These adorable turkey cupcakes are perfect for a Thanksgiving treat. Try these cupcakes out as a fun food craft to make with kids or for a fun addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table.
These turkey decorated cupcakes start with a moist chocolate cupcake base and are topped with chocolate frosting and candy decorations to look like turkeys. Bake up a batch of these cupcakes for Thanksgiving get togethers or bake sales.
If you're looking for other fun Thanksgiving cupcakes try our cinnamon cupcakes or our rumchata cupcakes.
Making these cupcakes is relatively easy - even with the decorating time, you can have them ready in about 45 minutes. Plus, they are a fun baking craft to do with kids.
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- Butter - unsalted + softened
- Sugar
- Oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Milk
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Cocoa Powder
For the frosting + decorations
- Butter - softened + unsalted
- Powdered Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Red Food Coloring
- Candy Corn
- Candy Eye Balls
- Chocolate Sprinkles
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Try a few of these different variations.
- Different flavored cupcakes - we did chocolate cupcakes for these because we love the flavor and thought the brown went well with the turkey theme. But, you could use any flavor you prefer.
- Box cake mix - make these even faster by using a boxed cake mix for the cupcakes and just decorating them according to the instructions.
Instructions
Use these easy to follow instructions to bake up and decorate your very own turkey cupcakes.
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside.
Step two: Combine butter and sugar on medium low for 2 - 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
Step three: Add in eggs, vanilla and milk. Mix until well combined. May appear lumpy.
Step four: Add in flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Mix on low until well combined.
Step five: Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ of the way full. Bake for 15 minutes or until center is set.
Step six: Add butter, powdered sugar and cocoa powder to bowl and mix on low until well combined. Then, bump speed to medium and mix 2 - 3 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Scoop out ¼ cup and tint with red food coloring.
Step seven: transfer both frostings to piping bags. Chocolate with a large round tip. Pipe a large mound of chocolate on each cupcake. Then, dip the frosting into sprinkles.
Step eight: Add 6 candy corn pieces on top of each cupcake. Then, pipe a small tear drop shape in the middle.
Step nine: Place two candy eyes on each. Insert a candy corn tip up to be the nose. With the red tinted frosting, pipe a small dollop on the side of the nose.
Hint: Make sure the cupcakes are totally cool before adding and frosting or decorations.
Recipe Tips for Success
- Frosting should be thick enough it doesn't wilt when scooped up, but thin enough it moves freely through the piping bag. Add a splash of milk to thin it and a dash of powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Cupcakes are cooked when a toothpick or fork can be inserted into the center and removed with nothing sticking to it.
Storage
These can be stored for 3 - 5 days if kept in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be frozen, but it is best to do without adding all of the decorations.
Turkey Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake Liners
- Cupcake Tin
- Mixing bowl
- Hand or Stand Mixer
- Measuring Cups + Spoons
- Piping Bag `
- Large Round Piping Tip
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- ½ cup Butter unsalted + softened
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ¾ cup Milk
- 1 ¼ cup Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder
For the frosting
- 1 cup Butter unsalted + softened
- 3 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 cup Cocoa Powder
- Red Food Coloring
- ½ cup Candy Corn
- 2 tablespoons Candy Eye Balls
- ½ cup Chocolate Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside
- Add ½ cup butter and ¾ cup Sugar. Cream on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes until smooth.
- Add in ½ cup oil, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¾ cup milk. Mix until combined - it will appear lumpy.
- Add in 1 ¼ cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ cup cocoa powder. Mix on low speed until combined and then mix on medium speed for another minute. Scrape down the sides and mix again.
- Scoop batter into cupcake liners filling about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake for 14 - 16 minutes or until the center is set.
- For the frosting - in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup butter, 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 cup cocoa powder.
- Mix on low speed until combined and then bump up the speed to medium and mix for an additional minute until the frosting is smooth and fluffy looking.
- Scoop out about ¼ of a cup of frosting and tint with some red food coloring. Transfer this burgundy frosting to a piping bag and set aside.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside until ready to assemble.
- Pipe a large mound of frosting on each cupcake.
- Dip the frosting into the chocolate sprinkles.
- Insert the pointed end six candy corn pieces along the top edge of each cupcake, securing them in the frosting.
- Pipe a small inverted tear drop shape on each cupcake to create the head of the turkey.
- Place two eyeball candies on each head toward the top.
- Insert another candy corn so that the tip is pointing up to create the nose.
- With the burgundy frosting, pipe a small dollop alongside the nose of each turkey.
Notes
- Frosting should be thick enough it doesn't wilt when scooped up, but thin enough it moves freely through the piping bag. Add a splash of milk to thin it and a dash of powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Cupcakes are cooked when a toothpick or fork can be inserted into the center and removed with nothing sticking to it.
- Ensure cupcakes are totally cooled before adding any frosting or decorations.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is just an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
