Puppy Dog Cupcakes!

How cute are these! They were perfect for my puppy loving daughter on her third birthday – a little fiddly and certainly looked nothing like the expert ones but we loved them!

I found this in an old copy of New Idea so credit goes to them or who ever made up the concept.

I will pop here the cupcake recipe they recommend but you could also use my Easy Rich Chocolate Cake recipe – check it out on here http://justamumnz.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/awesome-easy-rich-chocolate-cake/

Basic Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Ingredients for Cupcakes

100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1/2 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup milk

Method for Cupcakes

1. Line a 12-hold muffin pan with paper cases
2. Beat butter, sugar and essence with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add combined sifted flour and cocoa with milk, in two batches. Stir until just combined. Divide evenly among cases
3. Cook in a moderate oven (180C) for 20 minutes or until cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Ingredients for Icing

125g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/3 cups icing sugar
2 TBSP cocoa powder
20 Jersey Caramels
6 marshmallows, halved horizontally
Queens White Writing & Decorating Fudge
12 mini M&Ms
12 Black Jelly Beans
6 pink or red jelly beans – halved

Method for Icing & Decorating

1. To make icing, beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in icing sugar and sifted cocoa powder until combined.
2. To make ears, place half the caramels on a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high power for 10-15 seconds or until just softened. Knead until smooth. roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Using kitchen scissors, cut out 24 small triangles. Set aside
3. Repeat with the remaining caramels. Cut out 12 circles using a 5cm-round cutter.
4. Spread icing evenly over cakes. Arrange caramel triangles on cakes for ears. Arrange caramel triangles on cakes for ears. To make muzzle, place marshmallow halves on cakes. Drape caramel circles over top. Using white fudge as glue, attach mini M&Ms and jellybeans.

I would love to see your attempts at these so post a photo to my FB page if you do! www.facebook.com/justamumnz

Happy Baking 🙂