My grand plans for cooking over the weekend (in general, and for today’s post) were thwarted by some vicious super-virus that has had me knocked flat on my back all weekend. My husband was a trooper and has been nursing me back to health, while keeping the house clean, the kiddos out of my bed, and even cooking a fabulous Easter dinner for our company while I stayed quarantined. I didn’t even realize the date until Kate mentioned April Fool’s, so I thought I’d re-share this popular post. Even with short notice, if you do what I do below and grab some unfrosted cupcakes from your local grocery store bakery, these are easy enough to pull off last minute. Happy April, everyone!
While I often find myself watching re-runs of Punk’d during my afternoon workouts (seriously, I have a million channels- why is there nothing on at 2pm??) and giggling while some celebrity has an epic meltdown watching their priceless custom made Bentley being destroyed, I’m actually not a huge fan of pranks in my own life. So you won’t find me planning any elaborate jokes on April 1st. Since my kids are young (6, 3, and 1 1/2) we find it more fun to make April Fools a day of full-fledged silliness. A day to be goofy, a day to be random, and a day to do things out of the ordinary. These silly cupcakes are right up our ally. I saw all of the ideas in the fun book Hello Cupcake.
First, a little trick. Not as in April Fools trick, but as in sneaky-time-saving-I-don’t-want-to-bake-or-do-dishes-right-now trick. I’ve told you before, but I’ll remind you again! Sometimes I care about having perfectly wonderful homemade cupcakes. Other times it doesn’t matter so much. And while I want them to taste good, I’m really wanting something quick and easy. Easier than even making a box mix myself. That’s when I head to the grocery store bakery and ask for un-frosted, plain cupcakes. They always look perfect, they’re uniform size, and they actually taste pretty good too.
They won’t usually have them out for sale, but I’ve found at just about every bakery (sometimes you need to find the bakery manager) they’re more than happy to grab some for you and put a price-tag on them. I actually keep these in my freezer for when I need to do blog posts like this!
First up- Spaghetti and Meatballs! While you can obviously tell these are cupcakes,when you plate a whole bunch of them together on a platter they really do look like spaghetti!
You just need a small round tip on your piping bag (or simply a large zip-lock with the end cut off) and honestly just by squeezing and holding the bag in one spot, the noodles form by themselves that way. I just held the tip above the cupcake and moved the cupcake around with my hand until the top was covered. It only took a few seconds. I honestly though it was so cool I wanted to video it. Who knew you could make perfect noodles that way?
And those meatballs? One of my favorite treats- Ferrero Rocher (find them in the candy isle at the grocery store).
Mmmm just dunk them in a little berry jam. Warm up the jam and use a whisk to get is smooth and you can always add a little hot water if you need it for consistency. The “Parmesan” on top is just some white chocolate grated with a cheese grater. I actually used a piece of almond bark since I had some in my pantry.
Next up- Peas and Carrots. Honestly, I didn’t expect these next ones to look so real. They totally fooled my kids! The foil cupcake pan definitely helps. For the peas just use green Runts, and the carrots are orange Starburst, chopped in quarters. Green frosting underneath makes it so the cupcake doesn’t show through.
And the Mashed Potatoes! I think these were my favorite out of all of them. Use vanilla frosting and leave a little bit of a well at the top. Add a drizzle of caramel syrup and a flattened out Starburst (Laffy Taffy also works great) and you’re set. My kiddos thought these were hilarious.
I included these Popcorn Cupcakes just because I think they’re super cute 🙂 They’d be really fun for a movie night/party – even in mini cupcake size.
I used the pale yellow marshmallows from the fruit flavored bag, but white would work great too. You can see below how easy it is to make the kernels. Just snip a few marshmallows into 3 pieces and then “glue” a regular marshmallow on top.
Lastly- this has summer BBQ party written all over it! Frost 3 cupcakes with pale yellow frosting and use Jelly Bellies for the corn. You could use a few shades of yellow and white, but works best is the buttered popcorn flavor. I realize that 98% of the world detests that flavor, but it happens to be my favorite. Take that, haters! Top it with a Laffy Taffy or Starburst pat of butter (or um, real butter if your children eat all of the yellow starburst you tell them specifically to leave on the counter where you set them…) and black and clear sugar sprinkles for the salt and pepper.
Hope that gives you some silly ideas to play around with on April Fools! Do any of you have any fun traditions?? I think this year I’m going to do a goofy dinner game where we eat funny food with random utensils or something. Do share if you have fun ideas!
Questions & Reviews
These are awesome!!! I love how they look exactly like what they’re supposed to be tricking you into thinking!! So killer. I can just imagine the looks my kids would give me if I gave them these. LOL
I’m going to make these tomorrow night for a church activity on friday morning, the little kids will love them. I love your new look blog- very smart!
These are great! Came across your site last night (which is wonderful BTW) and this morning we decided we HAD to make them this afternoon. Thanks so much for sharing – we had a blast making them!
too funny!
buttered popcorn jelly bellies once caused me to throw up… and I am still scarred today!
These are awesome! I love messing with my kids on April Fool’s Day! Also, if you can’t find Runts I used green Airheads one year to make peas, just rolled them into little balls. They were totally fooled and it was awesome!
I like the buttered popcorn jelly bellies, too, but did you know that it is actually one of the top sellers? I think some people are just in the closet about their obsession! 🙂 Cute cupcakes!
