Graduation Cap Cupcakes

photo by:kraft

Cue "Pomp and Circumstance." Orange-flavored cake topped with a chocolate graham mortarboard and a fruit-snack tassel earns you a degree in cuteness.

time

prep:

30 min

total:

1 hr 25 min

servings

total:

24 servings

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What You Need

pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

env. KOOL-AID Orange Flavor Unsweetened Drink Mix

2/3

cup (1/2 of 7-oz. tub) BAKER'S Dark Semi-Sweet Dipping Chocolate, melted

HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken crosswise in half (24 squares)

cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

chewy fruit snack rolls, any color

jelly beans

Make It

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Blend in drink mix; spoon into 24 lined muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean; cool completely. Meanwhile, spread 1 tsp. melted chocolate onto each graham square to completely cover top; place on baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm.

REMOVE liners from cupcakes; place cupcakes upside-down on plate. Use wooden spoon handle to poke deep hole in center of each cupcake. Spoon COOL WHIP into resealable plastic bag. Snip one corner from bottom of bag; pipe COOL WHIP into holes and onto tops of cupcakes, reserving small amount of COOL WHIP for later use. Top cupcakes with grahams, chocolate-sides up, to resemble graduation caps.

USE fruit rolls to make tassels for caps. (See Tip.) Add 1 tassel and jelly bean to top of each graham square, securing each with dab of remaining COOL WHIP. Keep refrigerated.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Variation

For a black-and-white graduation, spread half of grahams with additional COOL WHIP instead of the melted chocolate. Line up different-colored caps in alternating rows.

How to Make Tassels

Cut fruit snack rolls into 24 pieces. Cut 3/4-inch slits at one short end of each piece to resemble fringe. Tightly roll up lengthwise to make tassel.

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coconuts32

posted:5/5/2007

I made these as a kitschy surprise for my little brother's college graduation party. They were a huge hit!! Like many raters, I used M&Ms over jelly beans (my tassels were red). However, in a pinch, I had to skip the step of coating graham crackers with chocolate, and instead bought those square chocolate covered cookies. They turned out beautifully!

loner425

posted:9/29/2006

I made these for my son's grad party. All the kids loved them! I just had some trouble getting the tassels to look like tassels.

drdfgross5

posted:9/10/2006

was a big hit at our pre-school graduation all the kids love that they had real hats that looked the same. I made the frosting part blue like their gowns and caps.

hottiekim333

posted:8/24/2006

another great idea is to add eyes with m&ms a nose and cut a twizzler for the mouth...use either the coolwhip or frosting to hold it on!

nerves23

posted:7/11/2006

I made these cupcakes for my nephew's HS graduation party and they were a big hit so I decided to make them for my son's graduation and just changed a few things. Instead of jelly beans I found chocolate covered sunflower seeds coated in different colors. The kids really enjoyed them and they looked SOOOOO good. My friends already told me when they have a graduation party they know who to call ...Thanks, michele

wintermom9597

posted:6/13/2006

A huge hit for our fifth grader's promotion celebration.

lstansbury

posted:6/5/2006

I used white frosting on the graham crackers instead of melting chocolate. This also served as the glue & a time saver. I used twizler pull-n-peels for the tassles as another viewer had recommended, but a bit less of them. I took 1 tube from the package, cut it in half. Then split that into sections of 3 strips keeping them connected. Frey each end keeping them connected in the middle. Then, with the 2nd half, cut that in half again, split them into single strands. Bend the 3 strand sections in half, loop the single strand through them leaving it long enough to attach & place on top of the frosted cracker. I then used red m&m's in place of the jelly beans. This ended up adding the best personal touch...the M ended up standing for the town name in which the were graduating from. They were the hit of the party!

wcuhatter89

posted:6/3/2006

i made these in the mini size, they're really cute. i used twizzlers pull and peel for the tassles too, it worked well but didn't drape as nicely as the picture on here. great recipe!

koalacar

posted:5/28/2006

Brought these to a friend's grad party and they were a huge hit! Some suggestions/variations: Worth preparing the graham crackers ahead of time I used regular chocolate frosting instead of the coolwhip (no refrigeration necessary:). I also used twizzlers pull and peel candy for the tassels: cut one string in half, then cut one half in half. Press the smaller pieces diagonally to the bottom of the other piece to make a "tassel." (Trim down as needed) Secure the tassel with frosting and place a brown reeses pieces or m&m on the top. The chocolate frosting and brown colored candy coordinate nicely with the chocolate graham cracker! Definately worth trying again!

elvisfan

posted:5/24/2006

they turned out great, however, I could not get the tassels to flare. I put the fruit roll-ups in the fridge, but that didn't help. Please let me know how it worked for u. Thanks