Peter Pan Cupcakes

Makes 12 Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cups granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting & Decorations:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 16 oz. confectioners sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 1-2 tablespoons of milk or cream
• Green gel food coloring
  
• Green and red fondant

Equipment:

• 3″ round cookie cutter
• Piping Bag
• Coupler
• Small Round Tip
• Fondant Leaf Mold

Instructions:

1. Make Cupcakes – Mix flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
   
   

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine 1 cup of cubed unsalted butter with water and cocoa. Stirring constantly, heat mixture until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat.
   
   

3. Add chocolate mixture to flour mixture and mix well using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Slowly add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla mixing well.
   
   

4. Prepare muffin tins with cupcake papers. Put approximately 3 tablespoon of batter in each cupcake paper or about ⅔ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack.
   
   

5. Make frosting – Cream butter in a medium bowl using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer. When light and fluffy, add confectioners sugar and salt bit by bit until fully combined. Add vanilla and cream or milk until completely combined. If buttercream seems too thick, you may add another tablespoon of milk or cream. If it seems runny, you may add more confectioners sugar. Place 1/4 cup of frosting in a separate bowl and add a drop of green food gel coloring. Throughly combine. Add green frosting to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and small round tip. Set aside.
   
   

6. Frost the cupcakes – Frost the cupcakes using a large round or star tip. Next add green frosting vines around the edge of the cupcakes using the piping bag prepared with a round tip.
   
   
7. Add fondant decorations – Roll out green fondant to 1/4″ thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out six 3″ circles. Cut them in half and press straight edge to straight edge to create a cone. Gently turn up the back to create a brim. Set aside. Use scraps of green fondant and a leaf mold to create small green fondant leaves. Roll out read fondant to 1/4″ thick. Carefully cut out feather shapes. Using a small knife, make markings in the feather taking care not to cut all the way through the fondant. Using a small dot of water adhere it to the hat.