My favorite holiday is quickly approaching…Thanksgiving! It’s the holiday where there are zero expectations! No need to get presents; you do go door to door for candy; no stockings to stuff; no Easter baskets to fill. You are just expected to sit down, relax, eat too much food and enjoy the company of your friends and family. To me…that sounds like a pretty amazing holiday! These turkey cupcakes are perfect for your Thanksgiving holiday!

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If your kids celebrate Thanksgiving in school, you can be the hit of the party with these super adorable turkey cupcakes!! Above all, they are super adorable and not too difficult to make. For instance, this would make a good activity for the kids to do during their class party. During that party, they could piece together their turkey cupcake.

Turkey Cupcakes

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups Flour
• 1 cup Cocoa
• 2 Eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 cups Sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil
• 1 cup Boiling Water
• Package of Fudge Stripe Cookies
• Package of Oreo Cookies
• Bag of Candy Corn
• Bag of Plain M&M’s

Frosting Ingredients

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3/4 cups Heavy Cream

Royal Icing Ingredients

• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
• Red and Orange Gel Food coloring

There are a lot of directions for these cupcakes. I have broken them up into groups to make them less overwhelming. When I look at a recipe that doesn’t seem to end, I don’t want to make it. So with this recipe, I broke it up into groups. Hope that helps!

Cupcake Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare your cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, whole milk, oil and vanilla. Then add this bowl to the bowl of dry ingredients.
4. Beat together until fully mixed (about 3 minutes).
5. Slowly add the boiling water, starting with a small amount and then pour the remaining boiling water in.
6. Scoop the batter into cupcake lined cups about 3/4’s of the way full. The batter may be a little runny.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
8. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes before placing the cupcakes on a wire rack to completely cool.

Frosting Directions

1. Beat the softened butter on its own until it is smooth.
2. Add cocoa and powdered sugar, alternating with the heavy cream, into the creamed butter until it becomes a smooth and thick texture.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream. If it is too thin, add more powder sugar.
4. Scoop the frosting into a large pastry bag with a large frosting tip.
5. Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
6. Frost the cupcakes, starting from the outside edge of the cupcake working toward the center of the cupcake.

Royal Icing Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except food coloring) in a mixing bowl and mix on medium speed for 4 minutes.
2. If icing is not stiff enough, add 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
3. Divide the icing into three bowls.
4. In the first bowl, add several drops of orange gel food coloring. Stir to blend.
5. In the second bowl, add several drops of red gel food coloring. Stir to blend.
6. Leave the third bowl of icing white.
7. Finally, pour each color of icing into individual frosting bags with #5 tips. Twist the open end of the bag to push the icing to the tip.

Tips for Assembling the Turkey Cupcakes

1. Firstly, assemble the eyes. Separate your 2 of your Oreo’s, trying to keep most of the white icing on one side of the cookie…go ahead and eat the other side. Using your white icing, glue an M&M in the center. Allow for the icing to fully dry.
2. Secondly, take your Fudge Stripe Cookie and lay it with the stripe facing down. Take your candy corn and lay it out how you want it to look. Now “glue” each piece of candy corn down with the white icing. Allow to fully dry. Could take about 30 minutes for this part to dry.
3. Thirdly, once the eyes are dry, place a little bit of icing on the back of each Oreo and place them on the cupcake.
4. Fourthly, while your tail is probably still drying, take your orange icing and make the nose and take your red icing and make the waddle (or the gobble gobble, as my daughter calls it).
5. Finally, place the tail at the back of the cupcake, as indicated in the picture and allow the cupcake to dry some more before moving it.

So…what do you think? Aren’t they adorable?

What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?