With football season almost upon us, why not whip up some SEC game day cupcakes in honor of your favorite team? These collegiate-themed cupcakes are from the kitchens of Southern Living and perfect for a game day tailgate or telegate. Yep, I said “telegate”. It’s a new word, courtesy of me. Here’s my southern, suburban slang definition:
tel·e·gate
a social gathering at which an informal meal is served in front of a television prior to and during a sporting event. This venue is typically accompanied by like-minded friends, great food, alcoholic beverages, commentary and replays.
Now that you know the definition of telegate, let’s get back to the cupcakes. Aside from the taste, the best feature is they’re EASY to make! They all share the same vanilla cupcake base and the cream cheese frosting gets “tweaked” with ingredients unique to the city or state associated with each university. Can you guess which cupcake goes with each school?
The Lane Cake
Truely Amazing Maple-Bacon
The Lemonade Stand
The Hummingbird
The Peanut Gallery
The Mint Chocolate Chip
The Mean Mocha Latte
SEC Game Day Cupcakes
The Lightning Fast Turtle
The Black and White
The Italian Creme Dream
Mile-High Coconut
The Rocky Top
The Ambrosia
Tennesse Jam Session
Source: The Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook, Oxmoor House, August 2012
These embedded links contain the recipes for the cupcakes and cream cheese frosting. Answers to the ‘SEC cupcake quiz’ are listed below along with recipes for the custom toppings.
Now, let’s check your answers and see how well you know the SEC. Click on the cupcake name or the arrow and the answer will appear in the box below.
The University of Alabama
Inspiration: The iconic southern cake featured in To Kill a Mockingbird
Stir 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans, 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, 1/2 cup chopped golden raisins, and 1 tsp orange zest into frosting. Garnish with maraschino cherries with stems.
The University of Arkansas
Inspiration: The pork perfection of the mascot himself
Stir 1/2 tsp maple flavoring into frosting. Garnish with cooked bacon pieces.
Auburn University
Inspiration: Toomer’s Corner
Stir 2 tsp lemon zest, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, and desired amount of yellow food coloring paste into frosting. Garnish with mini straws, lemon slices, and fresh mint sprigs.
The University of Florida
Inspiration: Tropical Fruits
Stir 1 cup toasted pecans and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon into frosting. Garnish with fresh pineapple wedges, banana chips, and pecan halves.
The University of Georgia
Inspiration: The State’s Bumper Crop
Stir 1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter into frosting. Garnish with peanut brittle.
The University of Kentucky
Inspiration: Derby Day Mint Julep
Stir 1 tsp. peppermint extract and 1 (4-oz.) finely chopped bittersweet chocolate baking bar into frosting. Garnish with shaved thin creme de menthe chocolate mints and fresh mint sprigs.
Louisiana State University
Inspiration: Famed French Quarter
Beat 1 Tbsp instant espresso powder into frosting with butter. Garnish with chocolate-covered coffee beans and cocoa.
Mississippi State University
Inspiration: The state’s pecan orchards
Garnish with toasted pecans and chocolate-covered caramel candies. Note: These were tested with Rolo candies.
University of Missouri
Inspiration: Tiger Stripes
Stir 1/2 cup melted dark chocolate morsels into half of the frosting. Pipe cream cheese and chocolate frosting alternately onto each cupcake.
University of Mississippie – Ole Miss
Inspiration: Indulgent and refined; like a tailgate in The Grove
Stir 1 cup chopped toasted pecans and 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut into frosting. Garnish with sweetened flaked coconut and pecan halves.
University of South Carolina
Inspiration: Low-country coconut layer cakes
Stir 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut into frosting. Garnish generously with toasted coconut.
University of Tennessee
Inspiration: The Great Smokey Mountains along the eastern Tennessee border
Stir 1 cup melted dark chocolate morsels into frosting. Garnish with miniature marshmallows, semisweet morsels, and toasted pecans.
Texas A&M University
Inspiration: Ruby Red Grapefruit
Stir 3 tsp. red grapefruit zest, 1 Tbsp. red grapefruit juice, and 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut into frosting. Garnish with orange and red grapefruit sections, sweetened flaked coconut, grapefruit rind curls, and fresh mint sprigs.
Vanderbilt University
Inspiration: The Music City and Tennessee Jam Cake
Melt 15 caramels with 1 Tbsp. milk; stir into frosting. Spread blackberry jam onto cupcakes, pipe with frosting. Garnish with fresh blackberries and fresh mint sprigs.
How did you score? Any surprises? Do you have other collegiate-themed cupcake ideas?
The clock’s ticking with kickoff less than 2 weeks away. South Carolina and North Carolina (UNC) will open the 2015 SEC season on Thursday night, Sept. 3 at 5 p.m. CST in Charlotte, so plan your tailgate and telegate menus now!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t include a ‘Roll Tide, War Eagle!’ for my fellow Alabamians, and an ‘Anchor Down!’ in acknowledgement of my alma mater. If you’re curious about the Alabama Lane Cake, you can read all about it’s history here.
Wow, I’ve been telegating all these years and never knew it!!! Will you bring the Lane cupcakes to our next game??
Love the cupcakes. My team is in the Big 12, Oklahoma State. Go Pokes!
Michele, thanks for your comment. Is tailgating big at OKState? Never been to Stillwater, but was in Oklahoma City one summer for a regional soccer tournament. Lovely state.