Halloween Owl Cupcake

Difficulty Level: Experienced

Whoo! Whoo! Who is that on top of your cupcake? Why, it's your friendly neighborhood owl fashioned from fondant! Combine him with Moon and Stars cupcakes for a great display. Or have him sit solo at the top of your cupcake tower.

Bakery/Cake Goods needed:

• Your favorite batch of vanilla cupcakes
  


• Your favorite Butter Cream Frosting (leave it ivory or white)

"Owl" Decorating Supplies:

• Pre-made batch of fondant
  (we used Wilton's Ready-To-Use Fondant in white)


• Black Pearl Sprinkles


• Small food-safe paint brush


• Small Rolling Pin


• Paste food color yellow and orange (we used Wilton's)


• Cocoa Powder

Cupcake Icing Tools

• Ateco's #804 Round Icing Tip


• Icing Bag

Finishing Touches

• Orange Cupcake Liners

Directions for making the Owl:

Step 1: Break off two small balls of fondant and one very small ball. Tint one of the balls yellow with the paste food color and the other light brown using cocoa powder. Tint the very small ball orange.

Step 2: Break off a medium size ball of white fondant. Roll the medium ball into a short sausage. Break the yellow fondant into two pieces and roll into two balls. Attach the yellow balls to the end of the sausage. Using the small rolling pin, roll the brown tinted fondant out on a flat surface. Using the wide end of the Ateco #804 tip, cut out a circle. Roll the circle out a little flatter. Using a food safe paint brush, dampen the circle slightly with water and wrap it around the head (two round yellow balls) and body (white sausage). Pinch the tips of the circle as they curve around the top or head to form the owl's ears.

Step 3: Press two black pearl sprinkles into each yellow ball to form eyes. Roll a small amount of orange fondant into a thin tube. Cut and attach to the owl's face to form the beak. Set aside to dry.

Directions for Icing the Cupcake:

Step 1: Fill the icing bag with butter cream and fit the opening with the #804 tip. Using a circular motion, squeeze out icing to cover the top of the cupcakes.

Step 2: Place the owl on top of the cupcake.