Lucky Charms Cupcakes with Neon Marshmallow Frosting

These Lucky Charms Cupcakes with Neon Green Marshmallow Frosting are a super fun treat for St. Patrick’s Day!

You guys already know I’m a big fan of breakfast. Waffles, omelets, pancakes, french toast, BACON, I love it all.

But the truth is, my very favorite breakfast is….cereal.

I eat it every single day. Occasionally twice a day. I know, I know. LAME! You wanna hear the really lame part? My go-to cereal is a combination of Raisin Bran, Honey Nut Cheerios, and something with the word flax in it. 12 year old me is sooo disgusted with current me.

What can I say? I love cereal in all it’s bran filled, fibery, raisin-spotted forms.

But I’ve not become such an adult that I don’t appreciate revisiting the sugar laden cereals of my childhood every now and then. Occasionally, I’ll pick up a box of Fruity Pebbles or Lucky Charms or Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and all will be right with the world. I call these dessert cereals, and I unashamedly love them.

Which is why when I discovered Jessica Segarra of The Novice Chef’s cookbook, Cereal Sweets and Treats, I felt like I had found a kindred spirit.

Jessica’s cookbook is filled with ways to turn your favorite cereal into dessert. I stumbled upon her Lucky Charms Cupcakes while searching for St. Patrick’s Day recipes and knew they had to happen immediately.

I’m sure you’re wondering, as I was, how you make a cupcake taste like Lucky Charms. The answer is surprisingly simple, and completely genius.

Jessica soaks Lucky Charms in milk for 20 minutes, until the oats have softened and the marshmallows leave trails of pink and blue behind them.

Then she takes that sweet, sunset hued milk, drains out the Lucky Charms, and uses it to make cupcakes.

IKNOWRIGHT?!

These cupcakes taste remarkably Lucky Charmish. They have a delightful sweetness and oatiness that I can only ascribe to the cereal milk.

I made her recipe pretty much as-is, but found I needed a double batch of the frosting for the amount I was piping on. Guess I like frosting! I decided to play around with my new Neon food coloring from McCormick, and I loved the bright greens and pinks with the Lucky Charms scattered about.

A few notes on the frosting:

1) It’s wonderful–like eating a marshmallow cloud.

2) It involves a double boiler, but I promise you this doesn’t mean it’s hard! Just make sure to whisk constantly while the eggs cook. They’ll be frothy and warm to the touch within 2-3 minutes. Don’t worry if it takes awhile for them to thicken up. I had to whip mine for a good 7-8 minutes before I saw peaks begin to form. That said, if the mixture is suuuuper sticky and thick, something went wrong. It should be spoonable and easily piped through a piping bag.

3) The frosting doesn’t keep particularly well. It holds its shape perfectly fine, but it will start to dry out after 24 hours. Store in an airtight container on the counter and serve it within a day.

I hope you fellow cereal lovers enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day treat as much as I did!

Lucky Charms Cupcakes with Neon Marshmallow Frosting

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Total Time: 56 minutes

Print

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 cup Lucky Charms
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

For the frosting:

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Neon food coloring- you'll need about 10 drops of each color

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

1. In a medium sized bowl or measuring cup, combine Lucky Charms and milk. Set the mixture aside and allow the Lucky Charms to soak for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the cereal out of the milk, or eat it if you're into soggy cereal.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake tray with 12 paper liners. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Add the vegetable oil followed by half the flour, beating until well combined. Add the rest of the flour along with the drained cereal milk and stir until smooth.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
5. Let the cupcakes cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

For the frosting:

1. Combine the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a double boiler or heatproof bowl fitted over a simmering pot of water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg whites are frothy and very warm to the touch. This only takes 2-3 minutes. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture thickens, doubles in size, and forms stiff peaks. When you turn the whisk over, there should be a peak. It may fold over itself a tad, but not too much.
2. If you'd like to use several different food colorings, divide the frosting into two bowls. Add the colors of your choice to each bowl, stirring until well combined. Use a pastry bag to pipe the frosting onto cupcakes. Dot with extra Lucky Charms. Serve within 24 hours.

Notes

This frosting holds it shape well, but it dries out rather quickly. Place the cupcakes in an airtight container and serve within 24 hours. These cupcakes should not be refrigerated.

Recipe adapted from Cereal Sweets and Treats