Monster Cupcakes

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1 For the Buttercream, beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and almond extracts; mix well. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, milk and salt on low speed, beating until just blended after each addition, and frequently scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Then beat for at least 3 minutes on medium-high speed. If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk.
• 2 Divide Buttercream evenly into 4 small bowls. Stir in the following Nature's Inspiration Food Colors to reach the desired colors: For the Green Eyed Monster, stir 1/2 teaspoon Sky Blue color and 1/2 teaspoon Sunflower color into first bowl. For the Pink Zombie Brain, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons Berry color into second bowl. For the Yellow Centipede, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons Sunflower color into third bowl. For the Blue Cyclops, stir 1 1/2 teaspoons Sky Blue color into fourth bowl. Spoon colored buttercreams into individual pastry bags.
• 3 To decorate the Green Eyed Monster Cupcakes, fit the green pastry bag with a #21 open star decorating tip. Starting at the center of a cupcake, pipe buttercream to resemble small star-shaped spikes by applying pressure to the pastry bag while quickly pulling up. Repeat over the entire surface of the cupcake. Add 7 to 9 candy eyeballs on top of the buttercream. Repeat on three more cupcakes.
• 4 For the Pink Zombie Brain Cupcakes, fit the pink pastry bag with a #10 round decorating tip. Pipe out a dollop of buttercream onto a cupcake, then smooth it with a knife. Starting just to the right of the center of the cupcake, pipe a line of buttercream from the top to the bottom of the cupcake. Then, wiggle the tip while piping back up towards the top, moving back and forth to resemble a right hemisphere brain. (Make sure the frosting touches the sides.) Repeat on the left side of the cupcake. Repeat on three more cupcakes.
• 5 For the Yellow Centipede, fit the yellow pastry bag with a #233 grass decorating tip. Starting at the center of a cupcake, pipe buttercream to resemble short “fur” by applying pressure to the pastry bag in short, quick succession upward. Repeat over the entire surface of the cupcake. Place 4 small marshmallow halves, cut side down, into the shape of a smile on the bottom half of the cupcake. Add 2 candy eyeballs above the smile and 2 pieces of licorice as antennas above the eyes. Repeat on three more cupcakes.
• 6 For the Blue Cyclops, fit the blue pastry bag with a #233 grass decorating tip. Pipe out a small pile of buttercream in the center of a cupcake. Once there is a small mound, start moving out and away from the center while piping to create small loops of blue buttercream. Continue around the entire cupcake. Place 1 large marshmallow half, cut side down, into the center of the cupcake. Pipe a small dot of buttercream into center of marshmallow. Press 1 black candy-coated piece into the buttercream for the eye. Repeat on three more cupcakes.