Lion Cupcakes Roarrrr Recipes

LION CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to beat together the cake mix, milk, eggs and melted butter until a smooth, fluffy batter forms, about 2 minutes.
• Scoop about ¼ cup of batter into each prepared cupcake liner. They should be filled about ¾ way full. Depending on how full the cupcakes are you should be able to fill 20-24 liners.
• Bake the cupcakes for 19-23 minutes or until they spring back when tapped and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs.
• Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before frosting, about 30-40 minutes.
• When you are ready to decorate the cupcakes, place half of the coconut in a small bowl and add a few drops of yellow food coloring.
• Stir the food coloring into the coconut until the coconut is all covered. It will be colored in a gradient of orange with some pieces darker and some lighter. This will work well so don't worry about them all being the same shade.
• Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to the frosting and stir until the frosting is an even, light yellow color.
• Frost each cupcake with a layer of yellow frosting and then dip the edge of the cupcake in the coconut and twist the edge in a circular motion to make a coconut "mane". The center of the cupcake should be just yellow frosting, with no coconut on it.
• If the coconut gets low or starts to have only small pieces, add the rest of the bag and a few more drops of coloring and mix it up and then continue decorating.
• Add two candy eyes to the coconut free center of the cupcakes with a mini chocolate chip below them for a nose. Place the chocolate chip so that the point is pointing down away from the eyes.
• Use the black decorating icing to draw on a mouth, a line running down from the nose that splits into two "U" shapes.
• Add two brown M&Ms on either side of the face, in the mane, to be the ears of the lions.
• Serve your lions with pride!

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".

MUDSLIDE CUPCAKE

Steps:

• 1. For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and prepare your cupcake pan with your desired liners.
• 2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy.
• 3. Add the granulated sugar to the eggs with the mixer running and continue to whisk, at medium-high speed, until the mixture is thick, stiff, and glossy. Transfer the egg white mixture to another bowl, and clean out your standing mixer bowl thoroughly.
• 4. In your clean mixer bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• 5. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• 6. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, and baking soda.
• 7. With the mixer speed on low, slowly add the flour mixture, coffee, and Kahlua alternately, ending with the flour mixture.
• 8. Stop the mixer, and gently fold in the egg whites into the batter using a rubber spatula, until well-combined.
• 9. Fill each prepared cupcake liner about two-thirds full.
• 10. Bake the cupcakes for about 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
• 11. For the Kahlua buttercream: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and powdered sugar on low speed until smooth.
• 12. Add the cocoa powder, Kahlua, and coffee, adding more powdered sugar if necessary. Set aside.
• 13. For the Bailey's buttercream: In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or another bowl if you are getting tired of cleaning your mixer bowl out....), combine the butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
• 14. Add the vanilla extract and Bailey's Irish Cream, mixing well until combined.
• 15. Pipe the buttercream (description of how-to above) onto the cupcakes and garnish with chocolate curls.

GUM PASTE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the gum-tex with 3 cups powdered sugar.
• Make a shallow well in the center and set aside.
• Mix the water and glucose in a glass measuring cup until well blended; heat in a microwave on High for 30 seconds (mixture should be clear).
• Pour into the well of powdered sugar and mix until well blended (mixture will be soft).
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and then seal in a plastic zipper bag; let sit at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
• Knead the remaining powdered sugar into the paste when you are ready to use it.
• The gum paste will soften as you work it.