SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

I decided to do something for my office for Saint Patrick's Day....Yes I know it isn't until Saturday, but since I only work three days a week I do any cooking and baking on my days off, which happen to be Monday and Friday!!  I though I would make Green Velvet Cup Cakes for the office.  I was going to try and make them from scratch, but unfortunately I became engrossed in a "B" movie on the SyFy channel this morning (I know, but I love "B" horror movies! LOL), and so went to plan "B".  Which worked out very well I might add!  I try and make sweets sugar free for Celtic Man as he is not supposed to have sugar.  The Pillsbury Sugar-Free products are great.  You have to try the brownies!!! To die for!!!

Well here is what I did:

1 box Pillsbury Sugar-Free Cake Mix - yellow
1 T coco powder (dark chocolate kind or whatever you have)
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 cup water (I used fat free milk instead - say that on Pintrist so gave it a try)
1T vanilla bean paste (or could use about 1 to 1-1/2 tsp vanilla)
1 bottle green food dye

Put dry ingredients into bowl.  Add eggs, oil, water or milk, vanilla and entire bottle of green food dye.  I know all that green is scary, but it is necessary for the green color.  Start on lowest speed of mixer and mix according to package directions.

Once mixed put batter in muffin pans.  One box will make 12 regular size cup cakes.  I have LARGE muffin pans (silicone) and it took 2 boxes to make 12 cup cakes and the balance of the batter I used to make 4 mini bunt cakes.  Baked at 350 for about 20 to 25 minutes for these huge ones, but if you are using a regular muffin pan, follow package directions.

After they were done, I put them on a wire rack to cool.  Then it was time to frost these puppies!!

1 can Pillsbury Sugar-Free Vanilla Frosting
1 tsp almond extract

Put frosting in a bowl and add extract.  Mix well.  Now pile that frosting onto your cup cakes.  What is a cup cake without a gracious plenty of frosting!!!  MMMMMMM  Then I sprinkled each cup cake with Green sugar sprinkles.  That is it!!  Can't wait to try one of these.  Hope you enjoy these.

Let me know how you like these and how you make yours!!! Happy baking