Turkey Cupcakes

These are the ingenious idea of Martha Stewart from her Cupcakes cookbook , I used her recipe for chocolate cupakes (below) and her recipe for buttercream that I also used in this post.   It is easily my new favorite buttercream recipe. I also liked her chocolate cupcake recipe better than the Hershey's version.  These were a huge hit at Thanksgiving and a great treat for all of the kids (and the adults!).   

 

Basically, you make the cupcakes and frosting (really any recipe that you want), dip them in toasted coconut.   Then coat a marshmallow in buttercream and also dip in the toasted coconut.  You make the tail and beak with Swedish fish and use chocolate sprinkles for the eyes.  I used a cupcake carrier that I had to transport them, which worked out great, because I think they would be difficult to transport otherwise.  

Martha Stewart One-bowl chocolate cupcakes - makes 18 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners; set aside.
2. Sift together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. 
3. Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla, and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl to assure batter is well mixed.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. 
5. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Source:  Martha Stewart