KIDSPOT

LET'S HAVE FUN AT DESSERTLAND

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners. Prepare cake mix as directed for 24 cupcakes, substituting milk for water and adding vanilla extract to batter. Bake and cool completely as directed.
Spoon 2 cups frosting into a bowl and tint yellow, light blue, pale green or pink with food coloring (or make different colors in separate bowls). Frost Spoon a dollop of remaining white frosting onto center of each cupcake for bunny faces. (I pipe with a pastry bag or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off) To make ears: Cut each marshmallow in half crosswise with kitchen shears, then cut each piece in half diagonally to form 2 ears, flattening slightly with your fingers. Press in pink decorating sugar. (I have also used pink icing.) Stick 2 ears into each of white frosting mounds.(Stick them into the icing well so they don't fall off!).
Use pink candies to make noses, blue candies for eyes and chocolate sprinkles for whiskers.

In small bowl stir together water and green food coloring. Add coconut. Stir until coconut is tinted. Spread on baking sheet to dry.
In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
Add cereal. Stir until well coated.
Divide warm mixture into sixteen 2 1/2-inch muffin-pan cups coated with cooking spray. Shape mixture into individual cups. Cool. Remove from pans.
Fill cooled nests with coconut, marshmallows, jelly beans or chocolate eggs. Best if served the same day.
MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: Follow step 1 above. In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 3 thru 5 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.
Note: For best results, use fresh marshmallows. Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze unfilled cups, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before filling.