Halloween Owls

I love the creativity Alan Richardson and Karen Tack presented in their book Hello, Cupcake.  Since that time they have published additional books with equally creative cupcake ideas.

One of my favorite designs, however, is still the cupcake owls from Hello, Cupcake.  I think these owls are particularly fun to make around Halloween. 

  

Owl Cupcakes

Supplies Needed:

24 cooled chocolate cupcakes (regular size)

chocolate frosting (make it easy and buy the frosting pre-made)

48 Junior Mints

24 pieces of yellow candy for the beak  (I used a yellow M&M since I did not have banana shaped Runts as mentioned in the book)  A candy corn could work as well

48 Oreo Cookies

Process:

Frost the cooled cupcakes with the chocolate frosting.

Take two Oreo cookies and separate the two halves.  Be careful not to break the cookies.  The cookies will separate easier if you place them in the microwave for a few seconds.

Take the frosting side of each cookie and place it frosting side up on the cupcake to create the eyes.  (Save the plain chocolate side for the owl's ears).  Place a little bit of frosting on the back of a junior mint and attach it to the white part of the Oreo cookies.  Add the beak (yellow M&M or other candy)

Take the other half of the Oreo cookie (the plain chocolate side) and cut off the top third.  Arrange this piece of the cookie on the top of the owl above the eyes to create an ear.  Cut off the bottom third of the chocolate cookie to create the other ear (see photo).  

Place some chocolate frosting in a decorating bag and pipe on top of the plain chocolate cookie ears.

If desired pipe a small dot of melted white chocolate onto the junior mint eyeball.

Mini Owl Cupcakes

Follow the same directions as listed above but use mini cupcakes, mini Oreo cookies and mini M&M's instead of Junior Mints.  A small yellow mini M&M can be used for the beak.

For added fun, spread some white cotton candy on the serving dish.