Back to School Apple Cupcakes 

These festive “apple” cupcakes are perfect for celebrating back-to-school with kids and teachers alike. From Baking Beauty (via Frugal Coupon Living), they start with a simple white cake mix base and are transformed into adorable apple-shaped treats using red frosting, sparkling sugar, and a candy “stem” and “leaves.” They’re flavorful, quick to assemble, and especially fun to display in a lunchroom or dessert table. Sweet, nostalgic, and charmingly themed, these cupcakes make a delightful first-day-of-school surprise. 

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:
1 box white cake mix (and ingredients as directed on box)
Red cupcake liners

For the Frosting & Decoration:
1 cup softened butter
3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red food coloring
Red sparkling sugar
12 Tootsie Roll Midgies (for stems)
Green Fruit Roll‑ups or green M&Ms (for leaves) 

Directions

1. Preheat oven and line muffin tins with red cupcake liners.
   
   

2. Prepare the cake batter according to box instructions, pour into liners filling about ⅔ full, and bake as directed. Cool completely.
   
   

3. In a bowl, whip butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, alternating with milk until smooth and spreadable. Tint frosting red.
   
   

4. Frost each cupcake generously. Sprinkle with red sparkling sugar for a glimmering “apple” effect.
   
   

5. Insert a Tootsie Roll Midgie at the center of each cupcake as the stem. Add two small green Fruit Roll‑ups or green M&Ms at the top to create leaves.
   
   

Nutrients (per cupcake)

Calories: ~128 kcal
Carbohydrates: ~15 g
Protein: ~1 g
Fat: ~8 g