Beaver Cupcakes

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

120 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 12 servings

Nutritional Info
Per cupcake: about	-
cal	228228 cal
pro	2 g2g pro
total fat	14 g14g total fat
sat. fat	8 g8g sat. fat
carb	26 g26g carb
fibre	1 g1g fibre
chol	44 mg44mg chol
sodium	125 mg125mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	33 calcium
iron	99 iron
vit A	1010 vit A
folate	55 folate

These treats are quick and easy to make and decorate. So keep the kids as busy as a beaver with an afternoon of fun.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 1/2cup cupcocoa powder
2 eggs 2 2eggeggs
1 tsp vanilla 1 1tsp tspvanilla
1-1/4 1-1/4cups cupssifted cake and pastry flour
1 cup packed brown sugar 1 1cup cuppacked brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder 1 1tsp tspbaking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 1/2tsp tspbaking soda
1/4 tsp salt 1/4 1/4tsp tspsalt
1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened1/2 1/2cup cupunsalted butter, softened
Chocolate Icing:
3/4 cup butter , softened3/4 3/4cup cupbutter, softened
1/4 cup whipping cream 1/4 1/4cup cupwhipping cream
1/2 tsp maple extract 1/2 1/2tsp tspmaple extract or vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups icing sugar 1-1/2 1-1/2cups cupsicing sugar
1 1oz ozunsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
Decorations:
24 24candy-sprinkled dark chocolates, (such as pearls)
24 coloured quins 24 24coloured quins or small candy
12 chocolate-covered cashews 12 12chocolate-covered cashews
24 blanched sliced almonds 24 24blanched sliced almonds
12 12small milk chocolate-covered digestive biscuits

Preparation

Click here for step-by-step instructions to make these Beaver Cupcakes.

1. In small bowl, whisk cocoa with 3/4 cup (175 mL) boiling water; let cool.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, half of the cooled cocoa mixture and vanilla; set aside.

In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. On low speed, beat in butter and remaining cocoa mixture until combined. Increase speed to medium; beat for 1 minute. Gradually beat in egg mixture, scraping side of bowl as necessary. Divide among 12 large paper-lined muffin cups, smoothing tops.

2. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely on racks. (Make-ahead: Wrap individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Or overwrap in heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

3. Chocolate Icing: In bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in cream. Beat in maple extract. Beat in sugar, 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time. Beat in chocolate until fluffy. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days; beat before using.) Spoon 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the icing into piping bag fitted with small plain tip; set aside for decorating face.

4. Cut tops off each cupcake level with top of paper liner; cut one-third off each top, reserving large piece.

Spread rounded 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the remaining icing over each cupcake and reserved large piece. Stand cut edge of piece on edge of cupcake for face, supporting piece with small dollop of icing.

5. Decorations: Press 2 candy-sprinkled dark chocolates on face for eyes. Using reserved icing, pipe dot on each chocolate; press on quins for pupils.

With serrated knife, halve 1 cashew lengthwise; press half below eyes with curve facing up for nose. Cut remaining cashew half in half crosswise; press above eyes for ears.

With offset spatula, smooth icing at cheeks. Starting at nose, pipe reserved icing in swoop along each edge of cupcake for jowls.

Press almonds into icing below nose for teeth.

6. Using 2-1/2-inch (6 cm) plain teardrop cutter, cut out tail from each biscuit. Pipe line of icing around edge of tail; pipe diamond pattern in centre. Press onto cupcake behind face.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: July 2008