Spaghetti and Meatballs

I'm sorry I left you hanging yesterday with promises of the best meatball I ever ate, but I was just so full I couldn't type another word.

The recipe for this particular spaghetti and meatballs is so easy anyone can do it, and even the pickiest eaters will cheer for joy when they take a bite. So why am I so smitten over this spaghetti and meatballs dish?

Because they're actually cupcakes with hazelnut chocolates and strawberry jam!

APRIL FOOLS!! 

Several months ago I bought a copy of Hello, Cupcake and vowed to make some of the treats nestled within the pages. Luckily for me, there's a whole chapter on cupcakes that "fool the eye." So did I fool you at all or at least make you do a double take with yesterday's post? Truth be told, I really, really dislike meatballs, but this version is definitely a keeper.

If you'd like to know how to make these, they're ridiculously easy. I'm sure you could take the more challenging road and make everything from scratch, but I'm trying to use up our pantry products as much as possible, and it just so happened that I had boxed cake mix and frosting just sitting there waiting to be used.

Spaghetti and Meatball Cupcakes

from Hello, Cupcake!

Ingredients:
10 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners (I made a whole batch {two dozen} and only used 10 for the actual pasta platter)
16 ounces vanilla frosting
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
3 drops yellow food coloring
11 hazelnut chocolates (Ferrero Rocher), unwrapped
3/4 cup strawberry preserves (low-sugar has the best color)
2 tablespoons grated white chocolate (I used coconut for the "cheese")

directions:
1. Tint vanilla frosting with cocoa powder and yellow food coloring; spread a thin layer on top of the cupcakes. Arrange cupcakes on a platter so they're touching.

2. Spoon remaining frosting in to a ziplock or pipping bag. Press out the excess air and seal the bag. Snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag (or use a small icing tip). Pip frosting all over the cupcakes to make "spaghetti," piling it high and allowing some of noodles to hang over the edges.

3. Place hazelnut chocolates and the strawberry preserves in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Spoon some preserves on to of cupcakes. Place one chocolate on each cupcake. Top cupcakes with remaining preserves. Sprinkle with white chocolate (or coconut).