Captivating Caterpillar Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• For the antennae: Unroll the licorice and cut into twelve 1 1/4-inch-long pieces. Separate the two strands of each licorice piece, leaving them attached at one end. Roll 2 small (1/4-inch) balls of green fondant for each pair of antennae and attach the balls to one end of the licorice. Enclose the remaining fondant in plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Repeat with the remaining pairs of antennae. Set aside to dry.
• For the head and body: Roll seven 1/2-inch balls of green fondant. Take one ball and attach a pair of antennae by sticking the licorice into it. With a small brush, dab a little water to moisten the top and attach 2 yellow sprinkles for eyes. Add pupils to the eyes by dipping a skewer into the melted chocolate and make small dots on the yellow sprinkles. Gently press the 6 remaining balls together to form the body of the caterpillar, and curve them to make it look wiggly. Moisten the top of an end ball and affix the caterpillar's head. Repeat to make 11 more caterpillars. Allow them to dry 20 minutes.
• To assemble: Frost each cupcake with about 2 tablespoons buttercream. Place the cookie crumbs in a small bowl; invert the cupcakes into the crumbs and press gently to adhere. Top each cupcake with a caterpillar and press them gently into the "cookie dirt" to adhere. Garnish with fondant grass if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 cup muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. In a stand-alone mixer or using a handheld electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. If making chocolate cake add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix well, then add in milk. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Frost the cupcakes with the tinted frosting and sprinkle with tinted coconut for a fuzzy caterpillar. Arrange them in a curving pattern on top of a large cutting board or piece of cardboard covered with foil. Snip licorice into short lengths to form antennae and legs. Place round candies for eyes and mouth. If desired, round candies can be placed on cupcakes for a spotted caterpillar.

Steps:

• Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 28 cups of standard muffin tins and 1 cup of a jumbo muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and mixing until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops are firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• Decorate cupcakes: Tint fondant with green gel-paste food color, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Using cookie cutters, cut out one 4 1/2-inch round and twelve 3 3/4-inch rounds. Divide 2 cups buttercream into two bowls; tint half yellow and half pale blue with gel-paste food colors. Transfer to pastry bags fitted with small plain tips (No. 3). Tint 1/4 cup buttercream red; transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a fine plain tip (No. 1). Spread cupcakes with a thin layer of plain buttercream, and transfer remaining untinted buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with another small plain tip (No. 2). Place a fondant round on top of each cupcake, pressing gently to adhere, and mold to fit smoothly.
• To make the head, pipe two yellow dots for the eyes on top of jumbo cupcake, then pipe tiny white dots for pupils. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke two holes above eyes, and insert mini candy canes into holes for antennae. Use red buttercream to pipe the mouth. Pipe dots all over other half of cupcake, alternating between yellow and pale-blue buttercreams. Continue to pipe yellow and blue dots all over remaining cupcakes, then pipe tiny white dots on top of each. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
• Arrange 12 standard cupcakes side by side in a curving line, with the jumbo cupcake at the front. Serve remaining cupcakes as desired.

Steps:

• Make cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 28 cups of standard muffin tins and 1 cup of a jumbo muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in sour cream. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and mixing until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until tops are firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• Decorate cupcakes: Tint fondant with green gel-paste food color (see page 299 for instructions), and roll out to 1/8 inch thick on a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Using cookie cutters, cut out one 4 1/2-inch round and twelve 3 3/4-inch rounds. Divide 2 cups buttercream into two bowls; tint half yellow and half pale blue with gel-paste food colors. Transfer to pastry bags fitted with small plain tips (#3). Tint 1/4 cup buttercream red; transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a fine plain tip (#1). Spread cupcakes with a thin layer of plain buttercream, and transfer remaining untinted buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with another small plain tip (#2). Place a fondant round on top of each cupcake, pressing gently to adhere, and mold to fit smoothly.
• To make the head, pipe two yellow dots for the eyes on top of jumbo cupcake, then pipe tiny white dots for pupils. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke two holes above eyes, and insert mini candy canes into holes for antennae. Use red buttercream to pipe the mouth. Pipe dots all over other half of cupcake, alternating between yellow and pale blue uttercreams. Continue to pipe yellow and blue dots all over remaining cupcakes, then pipe tiny white dots on top of each. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.
• Arrange 12 standard cupcakes side by side in a curving line, with the jumbo cupcake at the front. Serve remaining cupcakes as desired.