It’s the time of year when tulips in strikingly rich shades of red, orange, and yellow, brighten garden beds, floral arrangements…

And cupcakes, too!

Tulip Cupcakes

• 8 standard cupcakes
• 16oz. can white frosting
• Leaf green gel food coloring
• Green sugar crystals
• 8oz. box Pizazz Juicy Jellies Fruit Slices
• Granulated sugar
• Colored toothpicks
  

Using a few drops of gel food coloring, tint the frosting green.  Spread a thin layer evenly over the surface of cupcakes with a butter knife or offset spatula.  Gently roll the edges of wet frosting in a shallow bowl filled with green sugar crystals.

To create tulips, carefully cut the flat edge of a fruit slice candy into three points with a sharp paring knife.  Use the first tulip as a template for all the others.

Cut two leaf shapes from the rounded side of each green candy… I found the curved edge of a biscuit cutter made quick work of this step.

Pour a few tablespoons of granulated sugar into a small bowl.  Dip all cut edges of jellied candy into the sugar until well coated and no longer sticky.

Insert one toothpick of matching color into the center of tulips and leaves.  Place a candy tulip in the center of every cupcake.  Angle a leaf at the side of each tulip.

Serve and enjoy!

*Yields eight tulip-topped cupcakes.