Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes Recipes

THANKSGIVING TURKEY 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.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and peanut butter with electric mixer on low speed 30 second, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).
• Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Frost cupcakes with frosting.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In separate small microwavable bowls, microwave candy coating and baking chocolate uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Place coating and chocolate in separate resealable food-storage plastic bags; snip off tiny corner of each bag. Pipe coating and chocolate into feather shapes, about 3 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide (see diagram). Refrigerate coating and chocolate about 5 minutes until set.
• When set, peel feathers off waxed paper and insert into cupcakes. Place milk chocolate candy on each cupcake for head of turkey. Store loosely covered.

TURKEY TAIL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Bake 24 cupcakes according to the package directions. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, cut 4 sheets of parchment to about the size of baking sheets. In separate microwave-safe bowls, melt the melting candy in the microwave in 10 second intervals until fully melted.
• Dip a 1/2-inch paintbrush into one color of melted candy, making sure you have a generous amount on the brush. Paint a 1-inch stripe on one of the parchment pieces; the line should be opaque-- brush on more if necessary. Repeat with the remaining melts, covering each piece of parchment with different colored candy lines. You should have 72 brushstrokes of the white candy and 96 brushstrokes each of the yellow, orange and red candy. If the bowls of melting candy harden during the process, soften in the microwave as needed. Let the stripes set at room temperature until dried, about 15 minutes.
• Pipe or spread a generous amount of frosting on the cupcakes (at least 1/2 inch of frosting per cupcake). Press a milk chocolate drop candy, point-side up on each cupcake, positioning it on the lower third of the center. These are the turkey tails.
• Cut or break each pretzel so you get 2 T-shaped pieces out of each one. These will be the turkeys' feet.
• Next, add the feathers: Carefully peel off 4 red brushstrokes and insert them in a row along the top edge of a cupcake at a 45-degree angle. These are the back feathers. Make a second row of 4 orange brushstrokes in front of the red ones. Then add 4 yellow brushstrokes in front of the orange and 3 white brushstrokes in front of the yellow. Insert a pretzel foot on either side of the chocolate drop candy. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 23 more cupcakes.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost cupcakes. For each turkey, unwrap three caramels; place on a small piece of waxed paper. Microwave on high for 5-7 seconds or until softened. Break off desired amount for the body; roll into an egg shape. Roll two smaller pieces into wings and two pieces into legs. Press onto body to attach., For leaves, roll out Dots candies to 1/8-in. thickness; cut leaf shapes. Place a turkey on top of each cupcake; arrange leaves, sunflower kernels and Sixlets around turkeys.

SAVORY THANKSGIVING CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray 6 muffin cups with cooking spray.
• Stir cornbread mix, creamed corn, milk, egg, sage, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a medium mixing bowl. Divide mixture evenly among the muffin cups
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 17 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Using a teaspoon measuring spoon, hollow out the center of each cornbread cupcake; reserve scooped out cornbread. Fill each hole with about 2 teaspoons cranberry sauce. Use reserved cornbread to top each hole.
• Place mashed potatoes in a resealable plastic bag and snip off 1 corner of the bag. Pipe about 1/3 cup potatoes on top of each cupcake. Place 2 turkey slices on each mound of potatoes, and drizzle each with 2 teaspoons gravy. Serve warm, garnished with a sprinkle of parsley.

LARRY THE TURKEY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Spoon the vanilla and chocolate frosting into separate ziplock bags, press out the excess air, and seal. Snip a 1/8 inch corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe a dot of frosting on 7 adjacent scallops on each ginger cookie to make the tail fan. Add a piece of candy corn to each dot of frosting, pointed end facing in.
• Place the caramel jimmies in a small shallow bowl. Spread the caramel frosting on top of all the cupcakes, standard and mini, and smooth. Roll the edge of the standard cupcakes in the jimmies. Dip the top edge of the mini cupcakes in the jimmies.
• Press 1 piece of Indian candy corn into the center of each mini cupcake, flat side down, for the break. Pipe 2 dots of the vanilla frosting above the break for the eyes and insert 2 brown sunflower seeds, pointed end down. Cut the red fruit leather into twenty-four 1 1/2 inch long teardrop shapes and lay them over the beak to make the wattle.
• Snip a 1/8 inch corner from the bag with the chocolate frosting and pipe names on the flat side of the graham cracker cookies.
• Enlarge the hole in the corner of the bag with the chocolate frosting to 1/4 inch. Using clean scissors, cut the marshmallows in half on the diagonal. Place 1 marshmallow half, cut side down, near the edge of one of the standard cupcakes, with the tapered end facing the center, to make a support for the tail. Pipe a dot of chocolate frosting on the tapered end. Place the tail cookie on the marshmallow, pressing the undecorated edge into the frosting on the marshmallow. Add the mini cupcake head on top so that half of it is resting on the undecorated edge of the cookie and the other half is pressed lightly into the frosting to secure.
• Add the graham cookies at the base of the mini cupcakes, securing with a dot of frosting.
• Arrange the turkeys on the table as place cards. Place 2 candy corns on the table in front of each turkey to make the feet.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
• For the cupcakes: Stir together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs together in a large bowl until smooth and light. Whisk in the oil until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin until completely smooth. Add the dry ingredients and fold until the batter is just smooth.
• Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the muffins comes out just clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool on the rack completely.
• For the chocolate buttercream: Sift the confectioners' sugar and cocoa onto a piece of parchment paper. Beat the butter and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners' sugar mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon cream. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more cream as needed to make a light, spreadable frosting.
• Generously frost the cupcakes. Use an offset spatula to make the tops smooth and flat.
• For decorating: Combine the confectioners' sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until smooth. Add more lemon juice, as needed, to make a frosting the consistency of glue.
• Use the confectioners' sugar glue to adhere 7 peanut butter candies to each ginger cookie like the feathers of a turkey's tail (make a row of 5, then place 2 underneath). Lay flat until set, about 15 minutes.
• To make the heads, cut a small slice from the side of each doughnut hole so the heads will sit flat on the cupcakes. Glue 2 eyeballs to each head. Cut the yellow end from each piece of candy corn and discard it. Use a paring knife to cut a slit just below the eyes in a head and stick in a candy corn to make a beak. Repeat with the remaining heads. Cut each of the 4 red jelly candies into 3 half-moons. Glue each to the side of the candy corn for the wattles.
• Cut two "wings" from each peanut butter cookie by laying the cookie horizontally and cutting each side on an angle to make 2 wings; a triangular piece of cookie will be left over in the middle (snack on it, or save it for another use).
• Stick the tails into the back of the cupcakes at a slight angle. Add the heads on top and the wings on the sides.

