Cupcakes with Edible Rose Mint Garnish

I am all for cooking and baking from scratch.  The finished product is always better tasting, more satisfying and more healthy than using a box or package.

But sometimes I just don't have the time, or the energy, or the ingredients to start from scratch (ever wonder where that saying came from BTW? starting from scratch....hmmm) so I cheat a little bit.

This time I used a boxed cake mix and prepared frosting to bake the cupcakes.  It's okay to cheat sometimes...besides this time it's ALL in the presentation !

So here's the 'recipe' for
Easy Strawberry Cupcakes with Edible Garnish for Mother's Day

~Ingredients~
(makes 24  cupcakes)

48 white paper baking cups (yes, 48 that's not a typo, you'll see why later)
One box Duncan Hines Signature Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix

3 Fresh Eggs

1-1/3 Cups Water

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 teaspoon Rose Water

1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste

3 Tubs Betty Crocker Whipped Strawberry Mist Frosting (or Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese)
#2D Decorating Tip and Housing/Pastry Bag

24 Fresh-Picked Tea Roses
24 sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm 

~To Prepare~

Mix the cake mix, eggs, water and oil at low speed with a hand mixer for a few seconds until combined.  Measure in the rose water and vanilla bean paste and then beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Fill 24 baking cups nestled in a cupcake pan with the batter using a large ice cream scoop and filling each cup about 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.

Let cool completely on wire racks.

Place each cupcake on a pretty china saucer set inside a new, clean white baking cup.  Fill the pastry bag with frosting, attach the decorator tip and pipe frosting onto each cupcake in a spiral pattern.

Place a tea rose on top of each cupcake.

Add a sprig of mint ...

Serve...and then wait for the ooh's and aahs'.