Easy Cupcakes

Mmmm… What could be more delicious than a chocolate monkey cupcake? Certainly not monkey brains; that’s gross. Seriously, though, kids can easily make these pretty primates.

What You Need: 1 cupcake; chocolate frosting; black writing icing; 2 chocolate candy “melts”; 2 brown mini M&Ms or other brown candy such as Raisinettes; chocolate sprinkles.

How to Make It: Frost cupcake. Position chocolate melts as ears on left and right side. Sprinkle chocolate jimmies near top for “hair.” Using writing icing in a tube to draw nostrils and mouth. Add chocolate eyes.

Long strands of stiff licorice give this Halloween spider a spooky reach. Use chocolate frosting, sprinkles and M&M eyes to make him even tastier.

What You Need: 1 cupcake; chocolate frosting; chocolate sprinkles; black (or dark brown) M&Ms; black licorice (strand style); knife or kitchen shears.

How to Make It: Frost cupcake. Sprinkle with chocolate jimmies. Place two black M&Ms, letter side down, for eyes. Cut licorice into eight equal strands and insert into cupcake for legs.

For Valentine’s Day or anytime, for romance or “just friends,” these I Love You cupcakes combine chocolate and sentiment. I used strawberry-flavored frosting, so technically they also combine chocolate and strawberry. 😉

What You Need: 1 cupcake; chocolate frosting; pink frosting; pastry bag and round metal tip (I used #4); pink conversation heart.

How to Make It: Frost cupcake with chocolate. Write “I” and “You” using pink frosting, being sure to leave room for the heart. Place heart upside-down in gap.

Make a cute bear with a few candies and some Cocoa Puffs cereal!

What You Need: 1 cupcake; chocolate frosting; 2 black M&Ms; 1 blackberry candy; 6 Cocoa Puffs.

How to Make It: Frost cupcake. Arrange 3 Cocoa Puffs on each side of top of cupcake for ears. Add M&M eyes and berry nose.

Consider “going chocolate” with your Valentine’s Day cupcakes. Add a sweet message, too!

What You Need: Chocolate icing; assorted Valentine’s Day themed sprinkles; pastry bag with No. 3 metal tip (or use chocolate icing in bag or tube).

How to Make It: Frost cupcake. Add sprinkles. Pipe X and O (or message of your choice) on top of cupcake–right on top of the sprinkles.