I bought the sweetest pink striped paper straws the other day and I couldn’t wait any longer to play with them.
Every time I see striped straws used, they make me smile. They just make me happy.
And even happier in these pseudo milkshake cupcakes. Milkcakes anyone? Cupshakes maybe?
Strawberry cake for the shake (I just used a mix I had on hand)
Chocolate ganache for syrup (recipe on this post)
Buttercream frosting for the whipped cream (recipe on this post)
Gumballs for the cherries
And sprinkles for the sprinkles : )
You could also just use syrup for the syrup and whipped cream for the whipped cream, but this way, they won’t melt.
I used these clear silicone baking cups so they would kinda represent frosted glass and also allow you to see the cake color. I found them at Crate and Barrel a while ago. They were perfect for this project.
Place the cups on a baking sheet and fill the cups about halfway with cake batter. You don’t want them to bake too full because you want to have a little space left for the ganache.
I love ganache by the way… By the spoonful… By the bowlful. Who’s with me?
These cups are great, because they are sturdy and hold the weight of the ganache filled right up to the rim. This way, when you add the frosting, you can still see a layer of “chocolate syrup” underneath. Makes them look prettier.
See. Just let the ganache sit for a bit before you fill the cups and spoon a little right on the top of each cupcake. Let it set a few minutes more. It will harden a bit and make adding the frosting easier.
For the frosting, I used a Wilton 2D tip and towered it on top of the cupcake. Add sprinkles after piping each cupcake so they will stick right away.
Lastly cut a paper straw in half and insert it into the cupcake and top it all off with a big red gumball.
Perty.
Speaking of sprinkles. I’d like to give a big hip hip hooray to Mr. Sprinkles. He’s back in full color… different label, but full of color. If you’ve followed the site for a while, you may remember when they switched to only making all natural colors. Mr. Sprinkles just didn’t look right in drab colors. But he’s back. Now if I can only get them to make the original colors. They were/are my favorite sprinkles to use for my cupcake pops. Pastel and perfectly delicate. Check out this old post if you want to see what I’m talking about.
In the meantime, I still heart you Mr. Sprinkles. You helped make these cupcakes super cute.
Kiss. Kiss. Cake for two.
Okay, so I didn’t just buy myself these pink straws.
I also bought a bunch of other colors, too. Yellow and green and black and red/blue striped straws.
Want to win some?
Ok. Let’s play a guessing game for fun.
Enter for a chance to win some happy striped paper straws.
1. Leave a comment below on this post. Just take a look at the photo below and try to guess which straw is the shortest. One of them is. I have a picture to prove it that I’ll show when I announce the winner.
2. I’ll pick one winner at random. The winner gets a bunch of straws in the color they guessed. And if the color they guessed also happens to be the shortest straw, then they’ll get a bunch of straws in all the colors. (Red/blue, green, pink, yellow, and black.) Fun. Fun.
3. Deadline to enter is Monday, January 10th at 7 pm ET. The winner will be announced sometime Monday evening on this post. SORRY, TIME’S UP. WINNER ANNOUNCED BELOW.
Good Luck.
P.S. I bought the paper straws from Bake it Pretty if you need some of your very own. Plus, they also have polka dot straws. Too cute.
Okay, I picked a winner.
Let’s see who it is…
YAY, Merry!
You just won some paper straws. You’re guaranteed the pink ones. Merry, I promise they’ll make you happy.
Now, let’s see which color straw was the shortest.
Drumroll, please.
Green was the shortest.
I’m so sorry Merry, you didn’t pick the right color but, I’m also nice… I want you to have all the colors anyway.
Come on, you guys knew I was going to do that… right?
Congratulations Merry.
my guess is pink.. these are adorable! :)
Black!
the blue/red straw!!!:)
My guess is Green because it is my 4 year old’s favorite color, and I am reminded of that fact every day, as well as the fact that he is a Big Boy now, not a baby!
Good luck everyone. :)
Wendi
Pink I think!
I think the black and white one!
black…
I think the green ones are shortest, but I love the pink one the best!!! :)
The Black Straw!(:
The Black is the shortest!
I believe it is the Black & White striped straw :D
I say yellow! Straws are fantastic, but what color is on your nails? LOVE it.
YeLLoW!
I’d have to go with Yellow :)
red, white, and blue straw!
I’m going with Pink. :)
My guess is the black straw.
Black and White
My guess is the green paper straw !!!
My guess is the yellow straw.
Super cute cupshakes!!
Definitely PINK!! :)
I say yellow
Would love to win Pink Straws… Will use them at my next Breast Cancer event!!! I love being a Survivor!!!
Cute! YELLOW!
The Black one, I hope!
The yellow straw!
Green!
The red and blue one ^ – ^
Yellow!! :)
Yellow!!!! :)
Love them! I’m thinking that it is the pink one!!!!
black one !
yellow! =)
Im going to pick Green! =)
I vote black! And those cupcakes are the cutest thing ever!
im going with the yellow one! :)
yellow!
The pink one is shortest.
PINK!!! <3
black
Green! Only because it’s my favorite color. :-)
I guess pink!!!
I think it’s pink!
Pink is the shortest
Hmm. Yellow?
Love the yellow straw!
PINK!
green!
The black one!!
I would have to say that the black istraw is the shortest
the red and blue one(:
Black!
~Pink~
Green one!!
Black & White!
Since I love the color yellow, that’s my guess!
Yellow!!!
Green!
I’m guessing PINK!! :-)
i think it is the pretty pink one
I’m going to go with the pink one…
I love what you made with them! Those are some of the cutest cupcakes ever!
