Rice Crispy Treat Cupcakes

Here is a fun alternative to a regular cupcake, although there is a mini cupcake hiding inside.  I have a friend who loves rice crispy treats and it was his birthday recently, so it was a perfect opportunity to try these.  Nothing fancy here, just the regular rice crispy recipe off the box, confetti cake mix, but fancy chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream.  They turned out pretty good, you couldn't really taste the cupcake inside, but the frosting and crunchy outside made for a fun treat!  Maybe if i had made chocolate cupcakes, the flavor would be more pronounced.   But anyway, this is a perfect recipe for a rice crispy treat lover!! 

Happy Birthday Pepper!

Rice Crispy Treat Shell Recipe:

Follow the box... I did 1/2 the recipe and it made enough for 12 cupcakes

Directions:

1. Melt the butter and marshmallows together.  Add the rice crispies and stir.
2. Coat a cupcake pan with PAM - i used a silicon one and it worked great because i was able to pop out the cupcakes when i was done.
3. Take a spoon full of rice crispies and mold it just around the edges of the cup.  I sprayed my fingers to make the shaping process less sticky.
4. Save for mini cupcakes.

Mini Cupcakes:  Use your favorite recipe here... don't cook in cupcake liners, just spray the pan with PAM so they are easier to put into the rice crispy mold.

Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Recipe: 

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

6 Egg Whites
Pinch of Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
2 Cups of Butter, unsalted and room  temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 Cup Cooled Melted Chocolate - milk or dark - I used dark

This recipe makes enough to frost a 2 layer cake or frost 24 or more cupcakes, depending on the amount of frosting per cupcake...

1. Heat sugar and eggs: Bring a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer. Meanwhile, combine sugar, egg whites, and salt in a large heat-proof mixing bowl. Set bowl over (not in) simmering water, and whisk until whites are warm to the touch and sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. (Heating the eggs relaxes their proteins, enabling the eggs to whip up higher and more quickly; the sugar also melts, for a silky smooth consistency.) Test by rubbing between your fingers; the mixture should feel smooth.
2. Whip meringue: Attach bowl to a standing electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and mixture is cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
3. Mix in butter: Reduce speed to medium-low; add butter 2 tablespoons at a time, beating to incorporate fully after each addition. Don't worry if the buttercream appears curdled at this point; it will become perfectly smooth again with continued beating. After all the butter has been incorporated, beat in Chocolate.
4. Finish: Switch to the paddle attachment. Beat on the lowest speed to reduce air bubbles, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature. (If not using the same day, transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator up to 3 days or the freezer up to 1 month. Before using, bring to room temperature; beat with paddle attachment on the lowest speed until smooth and pliable, about 10 minutes.)
5. I frosted the cupcakes with a large pastry bag and a 1M tip.
6. Enjoy!!

Check out this post on paisley passions

and check out this post on sweet-as-sugar-cookies - sweets-for-saturday