Turkey Cupcakes, Almost Too Pretty to Eat

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Cupcakes

If you're looking for a cute dessert that's easy and inexpensive, this isn't it.  They take a lot of little ingredients; soft caramel squares, candy coated sunflower seeds, sixlets etc.  They also take about a half a day to make since each little turkey and piece is individually molded.

Breaking it down...

-Start by baking your favorite cupcake, since it was fall I went for pumpkin.  You can fill them if you choose but I'm not sure if you really need to.

- Soften a few caramels at a time in the microwave (10 seconds or less, they won't work if they're too hot).  Mold one over a half of a Pringles honey pretzel stick and make it look like a drumsticks.  Continue until you have enough legs for all of your turkeys.

- Next make the turkey skins, soften a few caramels at a time, roll two caramels out and cut a 3 inch circle.  Cut a small square out of one side which will be where the stuffing goes.

- Pipe a large dollop of frosting (I used a stiff vanilla buttercream) on each cupcake and cover with the skin to look like a turkey body.  Be sure to press the sides down into the frosting and leave a hole in the back where the stuffing will go.

-Cut a pound cake into tiny cubes and stuff a few into the end of each turkey.

-Attach the legs by lightly brushing the inside of each with a touch if water and pressing both onto the sides of the turkey (hold for 15 seconds or until they are set)

-For the decorations, I used the buttercream and added green coloring to look like lettuce.  I used a leaf tip to pipe the leaves on.  Then I added sixlet oranges and candy coated sunflower seeds as a bunch of grapes.

-Sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon to make the turkey skin look like it's cooked.