Penguin Cupcake Recipe

12 vanilla cupcakes, 11 baked in white paper liners and 1 baked in a silver foil line
Penguins
4 plain mini doughnuts
1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
7 plan doughnut holes
1 can (16 oz) dark chocolate frosting
Black food coloring
4 marshmallows

7 think chocolate cookies
7 yellow fruit chews (Starbursts, Laffy Taffy)
14 mini chocolate chips

Iceberg and bucket
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup blue and white rock candy, plus more for garnish
Small colored fish candies
1 strand black licorice lace

Penguins
1. Cut the mini doughnuts in half crosswise. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting into a small ziplock bag, press out the excess air, seal, and set aside. Spread vanilla frosting on 7 of the cupcakes and place a mini doughnut half, cut side down, on top. Spread more vanilla frosting up the sides of the doughnut holes to fill the gap as smoothly as possible. Place the cupcakes in the freezer for 10 minutes, until slightly frozen.

2. Tint the dark chocolate frosting black with the food coloring. Microwave in a 12 cup microwavable measuring cup, stirring frequetnly, until it is the texture of lightly whipped cream, about 35 seconds total. Holding 1 chilled cupcake by its paper bottom, dip it into the black frosting just up to the liner. Hold the cupcake above the surface and allow the excess frosting to drip off. turn right side up and let stand. Repeat with the remaining 6  cupcakes. If the frosting becomes too thick for dipping, reheat for several seconds in the microwave, stirring well.

3. Using clean scissors, cut 1/8 inch off both flat ends of each marshmallow. Trim 1/4 inch off one side of the 7 of the marshmallow circles to create a straight edge. Press 1 cut marshmallow piece onto the black frosting on each cupcake, straight edge next to the paper liner, to make the penguin's belly.

4. Using a serrated knife, make 2 parallel cuts in each chocolate cookie 1/2 inch in from opposite sides. The 2 curved outside pieces will form the penguin's wings. Trim 1/4 inch from one end of each wing. Press the trimmed end of the cookie into the frosting just below the penguin's head, one on each side, securing them with a dot of black frosting.

5. Cut 4 of the yellow fruit chews in half on the diagonal to form the triangular beaks. For each penguin, place the cut side of one of the triangles onto the black frosted doughnut hole, pressing gently to secure. Cut and shape the remaining 3 1/2 chews into 14 3 toed feet. Snip a 1/8 inch corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting. Pipe white dots for the eyes and add the chocolate chips, pointed end in. Pipe a small white highlight one each eye.

Iceberg and Bucket
1. Spread the remaining vanilla frosting on the remaining 5 cupcakes and press the shredded coconut into the frosting. Arrange the rock candy on top of the 4 cupcakes in the paper liners to make the ice.

2. Add fish candies and the licorice lace to the remaining cupcakes int he foil liner. Attach the other end of the licorice to one of the penguins to make his catch of the day.

3. Arrange the penguin cupcakes in a curved line on a serving platter. Place the two fruit-chew penguin. place the ice burg cupcakes around the penguins and sprinkle the serving platter  with fish candy and rock candy. Tuck a fish candy under the wing of one of the penguins.