My son Raylan loves Cupcakes. I believe they are his favorite snack to date. He always says "Mommy make a cupcake!" That sweet little voice is hard to resist. I love to bake, but I get tired of making the same flavors over and over again. That gets old after a while. So one day I decided to change things up a bit and try out a new flavor. Chocolate Cherry Kool-Aid Cupcakes...

I had a pack of Cherry Kool-Aid laying around and that set things into motion. It's pretty amazing at the things you can create when you come out of your comfort zone. These cupcakes are so delicious and definitely approved by Raylan.

Chocolate Cherry Kool-Aid Cupcakes (makes 12)

For Cupcakes:
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 pack of Cherry Kool-Aid

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
2) Mix cake mix according to box directions
3) Stir in all of  Cherry Kool-Aid Mix except 1/4 tsp (save it for icing)
4) Fill baking cups 2/3 of the way up. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool down completely before icing.

Cherry Kool-Aid Buttercream

1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp Cherry Kool-Aid
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and Kool-aid powder. Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk one tablespoon at a time. Add more milk until desired consistency.

These were so much fun to make. They leave you with an explosion of cherry in your mouth. You can add more Kool-Aid flavoring mix if you like. It's totally up to your taste buds. It's nice to have a change of flavor and do something different. Try it! I know you will like it!