TURKEY DINNER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• 1. Tint 3 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting light green with the green and yellow food coloring. Spoon the frosting into a resealable bag; set aside. Spoon 3 tablespoons vanilla frosting into a resealable bag; set aside., 2. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place the corn flakes in a large bowl. Tint 1/2 cup of the vanilla frosting green with the green food coloring. Heat the green frosting in a microwave-safe bowl until liquid, about 10 to 15 seconds, stirring well. Pour the frosting over the corn flakes and toss until completely coated. Pour the coated corn flakes onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread out into a single layer. Allow the corn flakes to dry, about 30 minutes., 3. Meanwhile, cut the pound cake into 1/8-in. cubes; cover until ready to use., 4. Cut the wheat sticks in half. Soften several caramels in the microwave for no more than 3 seconds. Flatten a caramel slightly and place one end of a wheat stick in the center of the flattened caramel., Bring the caramel up and over the end of the wheat stick and shape into a drumstick. Trim the overhanging end of the wheat stick to 1/2 in. with a serrated knife. Continue to make 48 drumsticks., 5. Microwave four caramels at a time to soften, about 3 seconds. Press the caramels together and roll them out to a 3-1/2-in. diameter. Cut caramels into a 3-1/2-in. circle with a round cookie cutter or the opening of a glass. Cut out an opening for the stuffing about 1-1/2 in. wide and deep. Repeat with the remaining caramels to make 24 skins. Place the caramel skins between sheets of waxed paper. (The drumsticks and skins can be made up to 4 days in advance and kept in an airtight container.), 6. Place a mound of vanilla frosting on top of a cupcake; top with a caramel turkey skin. Tuck the edge of the caramel in 1/4 in. from the edge of the cupcake. Use a small knife to push the caramel into the frosting: it will make the turkey look plumper and give room for the lettuce corn flakes. Pinch the ends of the caramel opening; some of the frosting will pop out. Press some of the cake cubes into the frosting as the stuffing., 7. Lightly brush one side of each drumstick with a bit of water. Press each drumstick to each side of the stuffing opening. Hold several seconds to secure. Repeat with the remaining drumsticks., 8. Snip a small corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting. Add the green corn flakes around the edge of the cupcake to look like lettuce. Use some vanilla frosting if necessary to help secure. Pipe dots of vanilla frosting on the ends of the wheat sticks to look like the ends of the turkey bones. Add more cake cubes as stuffing if desired., 9. Snip a small corner from the bag with the light green frosting., Pipe a few dots around the turkey and add the candies and seeds as fruit. Cluster the purple seeds as a bunch of grapes and pipe a dot of frosting on top as the stems. Sprinkle the top of the caramel turkey with some cinnamon.

TURKEY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make, bake and cool cake as directed on box for 24 cupcakes.
• Frost cupcakes with frosting. Place remaining frosting in corner of resealable freezer plastic bag. Snip off small corner of bag.
• To decorate each cupcake, pipe 1-inch mound of frosting on 1 side of cupcake to look like head of turkey. Make eyes with white decorating icing and brown decorating gel; add candy corn for beak. To make feathers, pipe frosting on opposite side to hold candy corn; place candy corn upright on frosting to look like feathers. Sprinkle chocolate candy sprinkles near head and at base of feathers. If desired, add candy corn at base of cupcake for feet. Store loosely covered.

THANKSGIVING CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Use an offset spatula to spread buttercream over cupcakes in a smooth layer.
• With a wet toothpick, poke two holes in each coconut marshmallow; using kitchen tweezers, insert chocolate sprinkles for eyes. Cut 12 orange gummy fish in half; push one half into each marshmallow for a beak. Press marshmallow heads onto cupcakes. Press 5 more gummy fish into each cupcake to make tail feathers. Sprinkle toasted coconut over cupcakes to cover completely. Decorated cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight containers.