Elf Hat Cupcakes

Prep Time: 45 Minutes Start to Finish: 1 Hour 45 Minutes 24 cupcakes

1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

2 In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.

3 Bake 14 to 19 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

4 Place candy sprinkles in shallow bowl. Fill large resealable food-storage plastic bag with 1¼ cups frosting; cut off tiny bottom corner. Pipe frosting in a circle one time around outside edge of cupcake. Dip edge of frosting into sprinkles. Reserve remaining frosting in bag for pom-poms.

5 Among 3 small bowls, evenly divide remaining frosting (about 1⅓ cups each). Tint frosting in bowls with food colors: 1 red, 1 green and 1 blue. Place frosting in 3 small resealable food-storage plastic bags; cut off tiny bottom corner of each bag. Pipe red frosting, starting on inside edge of white frosting and spiraling up toward center to form a hat; continue red piping on 7 additional cupcakes. Repeat piping with green and blue frosting with remaining 16 cupcakes (8 cupcakes each). Pipe a small dab of reserved untinted frosting on top of each hat for pom-pom.

1 Cupcake: Calories 390; Total Fat 19g (Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 25mg; Sodium 280mg; Total Carbohydrate 54g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 1g Exchanges: 3½ Other Carbohydrate, 4 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3½

Festive Touch For a more decorative look when piping the frosting, use decorating bags with tips.

Kitchen Secrets Not a fan of chocolate? Try yellow cake mix for a different flavor.