Box of Chocolates

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"Life was like a box of chocolates...you never know what you' re gonna get"  a famous line by Forrest Gump.  Did you know he said that in 1994?  Not trying to make you feel old - or make myself feel old.  I just can't believe how long it has been.  I think that quote is so true!  No matter what you get you have got to make the best of it and decide to be happy!

I'll tell you what I got.  One of my Christmas presents was the Hello Cupcake cookbook.

I love it!  So many cool ideas of how to decorate cupcakes.  I want to make them all.  I am amazed at how creative the authors are and am hoping some of it will rub off on me!  So you will see many designs from their book - I plan on eventually working my way through the whole thing - can't believe I put that in print :). 

The Box of Chocolates was my first recipe from the book.  It uses sixteen mini cupcakes, although the chocolate box I was using only fit fourteen. 

I frosted ten of the mini cupcakes with chocolate buttercream.  I put chocolate jimmies (my favorite sprinkle in the WHOLE world) and Valentine nonpareils in two separate plates.  Then I rolled the edges of the frosted cupcakes in the sprinkles and set them aside.

I used store bought frosting for the remaining four cupcakes.  I put one cup of the frosting in the microwave for about 15 seconds until it has the texture of light whipped cream.  Then I dipped the cupcakes into the frosting.  I gave them a super smooth, darker look.  To finish them off I decorated them with different Valentine candy. I found the Valentine candy corn at Walmart. Surprisingly my candy store didn't have it - but good old Walmart did!

For the chocolate candy looking pieces that adorn some of the cupcakes I used marshmallows. I cut the marshmallows in half and then dipped them in the microwaved frosting.  I chilled them in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes so the frosting could harden.  Once they were chilled I piped on a candy looking design using the buttercream in a piping bag with no tip.  Then I used a toothpick (that I cut in half) to attach them to the cupcakes.

Arranged them all in my chocolate box and then filled the empty spaces in the box with more candy.  Happy Valentine's Day - just a few weeks early!!
 

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