• Bake cupcakes. Prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions. Divide the batter among 20 lined muffin cups and bake as directed. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
• Color frosting. Place the frosting in a medium bowl. If making purple Minions, reserve a few spoonfuls in a separate bowl. Add blue gel food coloring to the remaining frosting a little at a time, stirring until the desired shade is reached.
• Frost cupcakes. Spread the blue frosting evenly over the cooled cupcakes.
• Cut Twinkies. Cut each Twinkie in half crosswise to create 20 Minion heads.
• Create goggles. Draw a horizontal goggle strap around the rounded portion of each Twinkie half using black decorating gel. Add a small dot of gel to the back of one or two candy eyes and press them onto the strap.
• Add faces and hair. Use black decorating gel to draw mouths and hairstyles. Vary the number of eyes, expressions and hair designs to make each Minion different.
• Assemble cupcakes. Gently press each decorated Twinkie half, cut-side down, into the blue frosting. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Optional Purple Minions

• Color frosting purple. Add purple gel food coloring to the reserved frosting until the desired shade is reached.
• Decorate the purple Minion. Cut approximately one-quarter off one end of an additional Twinkie, leaving a taller piece for the purple Minion. Stand it upright on the cut end and cover it completely with purple frosting, pulling the frosting upward into shaggy peaks to create wild hair.
• Add the face. Use black decorating gel and candy eyes to create the goggles and frowning mouth. Press broken pieces of white Smarties into the gel to create crooked teeth.
• Finish the cupcake. Carefully transfer the purple Minion to a cupcake. Add purple frosting around the base to hold it upright.