Gobble...Gobble...Gobble (Turkey Decorated Cupcakes)

With the Holidays fast approaching, potluck season has officially begun. I love potlucks! It is a time when I get to see fellow kitchen enthusiasts whip up their best dishes/desserts and show off their skills. And if I'm lucky enough, I get to add their recipe into my collection.

I had my first Thanksgiving potluck last Sunday with a group of mothers. One mom in particular has picked up cake decorating as a hobby and she's amazing at it. In fact, whenever I go to one of the kids' birthday party, I've had the pleasure of seeing her talent and creativity at work. This time she brought cupcakes decorated with a Turkey using buttercream icing and candy corns. They're so adorable and the kids loved them. I thought these would be a fun project for kids to do at a Thanksgiving gathering so I asked if she wouldn't mind sharing the recipe and decorating instruction.

Decoration instruction courtesy of: Andora Effendi Nguyen

Makes 2 dozens

Cupcakes
1 box cake mix (or your favorite cake recipe)
24 regular cupcake liners
Cupcake baking pans

Follow the baking instruction on the box.
*Tip: pour the cake batter into the cupcake liner using a small ladle for even proportion.

Wilton Buttercream Icing (Makes about 3 cups)
1/2 C. solid vegetable shortening
1/2 C. (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 t. clear vanilla extract
4 C. sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 T. milk

Instruction:

(Medium Consistency)

In a large bowl, cream shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For best results, keep icing bowl in the refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.

Turkey Decoration
Indian Candy Corns
Orange Icing (spread on each cupcake)
Brown Icing (put in piping bag with No. 12 tip)
Red Icing (Put in parchment paper bag and cut a small (about 2mm) opening. No tip needed.
Yellow Icing (Put in parchment paper bag and cut a very small (about 1mm) opening. No tip needed.

Place 5 candy corns side-by-side into a semi-circle shape. Squeeze a big brown dot in the center of the candy corn and a smaller dot above it. Add the beak and wattle (chin) with the red icing. Use the yellow icing for the eyes and feet.

Just for fun, I want to share a few pictures of Andora's amazing cakes:

She made these Disney Pixar's "Cars" themed cakes for her son's 3rd birthday.

She spent hours meticulously piping the grass for this cake. The thought she puts into capturing the scenes from the movie was just amazing. Everything except for the car toys is edible.