Shortcut Cupcakes

Sometimes you just don't have the energy to make cupcakes from scratch. Or the ingredients. Sometimes people are coming over and you need something quick. Here's my solution:

Use a Betty Crocker-like cake or brownie mix. Make as directed. Before spooning it into cupcake or cake pans, add half a cup of white chocolate chips, and half a cup of regular. Or whatever you have handy. You could even throw in some nuts. But the REAL secret to making them seem scrumptiously home-made is the flavoring. I am a big fan of orange extract flavoring. But others are great too -- almond, hazelnut, peppermint, etc. Put in a few teaspoons of flavoring and no one will guess they're technically store-bought. Remember to hide the box!

Top creatively, and remember sprinkles can make up for a lot.