HONEY MAID Graduation Cap Cupcakes

Name: HONEY MAID Graduation Cap Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 24
Ingredients: 1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix; 2 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted; 12 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken crosswise in half (24 squares); 2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping; 5 belt-shaped gummy candy (5 inch); 24 candy-coated chocolate pieces

Cue "Pomp and Circumstance" for the best homemade graduation dessert idea! Cupcakes topped with a chocolate graham mortarboard and a candy tassel earns you a degree in cuteness.

Prep time:

0 min

Total time:

0 h 0 min

Makes 24 servings

Ingredient list

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
2 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
12 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken crosswise in half (24 squares)
2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
5 belt-shaped gummy candy (5 inch)
24 candy-coated chocolate pieces

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Prepare cake batter and bake in paper liners as directed on package for 24 cupcakes; cool completely.

Meanwhile, spread melted chocolate onto tops of graham squares, adding about 1 tsp. chocolate to each square. Place, chocolate sides up, on baking sheet. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.

Remove and discard paper liners from cupcakes. Place cupcakes, top sides down, on plate. Use wooden spoon handle to poke deep hole in center of each cupcake, being careful to not press through to bottom of cupcake.

Reserve 2 Tbsp. of the whipped topping for later use. Spoon remaining topping into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag: use to pipe whipped topping into holes in centers of cupcakes, then onto tops of cupcakes.

Top cupcakes with graham squares, chocolate sides up, to resemble graduation caps.

Use gummy candies to make tassels for the caps. (See Tip.) Add 1 EACH tassel and candy-coated chocolate piece to top of each graham square, securing each with dab of the reserved whipped topping.

Recipe Tips

How to Make the Tassels
Cut EACH of 2 of the belt-shaped gummy candies lengthwise into 6 strips, then cut each strip crosswise in half; set aside. (You should have 24 thin string-like strips.) Cut 3/4-inch slits along one long side of each of the remaining 4 gummy candies to resemble fringe; set aside. Cut each gummy candy crosswise into 6 pieces. Tightly roll up each fringe piece lengthwise to make tassel. Place tassle at one end of a string piece, then pinch top of fringe piece together to attach to the string.
Note
Coordinate the colors of the belt-shaped gummy candies and candy-coated chocolate pieces to match the graduate's school colors.
Make Ahead
The cupcakes can be baked ahead of time. Cool and store stored in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days. Also, the graham crackers can be covered with the melted chocolate and the tassels can be made ahead of time; store in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 24 hours. Assemble the graduation caps up to 6 hours before serving; store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.