Chirpy Chick Cupcakes Recipes

CHIRPING CHICK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Frost cupcakes with 1 container of frosting.
• Stir a few drops yellow food color into other container of frosting. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoonful yellow frosting on center of each cupcake. To make beak, cut orange jelly bean lengthwise to within 1/8 inch of end; spread apart slightly. Press into yellow frosting as shown. Add orange candies for eyes. Store loosely covered.

CHIRPY CHICK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Reserve 1/4 cup frosting for eyes; tint remaining frosting yellow. Place yellow frosting in a pastry bag fitted with #17 open star tip; pipe stars covering top of cupcakes. Pipe circular mounds for head; pipe wings on each side., Using plain frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a #2 round tip, pipe dots for eyes; top with M&M's. Pipe small lines on M&M's to resemble reflections. Flatten gum drops and cut into small triangles; attach to heads for beaks.

CHICK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and beat until creamy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to the rack to cool completely.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Increase the speed to medium high, add the vanilla and beat until creamy, 3 minutes. Beat in the milk until fluffy, 1 minute.
• Decorate the cupcakes: Using kitchen shears, cut the circus peanuts lengthwise into thin slices, then trim to make 12 beaks and 24 feet. Frost the cupcakes, then dip in sanding sugar to coat. Top with the candy eyeballs, beaks and feet. Insert the candy melts for wings.

COCONUT CHICK CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven, stirring often, until golden, about 15 minutes. Line 20 cups of 2 standard muffin tins with paper liners. Coat liners with cooking spray.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Put butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 batches of buttermilk. Beat in extract.
• Scoop batter into lined muffin tins, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks 10 minutes. Unmold; let cool completely.
• Peel off liners. Spread buttercream on the top of 1 cupcake; invert onto a small plate. Frost sides of cupcake, then mound more on top to create a dome shape. Put coconut in a bowl. Holding plate at an angle over the bowl, press coconut into frosted top and sides of each cupcake; let excess fall back into bowl. Press in 2 pieces of licorice for eyes and 1 almond for a beak. Place 3 red licorice pastels on top for a comb and 4 at the base for feet. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.