No matter how much reality television MTV produces, the crazy live antics that go down at the VMAs every year usually top it all. The VMAs bring out all of our favorite chart-toppers, some old favorites (will Justin Timberlake show up? *pray emoji*), and never fails to deliver at least a few GIF-worthy moments. Even before performers and personalities take the stage, the VMAs deliver one of the best red carpets of the entire year. It's like the Met Gala's out-of-control cousin that doesn't know how many Bs are in Gabbana and would probably get kicked out of most high schools for dress-code violations. The VMAs are the historic site of Lady Gaga's meat outfit, Rose McGowan's legendary naked dress, Lil' Kim's lavender pasty ensemble, and countless other looks that will be discovered by aliens down the line and make us look like a truly batshit species. The VMAs are never not ridiculous, and this is why we love them.
If you've paid any attention to the VMA ads this year, you know that they are fully on board with the crazy. Not only is the ever-unpredictable Miley Cyrus hosting the night, but the promos are neon, glittery, psychedelic, and packed with unicorns, kittens, and twin cherry headdresses (because duh). The hyped-up color scheme and glittery madness left us just one choice for the ultimate VMA viewing snack, so here's your quick and easy guide to tie-dye rainbow cupcakes topped with glitter and sugar daisies.
What You’ll Need:
- White cake mix
- Vanilla frosting
- Canola oil
- Eggs
- Gel food coloring
- Edible glitter
1. Mix Your Cake
You can use a box mix or your own favorite recipe. Most mixes only call for eggs, water, and vegetable oil.
2. Divide & Color Your Mix
Divide your mix into five small bowls, and add a few drops of food coloring to each. Stir until fully combined. If you want a deeper color, add a tiny bit more at a time — this stuff goes a long way. Gel colors work best for this, as they are much more vibrant than the classic liquid variety.
3. Line Your Pan With Cupcake Papers & Add Mix
Spoon a little bit of each colored mix into each paper liner cup. You can be as sloppy or neat about it as you want — they'll look amazing and colorful either way. I spooned each color pretty randomly around each cup, then swirled slightly with a knife for a tie-dye effect.
4. Bake According To Your Recipe
5. Let Cupcakes Cool
Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool on a wire rack or countertop for at least 10 to 15 minutes before frosting.
6. Divide And Color Frosting
I used three colors for this, but you can use as many as you want. Add a couple drops (the same way you did with the cake mix) and stir until fully combined.
7. Frost
For the swirl effect on this batch, I spooned each of my three colors into a piping bag and cut about 1/4 inch off the tip. Then, I placed all three bags into a fourth piping bag, cut the tip a little larger on that one, and frosted each cupcake in a spiral motion from the outside in.
8. Dust With Glitter And Decorate
I used an ultra-fine iridescent glitter to dust each cupcake. You can get edible glitter in all kinds of crazy colors at a good cake or baking shop. After making each cupcake sufficiently sparkly, I topped the middle of each with sugar daisies for a little more of that throwback Lisa Frank vibe.
Other Miley-worthy toppings could include twin-cherry gummies, gummy bears, rainbow sprinkles, Pop Rocks, Ring Pops, or whatever else you can get your hands on. Miley's totally down for whatever, and so are we.
Just make sure to claim a few before your VMA viewing buddies munch them all during the "Wildest Dreams" video premiere.
Images: Lou Marillier/ Bustle
Animation: Katie Cropper Klein/ Bustle
