Hostess Jo

Graduation Cap Cups

There are so many cute ideas for graduation snacks out there!  Here is another one to add to your collection.  I love that they are upside down cupcakes.  The tassels are fruit snack rolls!  Like Fruit Roll Ups, which come in a variety of colors.

 

Prep Time:

30 min

Total Time:

1 hr 25 min

Makes:

24 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 env.  KOOL-AID Orange Flavor Unsweetened Soft Drink Mix

2/3 cup (1/2 of 7-oz. tub) BAKER'S Dark Semi-Sweet Dipping Chocolate, melted

12   HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken crosswise in half (24 squares)

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

2   chewy fruit snack rolls, any color

24 jelly beans

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Blend in drink mix; spoon into 24 lined muffin cups. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean; cool completely. Meanwhile, spread 1 tsp. melted chocolate onto each graham square to completely cover top; place on baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm.

REMOVE liners from cupcakes; place cupcakes upside-down on plate. Use wooden spoon handle to poke deep hole in center of each cupcake. Spoon COOL WHIP into resealable plastic bag. Snip one corner from bottom of bag; pipe COOL WHIP into holes and onto tops of cupcakes, reserving small amount of COOL WHIP for later use. Top cupcakes with grahams, chocolate-sides up, to resemble graduation caps.

USE fruit rolls to make tassels for caps. (See Tip.) Add 1 tassel and jelly bean to top of each graham square, securing each with dab of remaining COOL WHIP. Keep refrigerated.

Variation

For a black-and-white graduation, spread half of grahams with additional COOL WHIP instead of the melted chocolate. Line up different-colored caps in alternating rows.

How to Make Tassels

Cut fruit snack rolls into 24 pieces. Cut 3/4-inch slits at one short end of each piece to resemble fringe. Tightly roll up lengthwise to make tassel.

 

(photo from Kraftfoods.com)

Graduation Party Ideas

I recently had a reader email me for graduation party ideas for her husband graduating from college.  I'm so glad she did because I realized I've never written about graduation parties!  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures yet, but maybe you can use some of these ideas...

Her email:

Hi Joanna,
I have recently found your site, and I LOVE it. I was
wondering if you could give me any ideas for a graduation party. My husband is graduating from college in May, and I'm having a hard time coming up with the decor/theme
for the party. His favorite color is green, and so are the
school colors. I was thinking of doing all green, but I
don't know what to do to not make it look too
kid'ish or girly. Can you help?? Any suggestions??

My response:

Hi,

I've got a couple of ideas for you...I was thinking you could do a "Past, Present and Future" theme, like have pics of him as a child, pics of him now and pics of whatever he graduated with- say it was architecture-drawings of buildings, etc.  Then you could frame them in green frames.  Depending on how many rooms you are going to use you could separate them among three rooms.

For centerpiece(s) you could turn a graduation cap upside down, place a vase inside of it with Bells of Ireland.  Here is a link:  http://tinyurl.com/d9bwvp.  I think they are a more "masculine" flower and they are the prettiest color green.  If there is space between the cap and vase you could fill it with green colored gems-they have these at Wal-mart in the craft section. 

  

I always say to serve cupcakes for dessert or snacks because they are easy and mess free and now you can do any decorations you could imagine on them.  Everyone loves them.  My favorite place to go for decorations is Fancy Flours.  Here is a link to their graduation page http://tinyurl.com/dd6ofz.  These http://tinyurl.com/c2qyzuwould be PERFECT for your party because they are adult and not girly!  They are a bit pricey so I would suggest just doing a few in these wrappers and doing the rest plain. 

 

I was also thinking that you could roll up little scrolls then tie green ribbon around them to look like miniature degrees/diplomas.  Have them sitting in a basket with pens as your guests come in and instruct them (with a small sign) to take one and write either a well wish or piece of advice to your graduate.  Then have another basket to drop them off in.

If you want to do favors, I would keep it simple like green M & M s in little cellophane bags...food favors always go over well.

Well I hope this helps!  Let me know if you have any questions or need any other ideas!  I'd love it if you would take pics of the party and I could feature you on the blog.  Have a great party and congrats to the graduate!

Thanks,

Joanna

I think she really liked the ideas and I'm hoping she will send us some pictures of the party!