These are so cute, and I’m pondering the idea of making them for my daughter’s third grade class on Friday. I’d have to make the cupcakes Thursday evening, if I put the “meatball and spaghetti sauce” on the night before, will they be ok until Friday afternoon?
Thanks for all the great recipes you share!
I have to say those were the best and most creative Cup Cakes I have ever seen.I love people with Talent. Thanks for sharing .
These are so cool!! My kids were just begging me to make these today while browsing the Hello Cupcake cookbook!
You can find my playlist here: http://www.ldsmusicnow.com/album/369/Easter-Playlist/We-Talk-of-Christ/
Great ideas! My birthday is actually on April Fools Day so I may use some of your fun tricks for a surprise for my kids. Great website and I absolutely love your cookbook!
Those are so awesome! That peas and carrots one is the coolest, I think I might have to try them on Friday.
Absolutely adorable. Love these! 🙂
Clever! Clever!
I love April Fools’ Day! Once we all ate out of weird containers–cool whip bowls, random misc. shaped serving dishes, ate with food preparation utensils. NOthing matched. Fun. Also, I like to make the frosted “cake” made out of meatloaf and then frosted with whipped potatoes tinted some color with cute veggie flowers on top. I will make those meatball cupcakes for sure! Thanks.
Ok, I really love this idea. Now I am slightly obsessed with thinking of other ways to make cupcakes look like other food!
And I LOVE the buttered popcorn jelly bellies! You are not the only one Sara!
Hey I heard you gals are going to be at BYU womens conference this year. Does that mean your cookbooks are going to be sold there as well?
These are TOO CUTE!!
Love them!! The corn ones are the best lol! ~Stay beautiful and blessed!!
You are one of our favorite Blogs! Check out your shout out at http://www.studiobcreativejuice.blogspot.com.
Wow! You do incredible work! They are so realistic.
I’ve just gotten into baking cupcakes and am always looking for creative ideas to put in my hat for those times I’m in a fun baking mood. I love the meatball idea. Beautiful work!
Last year my in laws planned a way fun April Fools dinner! They made a menu and everything had a goofy name so you had no idea what you were ordering. You had to place what you wanted as an appetizer, main course, and desert. I ended up getting desert as an appetizer. 🙂 You had to order your plate and fork too… if you didn’t place it first you had to eat the first couple courses with your hands. The only goofy name I can remember was they labeled forks as “Ariels Hairbrush” It was super cute and way fun!
Love these! We are huge fans of cup cakes! I am going to have to make some!!!
I have to tell you how much I love your cookbook. I have made so many of your recipes and my family loves them!
Hi Girlies! I am a newbie to your site (and lived in Seattle, which still has my heart :). I randomly pranced upon your blog a few days ago and to my pleasant surprise we are now 3 for 3 with your recipes at my house (my kids find it very hard to like what I create). So I wanted to tell you, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I was so happy to see your smiling faces on the cover of LDS Living Magazine!! You two are everywhere and I am happy to have “bumped” into you (how have I been missing you?)!
Love the cupcakes! I’m going to have to make some for my kiddos on Friday. However, I’m starting to get suspicious- no way can there be that many people who actually LIKE those popcorn flavored jelly beans!!!:)
I’m happy no one in my family likes the buttered popcorn jelly bellys… more for me!!
Super cute cupcakes and is getting me thinking… about dying shredded coconut and making ‘cole slaw’ cupcakes… my daughter hates cole slaw so that would be super sneaky of me… LOL
Last year I served “grilled cheese, juice and cupcakes” for dinner. http://missyscakestudio.blogspot.com/2010/04/aprils-fool.html
We don’t usually have juice, so my daughter was super excited to have some. It was hilarious to watch her pick it up and try to drink. I also said we could have dessert first (since it was really dinner!)
I am trying to find this years. I think I am doing the spaghetti and meatballs thing but need a real dinner that looks like dessert. Hope I can find something.
I, too, love buttered-popcorn flavored jelly bellies! You’re not alone! I love them in combination with cinnamon-flavored ones, too. MM-HMM!! I can’t wait to try these hilarious cupcakes! I especially loved the peas & carrots, mashed potatoes, and spaghetti versions. Thanks for continuing to be so clever. And may no one play any truly dirty tricks on you this Friday! Maybe just saran wrap under the toilet lid? (Ugh–that is kind of nasty, isn’t it). 🙂
Oh, and by the way… buttered popcorn jellybeans are my favorite too! 😀
Okay, so I came across your blog about a month ago when I read the article in the LDS Living magazine. I’m kind of a recipe book/blog/cooking addict (I’m only 17! Haha!) and I have to say, I abosolutely LOVE your blog! I seriously get on it at least once a day, and everything I have made from you ladies tastes SO great! I just got your cookbook for my birthday, and I am so psyched! Thank you so much for all the effort you have put in to make it possible!!!
So cool Sara! I love this idea. My mom used to do stuff like this at Halloween so this is a fun time to switch it up. Thank you for the fun idea!
Sara, these all look so cute!! Hello Cupcake has been on my wish list for cookbooks for a while. All their ideas are so fun, I would invent reasons to make the cupcakes that are in the book. While ordinarily my I-must-make-everything-totally-from-scratch-or-not-make-it-at-all self would be horrified at the idea of using pre-made cupcakes, it is actually a brilliant idea for those days when you want to make a fun desert, but don’t want to dirty too many dishes (which is surprisingly often for me these days).
PS Sorry about the BYU loss!! I was rooting for them too!