Sometimes everyday snacks can do double duty as decorative touches, such as the pretzel sticks and twists in these delightful dog, butterfly, apple, and owl cupcakes. You’ll need one recipe Swiss meringue buttercream (page 304) for two dozen cupcakes. See Sources, page 342, for where to find the candies used below. Refrigerate decorated cupcakes for thirty minutes; serve at room temperature the same day.

　　

Ingredients

makes 24 per recipe

　　

Playful Puppy

Step 1

Using an offset spatula, spread a smooth layer of buttercream (plain or tinted, as desired) on cupcakes. Using a paring knife, cut red sour belt candy into rounded strips to resemble tongues; place on lower part of cupcake, in the center, bending tip slightly forward. Break small pretzel twists in half; press two small curved pieces into each cupcake for ears. Break the long W-shaped curve off additional pretzel twists; place rounded sections just above tongue, overlapping it slightly. Use black licorice buttons to create noses and brown mini chocolate- coated candies for eyes.

　　

Butterflies in Flight

Step 2

Tint 1/2 cup buttercream pale blue with gel-paste food color; tint remaining 4 1/2 cups pale green. Using an offset spatula, spread a smooth layer of green buttercream on cupcakes. Press 2 small pretzel twists, curved ends down, into center of each cupcake for wings. Place a candy-coated chocolate between wings at one end for the head. Snip black licorice laces into 1/2-inch pieces; slide 2 pieces under candy head for antennae. Starting at head, pipe dots in descending sizes between pretzels with blue buttercream and a small plain tip (#4) to resemble bodies.

　　

Red-Delicious Apple

Step 3

Tint buttercream red with gel-paste food color. Using an offset spatula, spread buttercream on cupcakes (the applesauce-spice cupcakes on page 55 are a good choice), smoothing to form domed shapes. Use a paring knife to cut 24 leaf shapes from green-apple sour belt candy. Break 12 small pretzel sticks in half; insert a pretzel half into each cupcake for a stem; arrange a candy leaf shape alongside.

　　

Wise Owls

Step 4

Tint half of buttercream brown with gel-paste food color. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of untinted buttercream on cupcakes. Break long curves off tiny pretzel twists; reserve for beaks. Place remaining pretzel portion in middle of cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small leaf tip (#66) with untinted and brown buttercream, placing them side by side in bag. Starting around pretzel and working outward, pipe “feathers” all over cupcakes. Insert reserved beaks, broken ends down. Melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate and place in a paper cornet (see page 298); pipe eyes inside pretzel outlines.

　　Martha Stewart's Cupcakes