Simple & Cute Penguin Cupcakes 🐧 (Perfect for Kid Parties, Baby Showers, Winter Gatherings & Animal Themed Gatherings)

I made these adorable cupcakes for

baby shower to welcome a little boy,

so I used blue paper holders and blue 

M&Ms for the feet sticking out of the snow.

Ingredients:

22 baked cupcakes**

your favorite vanilla frosting (or see recipe below)

white sanding sugar

1 small package Oreo cookies

66 M&M candies

44 mini chocolate chips

Sanding sugar can be found in the baking section of 

most grocery stores, where the candy sprinkles are kept.

**I used the the Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake Mix ~ You can use your favorite cake mix or make from scratch.

Method:

Bake cupcakes and allow them to cool before decorating. 

Use a piping bag to apply frosting to the tops of the cupcakes. (If you do not have a piping bag, scoop the frosting into a plastic baggie and snip one corner to apply the frosting.)

Sprinkle white sanding sugar on top of the frosting to create snowy tops. 

twist the Oreo cookies to separate the cookies. (All of the white centers should remain on one half of the chocolate cookies.)

Cut a triangle of the frosting off of one cookie. Add an M&M beak to the frosted cookie half and two mini chocolate chips for eyes. place in the frosting. cut the other half of the cookie in half. (Some of the cookies mat crumble when you cut them, so make certain that you have extra cookies.) Stick the cookie half wings on either side of the cookie faces.

Place two of the same colored M&Ms at the front of the cupcakes for feet sticking out of the snowy frosting. 

Place in the refrigerator to set the frosting. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. (If desired, the cupcakes can be baked the day before decorating.) Makes 22 servings.

Notes: Everyone, of all ages, loved these tasty and adorable cupcakes!

These are best served on the day they are made, because the longer they are stored, the softer the cookies become.

Betty Crocker Vanilla Marshmallow Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme (one 7 ounce jar)

1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 tablespoon whole milk, half & half or heavy cream (I used cream)

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Method:

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed, to beat together the marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla and milk until creamed together. 

Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and continue mixing until the frosting is light and fluffy. (You may need to add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon more milk in order to spread the frosting.) This is enough frosting to top 22 cupcakes.