Owl Cupcakes
Description
These owl cupcakes are a fun idea for a kid's birthday party, a bake sale, or a Halloween party - they are quick and easy to make and cute.
Ingredients
•
2 cups white sugar
•
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
•
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•
2 teaspoons baking powder
•
1 teaspoon salt
•
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•
1 cup buttermilk
•
1/2 cup vegetable oil
•
2 eggs
•
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•
1 cup hot water
•
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
•
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
•
1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
•
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
•
7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•
1/4 cup white sugar
•
48 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
•
48 brown candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as M&M's®)
•
24 orange or yellow candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as M&M's®)
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.
2
Combine 2 cups sugar, flour, 1 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
3
Whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add flour mixture; mix until well-combined. Pour in hot water; stir until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins.
4
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 12 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
5
Whip 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in 1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese, 7 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/4 cup sugar gently to make frosting.
6
Spread 1 tablespoon frosting over each cooled cupcake.
7
Twist chocolate sandwich cookies open, leaving all cream filling on 1 side. Place 2 cookies, cream filling-side up, on each cupcake to make owl eyes. Place a brown milk chocolate piece on each cookie to create pupils. Insert an orange or yellow milk chocolate piece in the center to make a beak.