Olympics-inspired cupcakes: Two medal-worthy decorating ideas

Vanilla frosting

Ingredients:
1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups icing sugar, sifted
½ cup milk

Directions: 
1. Beat butter in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, until creamy, 1 min.
2. Add vanilla and 1 cup icing sugar. Beat for 1 min.
3. With mixer on low, add remaining sugar in 3 parts, alternating with milk and ending with sugar.
4. Beat on medium-high, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until fluffy and smooth, 1 to 2 min.
5. Frost on cupcakes.

For that Olympic flair: 
1. Use coloured M&M's (blue, yellow, dark brown, green and red) to form borders around the cupcakes to make "rings".
2. If you're pressed for time, try this idea instead: Use 1 of each coloured M&M (blue, yellow, dark brown, green and red) to form the "rings" on each cupcake.

Here are five delicious cupcake recipes to try with our Olympics-inspired frosting:

Vanilla cupcakes

Pumpkin cupcakes with maple and bacon icing

Velvety beet cupcakes with raspberry icing

Strawberry and lemon cream cheese cupcakes

Gluten-free melt-in-your-mouth carrot cupcakes (gluten-free)