Want to surprise your Valentines with cupcakes this year? Martha White baking mixes give you a head start in the kitchen, so instead of sweating over measuring cups, you can relax and devote yourself to decorating. Here are 5 adorable design ideas that we love—and think your sweetie will, too. Trust us: they may look bakery-worthy, but they’re simple enough for anybody to pull off!
1. XO cupcakes
Prepare a batch of Martha White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix according to the package instructions. Let finished muffins cool completely. Use a butter knife or an offset spatula to spread ¼ cup of prepared vanilla frosting (store bought is fine) onto each cupcake in a smooth layer. Top frosting with small red hot candies arranged in either an X or an O shape.
2. Cherry on top
Prepare a batch of Martha White Wildberry Muffin Mix according to the package instructions. Let finished muffins cool completely. Spoon 1 ¼ cups of prepared cream cheese frosting (store bought is fine) into a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a plastic storage bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a tall swirl. Top each one with a maraschino cherry with the stem still attached and sprinkle with red, silver, white, and pink sprinkles or nonpareils.
3. Cupid’s arrow
Prepare a batch of Martha White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix according to the package instructions. Let finished muffins cool completely. Spoon 1 ¼ cups of prepared cherry frosting (store bought is fine) into a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a plastic storage bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a swirl. Cut red sour candy strips into small triangles and pierce with frilly toothpicks to make “arrow” shapes, then rest one arrow atop each iced cupcake.
4. Fruit roll-up fortune cookie
Prepare a batch of Martha White Wildberry Muffin Mix according to the package instructions. Let finished muffins cool completely. Use a butter knife or an offset spatula to spread ¼ cup of prepared chocolate frosting (store bought is fine) onto each cupcake in a smooth layer. Meanwhile, write love notes or “fortunes” on small (4-inch) strips of parchment paper. Cut two sheets of cherry fruit roll-ups into quarters, then use a 2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut a circle out of each square. Place one “fortune” in the center of each round, then fold the two sides over to make a half moon. Next, pull in the corners, pinching a crease in the middle, until it looks like a fortune cookie. Place one atop each iced cupcake.
5. Candy melt cursive
Prepare a batch of Martha White Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix according to the package instructions. Let finished muffins cool completely. Spoon 1 ¼ cups of prepared vanilla (store bought is fine) into a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a plastic storage bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a tall swirl. Meanwhile, melt red or pink candy melts in the microwave until smooth. Pour mixture into a piping bag with a small round tip or a plastic storage bag with a small corner snipped off. Use the candy melts to pipe small cursive words (like love or sweetie) or hearts onto a clean sheet of parchment paper. Let the designs set until hard, about 15 minutes, then carefully arrange them atop the cupcakes.