It is easy to buy someone a gift – a quick stop at Walgreens before school to pick up a card and an oversized teddy bear seems like a good idea – but where is the thought in it? As our generation seems to get more superficial, there is still one gift that can make any spoiled brat swoon: designer cupcakes. Just the name alone sounds elegant and posh, though the giver will have only spent a few dollars on them.

You don’t have to be a master chef to cook something delicious – my simple cupcake recipe should lead you to success. I’ve even given you two recipes for icing, and either one should come out wonderfully. Everything listed here is easily found at a local grocery store, and if you like being “old school,” you can always ask a neighbor for ingredients. Feel free to substitute the cake portion with cake mixes if you’re running short on time.

Cake ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

Marshmallow icing:

4 cups marshmallows

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Extras: Nuts, fruits, candies

Chocolate icing:

4 ounces softened cream cheese

2 tablespoons softened butter

1/4 cup powdered sugar

4 ounces melted chocolate

Extras: Nuts, fruits, candies

Tools needed:

2 cupcake trays, (Or muffin tin, 6 spaces each)

12 cupcake liners

2 large mixing bowls

1 whisk

1 spatula

A place for your cakes to cool, preferably a wire rack over wax paper.

(FOR ICING) For chocolate icing, a large mixing bowl;

for marshmallow icing, a small saucepan.

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake tray with paper liners.

2. In one medium sized bowl, sift together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside.

3. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until it becomes light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture, then the sour cream, and alternate back and forth. End the mixing with the flour mixture.

4. Pour the batter into the cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake them until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Roughly 20 to 25 minutes.)

5. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Prepare your icing 15 minutes early before your cupcakes are cooled off completely.

Icing:

Marshmallow icing: Combine the butter and marshmallows and heavy cream in a small saucepan, and melt over low heat.

Chocolate icing: In a mixing bowl, use a spatula to mix the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and melted chocolate.

6. When the cupcakes have cooled down, preferably 45 minutes to 1 hour later, you may either spatula your choice of frosting on, or place your frosting inside a Ziploc bag, of which one of the tips have been cut off just a bit, and swirl on your frosting. Be creative! Top with whatever you please.