I don’t bake often 11 months out of the year, but from mid-November until mid-December I become a baking fool. Why? Mostly because creating memories in the kitchen with my kids is something I’ve always wanted to do. My mom did it with me, so I in turn, wanted to have those sweet memories of making cakes, cupcakes and cookies with my girls – and hopefully they will pass on the tradition with their own children one day. One of our absolute favorite go-to desserts has always been cupcakes, so we’re always looking for new recipes to try. Kraft has an amazing collection of recipes on their website, so we decided to give White Chocolate-Cranberry Poke Cupcakes a try. They were so delicious! So good, I couldn’t wait to share!

I’m pretty sure that these will be making the rounds at holiday parties and get-togethers this season, because let’s face it… cupcakes are like the ultimate party food, right? First, they’re easy to make for a crowd. Second, you can box them up and take them along to wherever you’re going pretty easily. Third, everyone loves a good cupcake so they’re always a hit! And while the cupcakes are good on their own, the frosting is really the star of the show. This frosting is so freaking good that my kids were fighting over who would lick the bowl clean. It’s cream cheese – with white chocolate. But the tartness of the cranberries really highlights the flavors in the very best way. Hello, yumminess!

Even if you’re not a baker, this recipe is easy enough that anyone can make it with just a few minutes of hands-on time, which is perfect for the busy holiday season, right? They are just a tad messy to make, which makes them even more fun to make with littles who love to make messes!

White Chocolate-Cranberry Poke Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Cranberry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER’S White Chocolate (6 oz.), broken into pieces
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 min. Pierce tops with fork.

ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Spoon over cupcakes. Refrigerate 30 min.

MELT chocolate as directed on package. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add chocolate and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition until light and fluffy.

SPREAD frosting onto cupcakes. Top with cranberries.

Prep time: 30 minutes, Total time: 1:33

Serves 24

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see a photo of it! Share it with me on my Facebook page or you can snap a pic and share it with me and KRAFT Foods on Instagram (by tagging @shabbycreek and @KraftJello). So good, you can’t wait to share it.