Social Distancing “Coronavirus Cupcakes”

“‘Riddikulus!’ he shouted, and they had a split second’s view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great ‘Ha!’ of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.” -Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban

In Harry Potter lore, Boggarts are amorphous magical creatures who can change shape at will and materialize into your greatest fear incarnate; the only way to defeat them is through laughter. J.K. Rowling always knew that the best way to find light in a potentially scary situation was to make light of it–not by downplaying its seriousness, but by gleaning some touch of humor from the depths of darkness. Only in coming to terms with our own fears can we find the strength to act courageously.

I have no idea whether these cupcakes (which, yes, are inspired by the crown-like structure of the COVID-19 virus) will actually make anyone else laugh; maybe someone out there will find them mortally offensive. But they definitely gave me a rare chance to chuckle in the midst of all the chaos going on out there–somehow, it felt very hard to stay stressed as I slathered cream cheese frosting and poked stakes of raspberries into these silly-looking cupcakes from the safety of my kitchen.

So yeah, coronvirus cupcakes. They’re my new coping mechanism and self-quarantine jam, and I highly recommend that all you fellow anxiety-ridden human beings stuck at home try making them. (Pro tip: If you have kids that you’re currently homeschooling, you can even make these cupcakes together and teach them about the virus using science lesson plans like this one!)

Stay home, stay safe–and let’s smash this virus together from a distance, guys. <3

“Make them laugh!” – Cosmo, Singin’ in the Rain

Social Distancing Coronavirus Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Inactive Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These "coronavirus cupcakes" are a recipe for laughter amid some difficult times. Make them at home for a great kids' science lesson or simply for a fun treat that will ease the stress.

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Ingredients

Cupcakes:

• 12 of your favorite cupcakes

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Decoration Supplies

• Toothpicks
• Fresh raspberries
• Sprinkles

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

1. Use your favorite cupcake recipe! I adapted my banana cake recipe by dividing the batter into 12 tins and baking at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.
2. My favorite vegan chocolate cupcake recipe: HERE
3. My favorite simple vanilla cupcake recipe: HERE

For the cream cheese frosting:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and yogurt until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; stir until no lumps remain.

For the decoration:

1. Frost your cooled cupcakes.
2. Add sprinkles.
3. Spear 5-6 toothpicks into each cupcake, then add raspberry onto the end of each.
4. Use as a basis for a great at-home science lesson or just a treat to ease the anxiety. Enjoy (and don't forget to laugh)!