Strawberry White-chocolate Cupcakes

CUPCAKES

1 pkg. (15.25 oz.) white cake mix Water, whites egg and oil

2 extract Tbs. strawberry

1/2 chocolate cup white chips, chopped STRAWBERRIES

1 1/2 cups white candy melts

1 1/2 cups blue candy melts Blue oil-based candy coloring

18 strawberries FROSTING Vanilla Fluff Frosting, recipe, below No-taste red, burgundy and blue concentrated food colorings ★ Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 18 muffin cups with cupcake liners. Prepare cake mix with water, egg whites and oil according to package directions. Stir in extract, then white chips. Divide among liners. Bake 25-30 minutes or until pick inserted into centers comes out clean. Cool.

★ Strawberries: Line baking sheet with wax paper. In separate microwave-safe bowls, microwave candy melts on High in 15-second intervals, stirring, until melted. To tint candy darker blue, stir in tiny amount of candy coloring until desired color. Dip berries into white or blue candy, leaving about 1/3 of berry uncoated. Transfer to baking sheet; let dry 20 minutes. Repeat dipping berries, alternating candy colors, as shown. Return to baking sheet; let dry.

★ Frosting: Evenly divide frosting between two bowls. Tint one bowl red using red food coloring and a dot of burgundy coloring. Tint remaining frosting blue with food coloring. Spread 1 Tbs. red frosting over 9 cupcakes. Spread 1 Tbs. blue frosting over remaining cupcakes. Transfer remaining frostings to separate pastry bags each fitted with rose petal tip (Wilton #126). With wide end of tip towards center, pipe ribbon of frosting around edge of each cupcake. Garnish with berries. Makes 18 cupcakes.