By My week with the kids. First custody week with the kids in school. The schedule was new and tight: pickup at 7:15 from Brianna's, breakfast at home, drop-off at school by 8, pickup from after-care at 5:30, dinner by 6:30, homework, bed by 8:30. Two kids, two schools (Aiden at the elementary school, Zaria at the school across town), and one Charger. I made it work.
Wednesday I made jambalaya. Thursday breakfast for dinner. Friday tacos. The week's rotation.
Thursday Aiden brought home his first book report assignment of the year. He picked Where the Red Fern Grows because his teacher had mentioned it. He started reading it Thursday night. He cried at chapter twelve. He finished it Friday night. He cried again at the ending. I held him while he cried.
Saturday Aiden's basketball game — fall league started. He played hard. We won. Sunday at Mama's. She made smothered turkey wings — different from her usual smothered chicken because she'd had a busy week and wanted to do something one-pot. The wings braised in the same onion gravy as the chicken normally would, served over rice with a side of greens. Pop ate two wings.
By the time Sunday rolled around and Mama’s smothered wings were gone and Aiden had cried twice over a dog he’d only just met in a book—I wanted to do something small and sweet for the two of them before the week reset. Something that said: we did this, we figured it out, here’s your reward. These Schoolyard Cupcakes were exactly that—simple enough that Zaria could help frost them, fun enough that Aiden forgot for a minute that Billy’s dogs were gone, and sweet enough to close out a week I’m still proud of.
Schoolyard Cupcakes
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min | Servings: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 oz) yellow or white cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Food coloring (assorted, optional)
- Sprinkles, candy decorations, or themed toppers for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners and set aside.
- Mix the batter. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil, and water. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and well combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill and bake. Divide the batter evenly among the lined cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the buttercream. Beat the softened butter with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low between additions. Add vanilla and 2 tablespoons of cream, then beat on high for 1–2 minutes until light and spreadable. Add remaining cream a teaspoon at a time to reach your desired consistency.
- Color the frosting (optional). Divide frosting into bowls and tint with food coloring if desired—great for making them feel festive and letting the kids pick their own colors.
- Frost and decorate. Pipe or spread frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, candy decorations, or any themed toppers. Let kids help—that’s half the point.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 240 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 33g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 180mg