These treats are almost too fun to "gobble" up!
After making the cupcakes, follow these steps to build your bird.
INGREDIENTS
1 batch royal icing (recipe, page 194)
24 candy eyeballs (we used Wilton Candy Eyeballs)
12 Nutter Butter cookies
24 M&M's candies
1 strand red licorice (we used Twizzler)
6 chocolate wafer cookies
Colored sprinkles (chocolate, orange, yellow and red)
84 pieces candy corn
12 flower-shaped gingersnap cookies
1 batch chocolate buttercream frosting (recipe, page 194)
12 to 24 orange candy slices, or 12 Airheads candies
Step 1: Face
Using the royal icing as glue, stick 2 eyeballs onto each Nutter Butter. Cut the M&M's in half; stick one half to each Nutter Butter for the nose. Cut small triangular pieces of licorice and stick one on the side of the nose, long side down.
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Step 2: Wings
Using a serrated knife, cut the chocolate wafers in half. Working with one at a time, cover the flat side with royal icing and coat in sprinkles to create wings. Set aside to dry and repeat with the remaining cookies.
Step 3: Tail
Using the icing as glue, stick 7 pieces of candy corn halfway around the perimeter of each gingersnap cookie to create the tail. Set aside to dry.
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Step 4: Body
One at a time, frost the cupcakes, keeping themin their paper liners (use about ¼ cup frosting each), then immediately cover with sprinkles.
Step 5: Feet
Cut the edges off orange slices to make fan shapes. Slice out toes and adhere to cupcake liner using toothpicks or royal icing. (If using Airheads, cut into leg-with-foot shapes and press into the frosting.)
Step 6: Assembly
Gently push a Nutter Butter cookie into the front of each cupcake for the head. Press the wings into the cupcake behind the head. Stick a tail (candy corn facing up) into the back of each cupcake.
This article originally appeared on Womansday.com.
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Photos by Jeffrey Westbrook/Studio D; Top photo: Steve Giralt; Food styling by Vivian Lui; Prop styling by Erin Swift
