Memorial Day Cupcakes

Good afternoon!  I hope you are all enjoying the holiday weekend!!

The past few years, my sweetie and I have been going to a Memorial Day celebration in town with his father and some other family and friends - basically whoever wants to join us!  It's a great event, with a performance by the symphony followed by a spectacular fireworks show.  We go down early to stake out a good spot on the grass hill and enjoy a picnic dinner during the show.  We're headed down there this afternoon and I decided to make some cupcakes for everyone.  My good friend Missy made pink lemonade cupcakes a few weeks ago and they sounded delicious - very summery, which I thought would be perfect for our picnic.  I printed out some flags from Enjoy the Seasons and cut off the bottom part of the flagpole.  Then I glued two images together with a toothpick in between so the flags would be decorated on both sides.

Thanks for coming by to take a look and I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Recipe:
Cake:
1 package white cake mix
1 small package vanilla instant pudding
3 Tbsp sweetened pink lemonade drink mix (like Country Time Pink Lemonade Mix)
2 tsp lemon zest
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 egg whites
6 drops pink food coloring
Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
2 Tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
zest from 1 lemon
2 pound package (7 1/2 cups) confectioners sugar
3 drops pink food coloring

1. In a large bowl, whisk cake mix, pudding mix and dry lemonade drink mix together.  Add sour cream, lemon zest, water, oil and egg whites to the dry mix.  Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.  Use a strong mixer - this batter is thick.  Mix in food coloring.

2. Scoop batter into 24 lined muffin tins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until cupcakes don't look wet and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting the cupcakes.

3. Prepare the frosting by creaming butter, shortening and lemon zest together.  Then add lemonade concentrate, milk and vanilla with a mixer.  Beat until smooth.  Gradually add the sugar, mixing well until light and fluffy.  Beat in the food coloring.

4. Pipe frosting onto the cakes.