RED AND WHITE CANDY RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, egg whites, food color and cocoa with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into pan.
• Bake and cool as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Crumble cake into large bowl. Add frosting; mix well. Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls; place on cookie sheet. Freeze until firm; keep refrigerated.
• In microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating and shortening uncovered on Medium (50%) 2 minutes, then in 15-second intervals, until melted; stir until smooth. Dip tip of 1 lollipop stick about 1/2 inch into melted coating and insert stick into 1 cake ball no more than halfway. Repeat. Return cake pops to cookie sheet. Refrigerate 5 minutes. Remove from refrigerator a few at a time. Dip each cake ball into melted coating to cover; tap off excess. Poke opposite end of stick into foam block. Sprinkle with red sugar. Let stand until set.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes:
• Preheat oven 350 degrees F. 
• Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside. 
• In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix oil, sugar, and buttermilk until combined. Add eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla and water and mix well. Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time and mix on low, scraping down sides occasionally, and mix until just combined. Be sure not to over mix, or the batter will come out tough. 
• Line a 16-cup cupcake pan with paper liners, scoop the batter into the liners and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
• For the cream cheese frosting:
• Whip the butter and cream cheese together in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until creamed. Gradually add powdered sugar to the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. 
• The frosting can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator up to a week. 
• Frost cooled cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.