Graduation cupcakes!

A few weeks ago now, our family had two graduations on the same day...my little one graduated from preschool (I feel so OLD) and my brother-in-law graduated from high school.  In honor of such wonderful occasions I decided to make some cupcakes.  


For my daughter's, I made mini cupcakes with blue and pink graduation hats since those are the colors she and her classmates wore from graduation.  Then for our little BBQ at home, I made big cupcakes with green hats (that was my brother-in-law's school color) and pink ones for the graduation girl.  


Now, I must confess, that with all the things going on that week and the fact that I had to bake goodies for the end of the quarter parties at the college I work at, I cheated on these cupcakes.  Yup, that's right, I used box mixes.  See, I do it sometimes...not often but every once in a while you just don't have the time or energy to bake from scratch.  I do it, you guys do it...we all do.  So do you forgive me?!  : D

Grab some of these in whatever color you need.

Make candy squares for the graduation caps...

Whip up some quick buttercream frosting...

Yummy!!

Place squares on top of the frosting and using a #2 tip, pipe on little tassels with yellow frosting.  

So stinkin' cute!

To make these, the directions are pretty simple.  Bake yourself up a bunch of cupcakes, whatever size, flavor and method you prefer.  Make some candy squares with candy melts, top cupcakes with frosting and candy squares then pipe on tassels with yellow frosting.  couldn't be easier!  And arent' they adorable!  I just loved the heck out of the mini ones!