April Fool’s TV Dinner Cupcakes

I got this idea from “Hello, Cupcake!” (You can find the link to the cookbook on the sidebar >>>) I love this cookbook! There are so many cool ideas in it! They also have the recipe on Martha Stewart (click here). Jared and I both took a tray of these to work for our co-workers. We also gave a tray to our in-laws and kept a tray for ourselves From start to finish for 12 cupcakes took us a little under an hour (including making the cupcakes from a box cake).

6 Vanilla Cupcakes, baked in silver foil liners
FOR THE DRUMSTICKS:
1/4 cup white chocolate melting wafers, melted
1 cup Vanilla Frosting
3 plain store-bought doughnut holes
1 cup cornflake crumbs
FOR THE MASHED POTATOES:
1 yellow fruit chew, such as Laffy Taffys or Starbursts, cut into a 1-inch square
3 Tbsp. Vanilla Frosting
1/2 Tbsp. store-bought caramel sauce, heated
FOR THE PEAS AND CARROTS:
3 orange Starbursts, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. Vanilla Frosting
Green food coloring
2 Tbsp. hard green candies, such as Runts
FOR THE CHOCOLATE PUDDING:
3 Tbsp. Chocolate Frosting
1 tsp. colored sprinkles

To make the drumsticks:Place the bone template on a baking sheet. Cover with parchment paper; set aside. Place melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag and snip a 1/8-inch corner from the bag. Following the bone template, pipe an outline onto the parchment paper. Fill the bone in with chocolate and lightly tap pan to smooth top of chocolate. Repeat process 3 times. Refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes. Spread vanilla frosting on top of 3 cupcakes, mounding it slightly. Place 1 doughnut hole on top of each cupcake. Spread frosting over the doughnut hole until it is smooth and covered.

Place cornflake crumbs in a medium bowl. Gently press frosted cupcakes in crumbs to cover completely. Place cupcakes in a 6-cup disposable aluminum cupcake baking tray.

Using a sharp knife, make a small slit in the top of each crumbed doughnut hole. Carefully peel 1 chocolate bone from the parchment paper and insert the pointed end into one of the slits. Repeat with remaining 2 bones and cupcakes.

To make the mashed potatoes:Spread vanilla frosting on 1 cupcake, mounding it slightly. Use a small spoon to create a well in the center of the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray. Place yellow fruit chew (smoosh it around the sides so it flattens and looks more like it is melting) in the well at an angle. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of cupcake so that it fills the well and spills over like gravy.

To make the peas and carrots: Color vanilla frosting with green food coloring and spread on top of 1 cupcake. Arrange orange fruit chews and green candies on top of cupcake, pressing them into the frosting. Place cupcake in aluminum baking tray.

To make the chocolate pudding: Place chocolate frosting in a resealable plastic bag; press out all the excess air and seal to enclose. Snip a 1/4-inch corner from the bag. Pipe chocolate frosting into a spiral swirl onto the remaining cupcake. Top with sprinkles and place in aluminum baking tray.