Thanksgiving Kids' Craft: Turkey Cupcakes

Kids of all ages will have a blast using candy and frosting to dress up plain cupcakes to resemble cute Thanksgiving turkeys. Make these treats a day before the big feast or make decorating the cupcakes part of your Turkey Day festivities.
Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcake

Turkey Cupcake

Seriously, how cute is this little turkey — don't you just wanna gobble him up? Yeah, me too, and so will your littlest Thanksgiving guests. Bake cupcakes the day before and have icing and small bowls of candy prepped so kids can start decorating their cupcakes as soon as the festivities begin. Get step-by-step instructions.

Project inspired by i heart baking!

Materials Needed:

  • chocolate cake mix
  • white frosting
  • chocolate frosting
  • yellow round candy (like M&M's or Reese's Pieces)
  • candy corn
  • orange mini chocolate or butterscotch chips
  • black edible-ink marker
  • brown cupcake liners
  • piping bag and tip or plastic sandwich bag with a cut corner

Bake Cupcakes and Frost

Bake cupcakes in brown liners according to cake mix instructions. Allow to cool.
Frost cupcakes with white frosting, keeping the frosting nearly flat. Next, fill a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag (with cut corner) with chocolate frosting and pipe a small, flat circle of chocolate frosting on top of the white frosting (Image 1).

Chocolate and white frosted cupcake

Bake Cupcakes and Frost

Bake cupcakes in brown liners according to cake mix instructions. Allow to cool. Frost cupcakes with white frosting, keeping the frosting nearly flat. Next, fill a piping bag or plastic sandwich bag (with cut corner) with chocolate frosting and pipe a small, flat circle of chocolate frosting on top of the white frosting.

Add Turkey's Face and Eyes

Add a yellow candy to the center of the chocolate frosting circle (Image 1). Use the black edible-ink marker to draw 2 small dots on the yellow candy for the turkey's eyes, leaving space for the turkey's beak (Image 2).

Add Candy Corn Feathers and Beak

Add 5 candy corns to the top half of the turkey, resting them on the white frosting with the candy's white tips beneath the chocolate frosting (Image 1). Using a dab of frosting, attach a mini orange chocolate chip to the yellow candy as the turkey's beak (Image 2).

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