Baseball Glove Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups; set aside. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely on wire racks.

2. Tint about 1/4 cup of the Butter Frosting with red food coloring. Place in a small heavy resealable plastic bag with a very small hole cut out of one corner; set bag aside. Remove about 2/3 cup of the frosting for baseball cookies; set aside.

3. Tint the remaining frosting light brown to match the color of the peanut sandwich cookies; use to generously frost the cupcakes. Place the remaining light brown frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip; pipe onto the split sandwich cookies to resemble a crosshatch pattern. Press four of the split miniature sandwich cookies into the top edge of each cupcake for the fingers of the baseball glove. Break the split regular sandwich cookies in half crosswise; press one half into the top edge of each cupcake for the thumb of the baseball glove. Set cupcakes aside.

4. Use the reserved 2/3 cup white frosting to frost the vanilla wafers. Pipe the red frosting onto frosted vanilla wafers to resemble baseball stitching. Place the decorated wafers on the baseball glove cupcakes.

Butter Frosting

1. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in enough additional milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. This frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9-inch cake or 10-inch fluted tube cake.)

Citrus Butter Frosting:

Substitute lemon or orange juice for the milk and add 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon or orange peel.

Chocolate Butter Frosting:

Substitute 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.

Coffee Butter Frosting:

Add 1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder or coffee crystals with the powdered sugar or substitute strong brewed coffee for the milk.

Peppermint Butter Frosting:

Substitute 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract for the vanilla and tint pink with red food coloring.

Almond Butter Frosting:

Substitute 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for the vanilla.

Milk Chocolate Butter Frosting:

Melt 1 cup milk chocolate pieces and beat into the butter before adding the powdered sugar.

Peanut Butter Butter Frosting:

Beat 1/2 cup peanut butter into the butter before adding the powdered sugar.

Spice Butter Frosting:

Add 1 to 2 teaspoons apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice with the powdered sugar.

Strawberry Butter Frosting:

Beat 1/3 cup strawberry jam into the butter before adding the powdered sugar.

Irish Cream Butter Frosting:

Substitute Irish cream liqueur for the milk.