*Rainbow Cookie Cutter, we purchased ours from Walmart
Ingredients and Supplies:
*5 cups Rice Krispies
*3 cups Fruity Pebbles Cereal
*1 bag 16 ounce Mini Marshmallows, the freshest ones you can find
*1/2 stick of Butter (4 tablespoons)
*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, optional
*Cooking Spray
*2 Quarter Baking Sheets, for me this was easier than a large baking sheet
*2 Mixing Bowls
Directions:
Melt together the butter and marshmallows in a stock pot on medium-low heat. Then remove from heat and add the vanilla, stir until combined. Then add slightly more than 1/2 of the melted marshmallow mixture to the bowl with the rice cereal and the rest to the bowl with fruity pebbles. Mix each bowl lightly until most of the cereal is coated, working quickly while the mixture is hot.
Spray 2 quarter baking sheets with cooking spray and spread out the hot marshmallow rice cereal mixture with 1/2 of the mixture on each quarter baking sheet spreading evenly using your hands covered with cooking spray and press mixture until even on top. Repeat with the hot marshmallow fruity pebbles mixture, layering on top of the Rice Krispie layer. Now cut out the rainbow shapes using rainbow cookie cutter. Note: I used the marshmallow Rice Krispie scraps for the clouds. See pictures.
Optional: Air Head Xtremes Rainbow strips or bites
*Preheat oven 325*F.
Cupcake Ingredients:
*1 cup Cake Flour, sift and then measure *1\2 cup White Wheat Pastry Flour, sift and then measure *2 and 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder *1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt *1 cup Butter, room temperature *1 and 1/2 cups Sugar *4 Eggs, room temperature *1 cup canned Evaporated Milk *1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 Vanilla Bean Seeds, seeds removed from bean (add vanilla bean paste/seeds to the milk)
Directions:
*In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Then add one egg at a time, beating between each one until all are incorporated.
*In a mixing bowl sift together the cake flour, wheat pastry flour and baking powder. Then gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, on medium low speed and alternating with the milk and vanilla mixture in thirds just until combined.
*Line cupcake tins with liners and scoop the batter until 2/3 full into each cup.
*Bake in an 325*F. oven for 25-30 minutes or using a toothpick inserted to the middle of the cupcake comes out clean or spring back when touched.
*Remove cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool on cooling racks until completely cool and pipe or frost as pictured or as desired.
Frosting
1/4 cup Cream Cheese (2 ounces)
2 and 1/4 sticks butter, almost room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Pinch of sea salt or to taste
**Optional Food Colorings: We used Wilton: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple for rainbows shown below, using Air Heads Xtreme Candy Rainbow bits for decoration on top.
**Piping bags, closed star tip and small hole piping tip or star open tip as desired. Note: You will need 7 pastry bags plus 7 tips. We used Wiltons.
Directions:
In a stand mixer with paddle attachment beat the butter and cream cheese 2 to 3 minutes until a light yellow color on medium speed.
Then gradually add powdered sugar alternate with whipping cream, mixing in on medium low speed.
Add vanilla and salt, taste and adjust as needed to your taste. Beat frosting another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and stir for a minute to remove air bubbles.
Note: Divide frosting into 7 bowls if you want to make the rainbow cupcake colors or leave the frosting all white and then sprinkle with Gold Sprinkles for ring cupcakes. Note: For Coloring frosting start with a few drops of coloring and add more until desired colors are achieved. Repeat for each bowl of frosting.
