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Jungle Animal Cupcakes

From BETTY CROCKER

Makes 24 cupcakes

 

Lions, and tigers, and monkeys, and zebras…OH MY! Create a jungle of decorating activities with these jungle animal cupcakes. A fun theme for your kiddo’s next birthday bash!

INGREDIENTS

CUPCAKES AND FROSTING

1 box BETTY CROCKER Super Moist yellow or devil’s food cake mix

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

1 1/4 cups BETTY CROCKER Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting

Black food color

2 1/2 cups BETTY CROCKER Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting

Yellow and red food color

 

LION DECORATIONS

1 1/2 cups caramel popcorn

12 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

12 pretzel sticks

12 pieces CHEERIOS cereal (any flavor)

 

TIGER DECORATIONS

12 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

12 orange chewy fruit-flavored gumdrops (not sugar coated), cut in half crosswise, top halves discarded 

 

MONKEY DECORATIONS

12 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

6 miniature marshmallows, cut in half crosswise, pieces flattened

12 small round chocolate-covered creamy mints

 

ZEBRA DECORATIONS

6 round vanilla wafer cookies

24 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits

6 black chewy licorice-flavored gumdrops (not sugar coated), cut in half vertically

 

DIRECTIONS

1.Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate cupcakes to make 6 lions, 6 tigers, 6 monkeys, and 6 zebras.

2.In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup chocolate frosting with black food color to make black frosting. Place in resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Use black frosting to decorate lions, tigers, monkeys, and zebras (steps 3 through 7).

3.FOR LIONS AND TIGERS: In medium bowl, mix 1 cup vanilla frosting with enough yellow and red food colors to make orange. In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon orange frosting with 3 tablespoons white vanilla frosting to make lighter orange for muzzles. Frost 12 cupcakes with darker orange frosting. For muzzle, spread or pipe small circle of lighter orange frosting on each cupcake.

4.FOR LIONS: Place caramel corn around edges of cupcakes for mane. For eyes, add brown baking bits. For whiskers, break about 1/2-inch pieces off each end of pretzel sticks and insert in cupcakes. For ears, add cereal pieces. Using black frosting, pipe on mouth and nose.

5.FOR TIGERS: Use black frosting to pipe on stripes, nose, and mouth. For eyes, add brown baking bits. For ears, add gumdrop halves.

6.FOR MONKEYS: Frost 6 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon chocolate frosting and 2 tablespoons vanilla frosting to make light brown. For muzzle, spread or pipe circle of light brown on each cupcake that starts in middle and extends to edge; pipe small tuft of hair on opposite edge. For each eye, attach brown baking bit to marshmallow half with frosting; place on cupcakes. With black frosting, pipe on nose and mouth. For ears, add mints.

7.FOR ZEBRAS: Cut small horizontal slit in top of 6 cupcakes near edge of paper cup. Insert edge of vanilla wafer cookie into each slit to create elongated face, adding small amount of vanilla frosting to cookie before inserting to help stick. Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. For muzzles, frost cookies with black frosting. With black frosting, pipe on stripes and mane. Add brown baking bits for nostrils and eyes. For ears, add black gumdrop halves, cut sides down.

 

Find this recipe and more holiday treats at bettycrocker.com