[Birthday] Evolution of a Cupcake

I had plans to meet some dear old friends for lunch today.  Friends that I haven't seen for years.  I found out this morning as I was getting caught up on a little FB, that it was my friend Ruth's birthday.  And how awesome that I would get to go to lunch with her on her birthday?  And how sneaky of her not to tell us!  I thought it would be fun to make her a birthday cupcake.  So I set to work.  First I made a batch of chocolate cupcakes. I could swear that I bought a big package of plain white cupcake papers just a couple of weeks ago.  But...apparently not.  So, I had to settle for pink princess liners.  Not ideal--but we'll make it work.  Then I decided that I wanted to do a German chocolate variation on a theme.  I quickly made some traditional caramel coconut frosting and a batch of chocolate butter-cream frosting, while the cupcakes baked and cooled.

So, this is how you turn a plain jane chocolate cupcake in a pink princess paper into a fantastic German Chocolate Cupcake Birthday Surprise!

Step One:
Cut a "cone" of cake out of the center of your cupcake.  Remove the cone.

Step Two:
Fill the void with a tablespoon of German chocolate caramel coconut frosting.

Step Three:
Replace the cake cone.  Don't worry about smashing it flat.  Just set it on top.  It actually helps to give your cupcake some height.

Step Four:
Pipe some chocolate butter-cream frosting around the perimeter of your caramel crater.  Continue piping the chocolate butter-cream in a circular motion working from the outside in.  This will give your cupcake a fun swirl on the top.

Step Five:
Hide your pink princess cupcake liner inside of a white nut cup.  I fancied mine up a bit with some washi tape.

And there you have it!

If you want to take it even a step farther, add a washi tape "flag" and package your cupcake in a cupcake box.  Don't forget the ribbon.  You know how I feel about ribbons!

Happy Birthday Friend!  Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your special day with me!