Birthday Beach Cupcakes

I have been kind of busy this past week or more. So happy for the increase in work. It is a great thing but has put the brakes on creative cooking and blogging. I have made more quick, easy or set it and forget it type of meals this week. I did another Roasted Chicken in a Bundt Pan. This was mainly for the pug, she LOVES chicken.

This past week was definitely all about work and celebrations. I did make some cupcakes for dear sister's birthday. Not homemade, all from box or package ingredients but they did turn out super cute. Sister had mentioned wanting to try to make a Black Forest Cake so I decided to use that for the cupcake flavor and embellish them with a sunny beach theme. Sunny and happy fits sister's personality to a tee. Also for her birthday Mom, Dad and I made a few family recipes. We made Seafood Gumbo with lump crab and okra. We could not find gumbo crabs so we had to improvise. Mom also made a Potato Salad with Olives earlier in the day.

Sister kept the celebrations going through the weekend. She had to bring something to a St. Patricks Day party. So she made a double recipe of Baked Beef Dip and I styled it for the holiday. I made three four leaf clovers out of bell pepper rings for the top.

Here is a bit more about the cupcakes:

Birthday Beach Cupcakes
Makes 20

Ingredients

Box of Triple Chocolate Cake Mix (eggs and oil)
1 can of light cherry pie filling
1 can of whipped Vanilla Frosting
Crushed Vanilla wafers
Maraschino cherries, drained and dried on paper towel
Rippin berry flavored licorice candies
Paper umbrellas
Decorative paper cupcake liners

Directions

Preheat oven to cake mix directions. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Prepare the cake mix according to directions for cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 the way full. I was able to make 20 cupcakes. Bake according to directions. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.

When cupcakes are cool, cut a piece out of the center and fill with a little of the cherry pie filling. Top with the piece of cake that you had removed. Trim it a bit if necessary. Frost with vanilla frosting and sprinkle with vanilla wafer crumbs for the sand. Decorate with licorice candy as a beach blanket, a cherry for a beach ball and a paper umbrella. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Linking to:
Ms. enPlace: See Ya in the Gumbo
It's Your Life: Tuesdays with a Twist
Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesday
Easy Life Meal and Party Planning: Four Seasons Blog Hop
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday

Horrific Knits: Inspired Weekends

Tales of a Pee Dee Mama: Food on Friday
Adventures with Jude: Sunday Sharing Pinterest Party