Little Lamb Cupcake Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the butter, sugar and salt using an electric mixer on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the milk and almond extract, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy. Take 3/4 cup of the frosting and reserve. Take 1 cup of the frosting and add 8 to 10 drops of green food coloring to make a grassy color and reserve. Fill a pastry bag or resealable plastic baggie with the remaining frosting and snip a 1-inch corner off the bag.
• To make the body: Place 5 of the cupcakes in a line. Nestle 4 cupcakes above the line and 4 more cupcakes below the line, making them touch so you have a rough oval shape. Top each cupcake with a swirl of white frosting from the piping bag. Then pipe smaller peaks to fill all of the spaces between the cupcakes.
• To make the head: Put 3 cupcakes together in an upside-down triangle. Spread with 1/2 cup of the reserved white frosting so that all of the cupcakes are connected.
• To make the ears: Cut 1 cupcake in half, paper and all. Set each half, cut-side in, on either side of the bottom of the triangle. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of white frosting on top. Cut 1 licorice wheel in half and place, cut-side in, on each half cupcake. Now, pipe little swirls all over the top third of the head and around the outsides of the licorice ears. Nestle the head into the shoulder.
• To make the face: Peel off a 3-inch strip of licorice. Pull apart into 2 strands and cut into 1-inch lengths. Place 2 of them on the head for eyes. Make a Y shape with 3 pieces and place so the bottom point is centered at the bottom edge of the face. Discard (or eat) the fourth piece.
• To make the legs: Put 2 cupcakes into the first and third gaps on the bottom row of the body. Spread some frosting on each cupcake. Top each leg with a whole licorice wheel. Cut another wheel in half place one half under each wheel for the hooves.
• To make the grass: Line the remaining 5 cupcakes horizontally under the legs. Spread half of the green frosting in an even layer along the cupcakes, covering and connecting them. Next, fill the reservoir of a garlic press with some of the remaining the green frosting. The frosting is easiest to work with at cool room temperature. Press, attaching the frosting to each cupcake, while pulling upward to create grass. Repeat using the rest of the frosting until all of the cupcakes are covered.

Steps:

• Frost each cupcake with an even layer of frosting using a spatula or a palette knife.
• Use a skewer to poke 2 holes in the top end of each marshmallow half for the ears. Poke 2 holes at the bottom of the front side for each of the nostrils.
• Cut the black licorice laces into short lengths: 24 small pieces for the nostrils and thirty-six 1/3-inch lengths for the ears and tails. Stick the shorter licorice pieces into the marshmallows where you've poked holes for the nostrils. Stick 24 of the longer pieces into the marshmallows where you've poked holes for the ears. Attach 1 marshmallow head to each cupcake.
• Cover the cupcakes with mini marshmallows, sticking them to the frosting flat-side down. Leave space on the opposite side of the head to attach the tail. Poke a hole there using a skewer, then stick in the remaining licorice pieces for the tails.
• Spread the backs of two candy eyeballs with a bit of frosting. Attach to the marshmallow, positioning above the nose. Repeat with remaining eyeballs.

Steps:

• Frost cupcake. Place the large marshmallow in the center. Lightly frost the back of the candy eyes and press them onto the marshmallow. Frost the back of the jujube candy and put below the eyes for a nose. Frost the short piece of licorice lightly and press underneath the nose to make the mouth. Press mini-marshmallow halves all around the cupcake and the face to make the lambs coat. Frost the tips of the pink jelly beans and stick on top of the lamb's head to make ears. Stick the purple jelly beans in the front and back of the cupcake for feet. Curl the long piece of licorice and press into frosting to make the lamb's tail.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners. (To avoid cupcakes sticking if they overflow slightly, lightly spray the tops of the pans with nonstick cooking spray.) Put tins on a baking sheet. Set aside.
• Process the sugar and butter in a food processor until very creamy, scraping the sides down as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, pulsing after each addition. Add the milk, 2/3 cup water, and vanilla and process to blend.
• Whisk the all-purpose and cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture, in 3 batches to the butter mixture and pulse, scraping batter off the sides of the processor as needed after each addition. Process until the batter is very smooth and pourable like pancake batter, about 2 minutes.
• Evenly pour the batter into the prepared cups, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed, and the tops are golden, 18 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly in tin until cool enough to handle. Transfer to a rack and cool completely before frosting.
• Whisk the milk and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
• Slowly beat the butter and sugar, in another medium bowl, with an electric mixer until incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.) Add the fluff and salt and reduce the speed to low. Add the milk and vanilla mixture, scrape the bowl down, and mix until fully incorporated. Raise the mixer to high and beat briefly until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use right away.