Pool Party Cupcakes

Make a splash at summer pool parties with these adorable Pool Party Cupcakes!

If you're looking for a treat to take to your next summer pool party or birthday party, these Pool Party Cupcakes are easy to make and look so cute! The vibrant colors paired with the adorable Teddy Graham crackers makes these cupcakes a whole lot of fun. To help make things easier than ever, you can use your favorite boxed cake mix or even store-bought cupcakes. As an extra bonus, the kids LOVE helping to assemble the Teddy Grahams with the candy and decorating the pool party cupcakes.

These Pool Party Cupcakes are are easy to make, and are a fun summertime dessert to share with your family or with friends at a pool party or the beach. Here's what you'll need:

(Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are found below)

• cupcakes: I use vanilla cupcakes from white cake mix, but you can use your favorite white cake recipe or use store-bought cupcake.
• frosting: I used canned white frosting, but you can use a homemade frosting or even marshmallow fluff instead.
• blue food coloring: used to make the frosting blue for the pool color.
• Jell-O: blue raspberry Jell-O adds color and flavor to this recipe!
• teddy grahams: these little guys are the stars of the show, having a fun pool party on these cupcakes!
• candy: peach rings and sour belt bites are used for the beach/pool floats and towels.

You will also need a hand/stand mixer, mixing bowls, muffin tin, cupcake liners, and nonstick spray.

Mix up the cupcake batter until all of the ingredients are combined. Use a large scoop to fill the cupcake liners about ¾ full and bake according to recipe directions. Once baked, cool completely on a wire rack.

Use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over each cupcake.

Whisk together the blue Jell-O and boiling water until all the gelatin is dissolved.

Carefully spoon the prepared Jell-O into the holes in the cupcakes, then refrigerate the cupcakes for at least one hour.

When you're ready to serve the cupcakes, mix up the frosting. Add 2-3 drops of blue food coloring gel to the white frosting and mix until you get the desired shade of blue.

Frost each cupcake with a generous amount of frosting, then get ready for some pool party decorating!

Stick the feet of a Teddy Graham into the "pool", then give him a friend with a "pool float" to swim with! For a traditional tube float, stick a Teddy Graham into the center of a peach ring, then stick the feel into the cupcake. For the lounge float, lay a rainbow sour belt onto the cupcake. Add a dot of frosting on the back of a Teddy Graham and place it on top.

Pool Party Cupcakes

Servings: 22 cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 15.25 oz white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¼ cup whole milk
• 3 oz package blue Jell-O
• ½ cup boiling water

Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, butter, and milk. Beat until combined and smooth.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling about ¾ full.
5. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.
7. Use a wooden skewer to poke holes through the top of each cupcake.
8. Whisk together blue Jell-O and boiling water until all the gelatin is dissolved.
9. Carefully spoon Jell-O mixture over the holes on each cupcake.
10. Refrigerate cupcakes for at least 1 hour.

Cupcake Decoration Ingredients:

• 16 oz white frosting
• gel food coloring - blue
• 44 bear graham crackers
• 11 peach gummy rings
• 11 rainbow sour belt bites

Cupcake Decorating Directions:

1. Add 2-3 drops of blue gel food coloring to the white frosting and mix until you get the desired shade of blue.
2. Top each cupcake with a generous amount of frosting.
3. Place one Teddy Graham into each cupcake, feet first.
4. Place a rainbow sour belt onto the top of the cupcake. Add a little frosting to the back of a Teddy Graham, and lay it on top of the candy.
5. Stick a Teddy Graham into the center of a peach ring, then stick the feet into the top of the cupcake.

Tips: 

• Storage: Refrigerate cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months! Be sure that the cupcakes are completely cool, unfrosted, and are wrapped well in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer bag. Before frosting and serving, thaw cupcakes in the fridge overnight or for a couple of hours at room temperature.
• Make Ahead: prepare cupcakes according to recipe, top with Jell-O. Refrigerate undecorated cupcakes for up to 5 days.

I'm going to be making a bunch of these adorable Pool Party Cupcakes for our summer pool parties, and hope you try them for yourself! Not only are they fun and simple to make, but they are SO yummy and the kids love helping with the decorating!! If you decide to give this recipe a try, I'd love to hear all about it! Please share your creations on Instagram, Facebook, or leave a comment/photo on the project pin on Pinterest!!

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