Graduation Hat Cupcakes

Since it is still graduation season, I decided to share another graduation treat I actually made five years ago for my brother when he graduated. At the time I was really only just beginning to really get interested in the culinary world. Since then, my creativity, skills, and photography have vastly improved. 

I found this idea for graduation hat cupcakes online. It is a similar idea to the brownie graduation hats I made this year and last year. First I baked a batch of vanilla cupcakes, removed the paper liners, and turned them upside-down. Next, I coated graham crackers with melted chocolate and allowed them to harden. You really only see one side of the cracker, so it's not necessary to coat both sides, but you can if you'd like. Next I placed the graham cracker on top of the hat with a tassel fashioned from fruit leather strips (in this case I think it's artificial flavoring since the tassels are blue) and attached it with a blue candy coated chocolate. I cannot remember if I needed to use a little extra melted chocolate or some frosting to ensure the cracker and tassel remained attached to the cupcake or not, but it would not hurt. It would also add a little more sweetness, since cupcakes are meant for frosting, and without it these are a tad bit dry, especially after a few days. Don't refrigerate them unless it is really hot (do if the tassels begin to melt like these did) to prevent them from drying out further.

Again, these cupcakes can be color-coordinated to match school colors. If you are using a white cake batter, a little food coloring may even be added to color the cupcakes, though I don't really like the idea of dyed cupcakes. I think they look better in natural colors. You could however, use a chocolate cake batter, and that way the graham cracker would match. If you can purchase chocolate covered graham crackers already, use those as this saves time. Alternatively, you could coat the graham crackers with frosting or fondant, and that way they may again be any color you wish and can match school colors. And of course candy-coated chocolate pieces and fruit roll-up strips are easily found in a variety of different colors.