Wise Owls

Preparation

1. Tint half of buttercream brown with gel-paste food color. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of untinted buttercream on cupcakes. Break long curves off tiny pretzel twists; reserve for beaks. Place remaining pretzel portion in middle of cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small leaf tip (#66) with untinted and brown buttercream, placing them side by side in bag. Starting around pretzel and working outward, pipe “feathers” all over cupcakes. Insert reserved beaks, broken ends down. Melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate and place in a paper cornet (see page 298); pipe eyes inside pretzel outlines.