Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Prepare the cupcakes: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the buttercream frosting: Beat the softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed. Add the vanilla extract and milk/cream. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Tint the frosting brown if desired for a turkey body color.
- Frost each cooled cupcake with a generous swirl of brown frosting. This forms the turkey's body.
- Assemble the turkey decorations: Gently press one chocolate sandwich cookie halfway into the top center of the frosting on each cupcake. This is the back/tail area.
- Insert one wafer cookie or fruit leather strip into the back of the sandwich cookie to represent the tail feathers.
- Place two candy eyes onto the front half of the sandwich cookie. Press one candy corn (pointy side down) just below the eyes for the beak.
- Serve the Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes immediately or store them covered at room temperature.
Notes
You can use any standard cake flavor for the base, such as vanilla or chocolate. For a richer look, use chocolate frosting and decorate the cookie body with a thin layer of the brown frosting before adding the eyes and beak.