You can use store bought frosting and jelly, but both of mine are homemade. The most time consuming part will be baking the cupcakes and letting them cool.
First bake cupcakes with any cake mix of your choosing and let them cool.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, you can fill them with your favorite flavor of jelly. (I have also used pudding.)Place jelly in a decorating bag with a large tip, I use #12. Push the tip into the middle of the cupcake and gently squeeze the bag. Slowly take tip out and use a metal spatula to scrape off any excess jelly.
Next, make butter cream frosting: ½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup margarine
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
Use a mixer to whip together shortening and margarine, add the vanilla. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar, continue mixing on medium until it all comes together, be sure to scrape the sides. Now add the 2 tablespoons of milk. Continue mixing until all the milk is mixed in and the frosting is somewhat light. If the frosting appears to still be too thick add small amounts of milk. If the frosting seems too thin add more sugar. Place frosting in a decorating bag and use whatever tip you would like, I used #21. Make your desired design, I started from the outside and made circle to the inside. Sprinkle colored sugar and/or candy over the top to finish them up.
Your cupcakes are now ready to enjoy!!!! The cupcakes are a perfect surprise treat to put in a loved one’s lunch box for Valentine’s Day.