everlasting gobstopper

So, two of my favorite blogs, Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups are hosting a recipe contest! The idea was to take one of their recipes and put a spin on it. So I chose Kristan's Rainbow Nerds Cupcakes and decided to turn them in to Gobstopper cupcakes. Because I'm a cupcake person, and Kristan's cupcakes were bee-YOU-ti-ful! And also, the whole Gobstopper thing totally fits my whole blog idea. You know? Cupcakes from books/movies? Because who doesn't love a little Willy Wonka now and then?

As soon as I chose to do Gobstopper cupcakes, I knew exactly how I wanted them to turn out. I knew they needed layers of color (like a Gobstopper), but hidden layers of color. Like, how you look at a Gobstopper, and it just looks red. But then you suck on it for awhile, and BOOM! It's orange. And then BOOM! It's green. Holy. Cow. That is so cool. I've always loved that about Gobstoppers.

Even though I knew how I wanted them to look, I was a little worried about actually making them turn out that way. But guess what? They turned out SO GREAT! I was so happy! I wanted to run around my neighborhood, shove my cupcakes in peoples faces and say, "Look! Look how awesome they are!"

But I didn't. Because even though I'm crazy, I don't like to let people know I'm crazy.

So instead I just took a picture on my phone and sent it to my husband. A quick thank you to him for responding with the proper enthusiasm. :)

So, here are my Gobstopper cupcakes in all their gloriousness! Please love them. And please send your luck my way. Because ohmyGOSH I want to win that beautiful crystal blue KitchenAid!

Gobstopper Cupcakes (*adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen):
White cake mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup milk
3 eggs
Red, green and yellow food color

Mix all ingredients except food coloring. Separate into three bowls and add colors. Spoon some of each color into liners. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

Cool completely.

Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
pinch salt
2 lb bag powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk (honestly, though, I didn't measure - you may need more)
1/2 cup gobstoppers
1/4 teaspoon strawberry extract
Purple, orange, and red gel color
additional gobstoppers for garnish

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and pinch of salt until smooth. Add powdered sugar and milk alternately until your frosting reaches desired consistency. Put gobstoppers in a blender, and pulverize into a powder. Add 4-6 tablespoons to your frosting. Make sure you taste as you add, and stop adding when the flavor is good for you. Mix in strawberry extract.

Divide frosting into three bowls and add coloring to each (I used red and blue for my purple, because I didn't have purple...) Spoon into three separate piping bags fitted with round tips (I used Wilton tip 12). Pipe on a small mound of one color. Take a second color, and swirl over first until completely covered. Then swirl your final color over that second color. Smooth top layer with a knife until the swirl lines aren't visible. Top with a gobstopper.

*I am entering this Gobstopper Cupcake in the Creative Recipe Contest hosted by Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Cookies and Cups!*