Cooking with Kids (Thanksgiving): Turkey Cupcakes

My kids truly believe that there is a cute treat to go with every holiday and I have no one to blame than myself for this holiday sugar fixation.   It wasn't enough for me to stick with Valentines, Easter, birthdays, and Christmas---no I had to go ahead and throw in Groundhog's Day, April Fools' Day, and even "Pi" Day.   So with all that precedent, of course I'm always on the look-out for more fun ideas to throw into the mix.  This is an idea I got from my friend Andie and knew instantly that my kids would love it, which they did of course!   Click here for my other Thanksgiving recipes. 

Click here for printable recipe. 

 

(My kids were debating amongst themselves at which way the wings went.  I very nobly decided not to get involved, but if you look at the group picture at the end of the post  you'll see that they never did decide! If you have an opinion, you'll have to let me know. )

The ingredients:

Cupcakes, baked
White frosting
Nutter Butters (for turkey bodies)

Black decorating gel  (for eyes)
 Red fruit roll-ups, cut into small wedge shapes (for wattles)
Vanilla wafers, halved (for wings)
Candy corn (for back feathers)

Frost each cupcake with white frosting; set aside.   Using the black decorating gel, make the eyes and stick the fruit roll-up wedge shaped down (either with the black gel or a bit of the white frosting) to be the wattle.  Push the Nutter Butter "turkey body" down into the center of the cupcake.  Place two vanilla wafer halves on either side of the turkey to be the wings and finally making two rows, place several candy corns upside down back behind the turkey to be the tail feathers. 

Cute, cute!

 

NOTE:  If you  have food allergies which prevent you from using the Nutter Butter cookies, I have found that Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies work well as a nut-free, although slightly more expensive substitute .    

Enjoy!