten Free Dream Chocolate Cake Mix, decorated two frogs for Brody and I and froze the rest for later use

-I made 2 batches of Safe Buttercream Icing so that I would be able to use some of the icing on the safe cupcakes that I made for Brody and I (I split the icing up into four bowls and colored some pink (for the pigs), green (for the frogs), brown (for animals faces) and red (accent on the animals faces). You will need more pink and green icing. The brown and the red are just for accenting the faces, so you will not need as much.

-I bought one container of store bought chocolate frosting (bought for .50 on sale and had a coupon)-they DO have frosting that does not contain milk ingredients.

-I bought the Wilton 8 Icing Color Concentrated Gel (used pink, green, brown, and red)

-I bought the Wilton 12 Piece Cupcake Decorating Kit to be able to decorate the eyes, mouths, tongue etc. on the animals

-I bought a Wilton Cupcakes' N More 13 Count Small Dessert Stand. It was the perfect way to display the Word World Cupcakes.

*The stuff I bought at Michael's and JoAnn's was bought with 40 or 50% off coupons. You can sign up at both stores online and they will e-mail you coupons OR you can find coupons in your Sunday paper. NEVER pay full price at these stores :)

Pigs

8 pink pastel baking cups

8 cupcakes (from the box of yellow cake mix)

Safe Buttercream Icing colored pink using Wilton gel Colors

Wilton Candy Melts in Pink (buy at Michael's or JoAnn's)-for the nose: use one whole one candy melt. For the ears: cut one candy melt in half

Brown frosting for the lines on the nose and the eyes (you need a tip and a decorator bag)

Monkeys

8 pastel baking cups (whatever color you want)

8 cupcakes (from the box of yellow cake mix)

1 container of store bought chocolate frosting (they do have ones without milk ingredients)

1 box of vanilla wafers (you will use 2 vanilla wafers per cupcake, so you will need 16 total. Use a whole vanilla wafer for the nose and use a serrated knife to cut a vanilla wafer in half to make the ears)

16 cheerios to make the eyes

Brown icing to decorate the nose (use a tip and bag)

Red icing to make the mouth (use a tip and bag)

Frogs

8 green pastel baking cups

8 cupcakes (from the box of yellow cake mix)

Safe Buttercream Icing colored green using Wilton gel colors

Large Marshmallows, you will need 8 marshmallows. Cut them in 1/2 to make the eyes

Brown icing for the eyes and the mouth (need a tip and bag)

Red icing for the tongue (need a tip and bag)

I couldn't watch everyone eat these cute cupcakes without having one myself and watching Brody enjoy one, so I baked a box of 12 cupcakes from the CherryBrook Kitchen Gluten Free Dream Chocolate Cake Mix. I iced and decorated two Frogs and put the rest of the cupcakes (not iced) in a freezer bag, and put them in the freezer for the next time there is a celebration. There was even safe green and pink icing left over, which I also froze. I read that if you let it thaw, it will taste just as good as when you made it. SCORE! I already have allergen free cupcakes essentially ready to go!

Allergen Free Frogs

1 box of CherryBrook Kitchen Gluten Free Dream Chocolate Cake Mix (made 12 chocolate cupcakes, decorated two and froze the rest for next celebration or craving)

Safe Buttercream Icing colored green using Wilton Gel Colors

Marshmallows cut in half to make the eyes

Brown icing for the eyes and the mouth
Red icing for the tongue

These were time consuming to make, but I was pleased with the outcome and honestly, it was all worth it to see my 3 year old smiling when he saw them and see Brody making a mess eating his allergen free frog cupcake.