Enchanted Forest Cupcakes

(Discloser: This is a sponsored post, and I received free product from Nature’s Flavors; However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Inspiration Apron running!)

Need a quick and easy fairy party dessert? (Or perhaps just some REALLY delicious cupcakes?) These Enchanted Forest Cupcakes are easy to make, yet impressive and delightful. Starting with a box cake mix and elevating the flavor with Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Syrup elevated this dessert to AMAZING! Just a simple swap of liquid to syrup added such a wonderful strawberry flavor and moisture.

Decorated with marshmallows, (mushroom stumps and rocks) fresh strawberries (mushroom caps) and green-colored flaked coconut (moss.) If you just want chocolate strawberry cupcakes, leave off the decorations, and just frost with chocolate frosting, then add crushed freeze-dried strawberries to the top. (See below.) Makes approximately 24 cupcakes.

Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Syrup is made with pure cane sugar and none of the artificial. It does not contain dextrose or high fructose corn syrup, which is a huge selling point for me, as I am highly sensitive to corn.

Let’s begin!

Ingredients:

For Cupcakes:

• (1) 15.25oz box mix Chocolate Fudge cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Super Moist)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
• 3/4 cup Nature’s Flavors Organic Strawberry Syrup
• 1/2 cup water

For decorations:

• 24-40 fresh strawberries
• 1-2 cups marshmallows
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 10 chocolate wafers (crushed)
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• Green food color (3-4 drops)
• Few drops of water
• Chocolate frosting (store bought or your favorite recipe)

Optionally: You can just frost with chocolate frosting and then crush or chop freeze-dried strawberries to sprinkle on top.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350℉ / 176℃ and line cupcake tins with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Add all cake ingredients to a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until well incorporated and smooth.

Fill liners a little over 1/2 full (about 1/4 cup of batter in each) then bake in oven for 14-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.After removing from oven, let cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to let cool completely before decorating.

While cupcakes are cooling, you can prepare decorations:In a small bowl, add coconut, 3-4 drops of food coloring and a couple drops of water, then stir until well mixed and coconut has an even color. Spread out on parchment or waxed paper to dry out.

Note: you can also chop coconut into a finer consistency if desired.

Chop bottom cone shape of strawberries off for the mushroom caps. I reserved the remaining strawberry discards for my delicious Strawberry Citrus Salad I ate later that night. Find the recipe HERE.

Roll half of the marshmallows in the cocoa powder and use the other half for the mushroom stumps.

To assemble: Frost tops of cupcakes, then squeeze a marshmallow (to give it some height and shape) and stick into the chocolate frosting. Add strawberry cap to top of marshmallow. (Note: you can slightly cut a divot into the middle of strawberry to help hold it on marshmallow.)

Add a few chocolate wafer crumbs for dirt and then sprinkle some of the coconut down the middle for moss.You can add as little or as many mushrooms as you want.

Add some of the cocoa-dusted marshmallows and you’re done! Even as an adult I love these fun cupcakes, but I can only imagine my childhood self would have gone bonkers over these fun and magical enchanted forest cupcakes.

If you’re not into fairies, enchanted forests or creative decorating, they are still pretty magical tasting even just frosted and sprinkled with chopped freeze-dried strawberries.

Enjoy!

💜Julie