Celebrate Earth Day with these cute Earth Day Cupcakes. A cookie on top of a cupcake made to look like the inside layers of our planet!

~Ingredients: 

-White Cake Cupcake:

2 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour.

1 3/4 Cups Super Fine Sugar.

2 Teaspoon Baking Powder.

3/4 Teaspoon Salt.

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter.

5 Egg Whites.

1 Cup Milk.

2 Teaspoon Vanilla.

1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract.

Yellow Food Coloring.

Orange Food Coloring.

Red Food Coloring.

-Sugar Cookie Dough:

1/2 Cup Butter, softened.

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar.

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar.

1 Egg.

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract.

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour.

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder.

1/2 Teaspoon Salt.

Blue Food Coloring.

Green Food Coloring.

-Chocolate Frosting:

1/2 Cup Butter, softened.

8 oz Cream Cheese.*

3 - 4 Cups Powdered Sugar.

2 - 3 Tablespoons Milk.

2/3 Cup Cocoa Powder.

~Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line the cupcake tray with liners. Set aside.

-Making the Cupcakes:

Step 2: Sift together the dry ingredients. Place into a jar or in an air tight container. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream the butter for a minute.

Step 4: Add egg whites one at a time until mixed.

Step 5: Add in the milk and both vanilla and almond extracts.

Step 6: Divide the cupcake batter into three bowls.

Step 7: Dye the first bowl yellow.

Step 8: Dye the second bowl orange.

Step 9: Dye the third bowl red.

Step 10: Mix each bowl until the color is fully combined.

Step 11: Add in a spoonful of the red batter to each cupcake liner..

Step 12: Then add a spoonful of the orange batter on top of the red batter.

Step 13: Lastly, add a spoonful of yellow batter on top of the orange batter.

Step 14: Each cupcake should be made up of a layer of red batter, orange and then yellow.  

Step 15: Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

-Making the Sugar Cookie Earth:

Step 16: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until creamy.

Step 17: Add the egg and the vanilla extract.

Step 18: Add the baking powder, salt, and half of the flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Step 19: Add the rest of the flour and beat until mixed in.**

Step 20: Divide the sugar cookie dough between two bowls. and dye one bowl green and one bowl blue.

Step 22: Dye the first bowl blue.

Step 23: Dye the second bowl green.

Step 24: To shape the cookie, grab a small amount of blue dough and a small amount of green dough.

Step 25: Roll both into one ball so you end up with a swirled pattern.

Step 26: Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 27: Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

-Making the Chocolate Frosting:

Step 28: Beat the butter and the cream cheese until smooth.

Step 29: Add the cocoa powder and mix until smooth.

Step 30: Add 2 cups powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk.

Step 31: Continue to add in more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. Add more milk if it becomes too thick.

Putting it all Together:

Step 32: Frost each cupcake.***

Step 33: Top with a cookie and serve.

Step 34: Eat and Enjoy!

~Recipe Notes:

*If you don't have cream cheese you can just use an additional 1/2 cup butter, softened.

**If you are using a hand mixer, you may need to use the back of a spoon or your hands to knead the dough until stiff.

***You can also put the frosting a ziploc bag with the corner cut out and pipe the frosting that way.

Enjoy!

Please leave us a picture in the comments below if you make it or have any questions!

XoXo Hannah and Hailey :)