Lion Cupcakes Recipes

LION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Tint 1/2 cup buttercream pale pink with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#4). Add melted and cooled chocolate to remaining buttercream, and stir until combined with a flexible spatula.
• Using an offset spatula, spread cupcakes with chocolate buttercream in a smooth, even layer. Attach two candy-coated chocolates for the eyes and two gumdrop halves, cut sides down, for the cheeks. Arrange three licorice pieces in the buttercream on each side of gumdrop cheeks for whiskers. To make the nose, pipe a dot in the center with pink buttercream. Gently press toasted coconut around the edge of cupcake to resemble a mane. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature.

LION CUPCAKES - ROARRRR!

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Toast coconut on a cookie sheet in a single layer for 6-10 minutes until lightly brown (stir coconut every 2-3 minutes while toasting).
• Frost cupcakes with frosting.
• Roll edges of cupcake in toasted coconut to make the lion's "mane".
• Place 2 gum drops side by side in the lower/middle of the cupcake.
• Place 2 licorice "whiskers" on each side tucked partially under the gum drops to adhere.
• Place 2 m&m "eyes" above the gumdrops.
• Place a dab of pink icing below eyes and above the gumdrops to make the "nose".

JUNGLE ANIMAL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F 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.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• For tigers, use black frosting to pipe on stripes, nose and mouth. For eyes, add brown baking bits. For ears, add gumdrop halves.
• 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.
• 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.