Camouflage Cupcakes

Makes 24 cupcakes

• Ingredients

1 (18.25 oz) box cake mix or 1 recipe for 2 (8-inch) round layer cakes

1 (16-oz) can frosting or 2 cups of your favorite chocolate frosting

1 cup ready-to-roll white fondant icing

Powdered sugar

Green food color

Red food color

• Directions

Line muffin tins with muffin cups. Prepare batter according to directions on box. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full. Bake according to package directions. Cool cupcakes for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tins to cool completely on a wire rack.

While cupcakes cool, divide fondant equally into three pieces. Cover two pieces with plastic wrap. Knead remaining piece until soft and pliable. Add a drop of green food color to fondant. Continue to knead until color is evenly incorporated. Roll into a smooth ball and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat process with second piece of fondant, adding more green food color to make it darker than the first piece. With the last piece of fondant, use green and red food color to make it brownish-green.

When cupcakes are cool, frost tops with chocolate frosting. Lightly sprinkle a clean work surface with powdered sugar. Roll out one of the colored fondant pieces until 1/4 to 1/8" thick; do not turn over. Cut into irregular, camouflage-type shapes using a sharp paring knife. Repeat with remaining fondant pieces; sprinkling work surface with powdered sugar as needed. Place fondant "camouflage" decoratively on frosted cupcakes.