Thanksgiving Dinner Cupcakes.

If your looking for something sweet to take to Thanksgiving that isn't a pie...I've got something fun for you! Why not bring Thanksgiving dinner for dessert? Cupcake style of course! These cupcakes will have everybody giggling and cause total brain confusion at the Thanksgiving table. They are SO much fun! Each one is made completely of sweet treats but looks just like some of Thanksgiving staples.

I promise they are not as complicated as they look! I have broken them down by each "food" so you can see how I really made these.

If you would like to see my blog post about these check it out here:http://makebakecelebrate.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-dinner-cupcakes.html

Step 1:

To make these cupcakes the main items your going to need are:
12 cupcakes + one extra for decoration ( I recommend pumpkin ones for color) / recipe here -
5 cups of decorators buttercream / recipe here
small box of fondant
yellow, copper, green, and ivory coloring
caramel syrup
marshmallow bits
walnuts
black and white sanding sugar

The tools you will need:
Rolling pin
ice cream scoop
square cutter
pipping bag with large round tip
small bone cookie cutter (optional)

Remember to be flexible! It's ok if you don't have one of the small decorations or a certain tool. Look around your kitchen for something else that would get the job done :)

Step 2: Color your buttercream.

You will need to separate your buttercream into 4 bowls. Using gel coloring dye one a light yellow, one a yam color (copper + a little brown) , one a a tannish color (ivory + a little brown), and leave one white. I didn't keep mine even because I knew I would use less yellow and white and more yam and tan.

Step 3: Color your fondant.

Now color your fondant using gel coloring, a few oz of each color will be plenty for a dozen cupcakes. You will need a light yellow, a dark green, and some white. Make sure to keep stored in a ziplock when your not working with it, so it doesn't dry out. As soon as your done coloring the fondant cut out two small squares (about an inch) from the yellow to be your butter. Then darken the rest of the yellow to a corn color.

Step 4: Mash potatoes cupcake.

For the mash potatoes start by using an ice cream scoop to put on a nice large scoop of white buttercream. Then smooth it out a bit with a small spatula or spoon then used a TSP to push a dent into the center which will nicely hold the caramel. Then pour some caramel "gravy" into the dent and placed a yellow square of fondant "butter" on top.

Step 5: Green bean casserole cupcake.

For the green bean casserole use a large round tip to pipe on a flat swirl of icing on the cupcake then smooth it out with a Viva towel. Roll the dark green fondant into coils then cut into small lengths and add a line with a knife. Push them into the buttercream and then added sanding sugar "pepper" and walnut "fried onions" if you would like.

Step 6: Corn on the cob cupcake.

To make the corn cob roll out yellow fondant and roll it out into long coils about 1/4 inch wide and about 4 in long. Then use a knife and press lines all the way up to make rows of corn. To assemble first pipp a flat swirl of buttercream on to the cupcake and smooth with Viva towel. Then starting in the middle I lay the strips of corn on to the buttercream and trim each side down. Then add a topping of a fondant "butter" square and some "salt and pepper" sanding sugar to finish them off.

Step 7: Turkey cupcake.

Using your tan buttercream pipe a slightly off center tall swirl on the cupcake, then use a Viva towel to gently smooth out the lines. You will simply lay the clean Viva paper towel over the icing then run your fingers along it and very gently press. Then I stuck a fondant bone in the point ( I cut it in half). I bought my little bone cutter at a local baking store...but if you don't have one you could shape one pretty easily or even make a bone out of melted chocolate then cooled. If you need more info on the Viva towel method check out my link here.

Step 8: Stuffing cupcake.

Take the extra cupcake and cut into little square chunks to make the stuffing. Pipe a flat swirl of buttercream onto the cupcake using your tan from the turkey. Then press the cupcake chunks onto the icing and use the tiny crumbs to cover the bare icing spots. Then add a few small fondant "celery" pieces and some green sanding sugar "spices". This is why I recommended making pumpkin cupcakes because this color worked perfect!

Step 9:

For the yams use a large round icing tip and pipe on blobs of icing. Then smooth out the tips with a Viva paper towel. Then sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top and then some Jet-Puff marshmallow bits. If you want you can toast them a bit with a flame.