Dog Character Cupcakes

Directions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan and line a cupcake/muffin tray with 12 cases.
2. Cream together the caster sugar and butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time with a large spoonful of flour, mixing well in-between each.
4. Mix in the milk, oil, vanilla extract and remaining flour.
5. Fill each case approximately 2/3 full and bake in the oven for 18-20 mins.
6. Leave the cupcakes in the tray for 5 mins, then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Buttercream

1. With a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter for 3-5 mins until pale and fluffy.
2. Add half the icing sugar and beat again until combined. Repeat for the rest of the icing sugar adding the vanilla extract and milk at the same time.
3. Beat the buttercream for 5 mins, then use a silicone spatula to fold and press out any air bubbles.
4. Divide the buttercream in 3 and colour one third brown and another third orange.
5. Add the buttercream to separate piping bags fitted with #21 and #233 nozzles.

Decorate

1. Mix together the royal icing sugar with 1 tsp of water and black gel food colouring. Once smooth, add the black icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round piping nozzle. We used nozzle #5. You want the black icing to be thick enough to pipe and hold its shape.
2. Using the grass piping nozzle (#233), begin piping buttercream strands around the edge of the cupcake. Keep pressure on the piping bag as you pull away from the cupcake and then release. This will give you long strands of buttercream.
3. Continue piping, working your way into the middle of the cupcake, overlapping the buttercream strands on the outer edge as you go. Pipe more layers in the middle of the cupcake to give the centre more height.
4. To pipe the ears we used piping nozzle #21.
5. Add two edible eyes and a red chocolate bean for the tongue.
6. Lastly, pipe a nose using the black royal icing.

7. Tips

8. These cupcakes are not suitable for dogs.
9. Add cocoa powder to the brown buttercream to colour it brown. You may need to add more milk if the buttercream becomes too stiff.
10. Get creative and pipe different dog designs and colours.