My guess is that green is the shortest! And the best!
I guess the black and white ones.
Loved the milkcakes!!! Adorable. You have the greatest ideas!
Black!
I’m guessing the black striped on is the shortest. Though I’ll be kicking myself if my gut reaction of red&blue is it (I was looking at the wrong picture tho :) ).
I think Black is the shortest
I think the black one is the shortest.
Pink! And I love paper straws! Who needs plastic with these adorable and fun straws??
I think pink is the shortest!!! :)
I think the pink is the shortest.
Black …i guess :)
Black!
I guess yellow!
Black!!!!
Green!
Black and white is my guess! : )
My bet is on black!
Black and White!
Ah! I love contests <3
I’m guessing the black : )
I think the pink one is the shortest.
I’m thinking it’s the black one!
I think the blue and red one is the shortest. They are so cute. I want to make the cupcakes now… I will try my hardest to make them in my university dorm. Wish me luck!
my guess is the green one :)
Hmmmm…I think yellow!
My guess is black! Gosh I love paper straws!
Black and white
My guess is yellow!
My guess is the black and white
I’m going with black!
My guess is the black one
Red and blue one
I think it’s the blue/red straw. Striped straws are SO fun to use. They make any drink fun!
I’m guessing black is the shortest. But they’re all adorable!
My guess is the pink one!!
i think black and white is shortest :)
The blue/red straw is shortest. LOVE THEM ALL! :)
yellooooow!
Green!!!! How fun:)
Black and White?
PINK!!!
GrEeN :)
I think the black one is
THE BLACK ONE!! TEHY’RE SO CUTE!
I’m guessing that the green straw is the shortest.
I l-o-v-e the cupshakes!!
i think, pink is the shortest! :)
or, maybe, just maybe if i win, i just would want pink. :P
Yellow and white stripe straw!
Black is the shortest!! :)
Those are absolutely cute!
I would say the yellow is shortest! *fingers crosser!*
I say black! Love the nail colour by the way :)
i’m going to guess yellow. i love paper straws and those cupcakes are toooo cute!
black one….
My guess is the red and blue one
these straws are adorable! my guess is yellow :)
Black!
BLACK is the shortest
i think the yellow one is the shortest! : )
the black and white??
the pink one is shortest!!
Oh my gosh! I LOVE these!!!!
Cute nail polish! My guess is black
green
Pink is my guess…..but it’s also my favorite color.
The black on is the shortest. Cute, cute cupcakes!
green?! and have you tried drinking with them? I’m wondering if the paper is thick enough to function as a straw or if would just kinda disintegrate?
I hope it’s the Black one… wishing in fact =)
Red and Blue, I bet!
I think black is the shortest, but pink is the cutest!
I think the red/blue ones and I love the nail polish!
I’m going to guess the blue/red striped straw. Thanks for the chance to win!
Black is my guess :)
I’m going with Yellow!
Black!
The pink one=)
black all the way!
Yellow!
Green. Like your nails :)
I’m going to guess yellow. Just for kicks!
Yellooooow! =)
I think the black and white one is the shortest!
Yellow is the shortest
orange
yellow!
Red, white & blue:)
Definitely YELLOW!! :-)
black!
YELLOW!
Green is the shortest! :)
I am gonna go with the pink…all are soooo cute! :)
red, white and blue, definitely red, white and blue!!!!
I think it is definitely the green!
Definitely the Yellow straw is the shortest! :)
I think the pink one is the shortest!
Heehee—I’m going with Pink as the shortest, because pink is awesome! :)
Looks like the pink ones are the shortest!
Pink is the shortest! (i hope) :)
The black one! I’m probably wrong but if I did the contest that’s the place I’d put it :)
I believe the pink is the shortest…but I got distracted by that beautiful nail polish…all I can say is amazing!
My guess is the black stripes!
I’m going to go with YELLOW :)
we guess black for the shortest straw!! aaahh so much deliberation!!
I think the yellow is!!
By the way, so so so cute!
I’ll go with a color favorite of mine and say the limey green one is the shortest! :)
I think it’s green.
I say the pink one is the shortest!
Those cupcakes are adorable! The straw really makes it, I think.
The Black one is the shortest…I think…maybe :)
RED AND BLUE! I’m hoping. It would be fun to put those in 4th of July cupcakes.
Green! :)
I guess the black and white straw.
My guess? The black one is the shortest. :)
And I lurve the paper straws! I’ve been wanting to make some rootbeer float cupcakes, and this would be the perfect accompaniment!
My guess is black – but if I win I want the pink ones!! :)
The blue&red one!
Pink! I don’t really think it’s the shortest, but that’s the color I like the most. So I’m guessing pink! :)
pink is the shortest!
I guess black! Thank you for the opportunity!
I’m gonna say green as that colour matches my wedding colour scheme! :-) I love these straws!
I’m going to say the black one! My husband thinks so too!
I think it’s the blue and red. The all look pretty even to me, though, so it can’t be too much of a difference.
Black!
I’m guessing green :-)
Those cupcakes are the CUTEST EVER!!
I think yellow is the shortest.
Black is the shortest.
Black!
I think it is the yellow one.
The black & white one!
nice nail polish…;)
it’s seem like the shortest straw same goes with your nail colour..green.
I think the black is the shortest!
I think the black one is the shortest!
The green!!!
I guess black!
I think its the red and blue :)
the black and white one!
yellow!
I think its the green one!
the black one!!
Black is the shortest
Green!
The red and blue one.
pink on is shortest!
My guess is the pink one!
My guess is yellow!
green is the shortest