NESTING BABY BLUEBIRD CUPCAKES

Nesting Baby Bluebird Cupcakes image

Yield makes 12

Number Of Ingredients 5

12 Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes (page 26) or White Cupcakes (page 154)
Swiss Meringue Buttercream (page 304)
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled (see page 323)
Yellow and light-blue gel-paste food colors
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (about 5 ounces), lightly toasted (see page 323)

Steps:

Reserve 1 teaspoon melted chocolate for decorating. Fold remaining chocolate into 2 cups buttercream with a flexible spatula. Using an offset spatula, spread chocolate buttercream in a smooth layer over each cupcake.
Tint 1/2 cup remaining buttercream bright yellow with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small V-leaf tip (#349). Tint remaining buttercream blue. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip (#11).
Pipe three small blue mounds (about 3/4 inch in diameter) for bluebird heads onto each cupcake. Pipe tiny yellow beaks on each head. With a toothpick, paint on melted-chocolate eyes. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 1 day in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before proceeding.
To finish, form each nest with 2 tablespoons toasted coconut, patting it into frosting around edge of cupcake with your fingertips.