Canine Cutie Cupcakes

Recipe

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To make Schnauzer and Chihuahua cupcakes
you will need:
8 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners (makes four of each dog)

To prepare frosting for both breeds.
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting
1 can (16 ounces) dark chocolate frosting
Red, brown, and black food colouring

Spoon 1/3 cup vanilla frosting into a ziplock bag. Tint 1/3 cup vanilla frosting
a pinkish brown with the red and brown food colouring. Spoon 2 Tbsp pinkish brown frosting into a small ziplock bag and place the remaining pinkish frosting into a small bowl and cover. Tint 1 cup vanilla frosting light gray. Spoon 4 Tbsp gray frosting into a small bowl and cover. Tint the remaining
gray frosting a darker shade and spoon half of it into a small ziplock bag and place the remaining darker gray frosting into a small bowl and cover. Tint 1 cup of the dark chocolate frosting black with the black food colouring. Spoon 2 Tbsp of the remaining
dark brown frosting into a small ziplock bag. Spoon 1/2 cup of the black frosting into a ziplock bag and keep the remaining frosting covered.

Schnauzer

1 marshmallow
1 tsp pink decorating sugar
1 pink fruit chew (e.g., Starburst, Tootsie Roll)
2 brown mini candy coated chocolates (e.g. mini M&M’s)
1 small black jellybean

1. Cut 1/4 inch slice, crosswise, from marshmallow. Cut the slice into quarters. Press the cut side of two of the quartered
pieces into the pink sugar and use these to make the ears. Using remaining large piece of marshmallow, trim 1/4 inch piece off of round edge. Spread the top of a cupcake with a thin layer of the dark gray frosting. Place the largest piece of marshmallow on top of cupcake, trimmed end closest to edge. Arrange the two sugared marshmallow pieces as the ears on the top edge of cupcake.

2. Cut the fruit chew into quarters. Use one piece to shape into a tear drop shape to make the tongue. Press a knife onto the fruit chew to create a crease and pinch one end.

3. Pipe vertical lines of vanilla frosting on the edge of the cupcake below the marshmallow and on the front flat side of the marshmallow. Snip a small corner from the bag with the dark gray frosting. Pipe a few lines around edges of ears, at top of cupcake to make tufts of hair, and vertical lines on both sides of marshmallow to cover with the dark gray frosting. Pipe two dots of vanilla frosting
and add the chocolate candies for the eyes. Pipe small white highlights in the eyes. Add the black jellybean
for the nose and the pink fruit chew for the mouth.

Chihuahua

2 thin chocolate cookies (e.g. Famous chocolate wafers)
1 marshmallow
2 tsp white decorating sugar
3 small black jellybeans

1. Cut chocolate cookie using a serrated knife to make the long pointy Chihuahua ears. Cut the marshmallow in half crosswise. Spread the top of a cupcake with a thin layer of pinkish brown frosting. Place the cut marshmallow on the lower half of the cupcake and press into the frosting (see photo). Spread the pinkish brown frosting on top to cover cupcake and marshmallow.

2. Spread one side of the chocolate cookie ears with the pinkish brown frosting. Sprinkle the top of cookie ears with the sugar to coat. Press the cookies into the cupcake
on either side to make the ears.

3. Pipe several lines of the pinkish brown frosting around the edge of the ears. Pipe a mouth with the dark brown frosting. Add a whole black jellybean on its side to make the nose. Press the two remaining black jellybeans on end into the frosting for the eyes. Pipe small white highlights
in the eyes.

Reprinted with permission from Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and
Alan Richardson, Houghton Mifflin Co., 2008.