Baby Bluebird Cupcakes

I have lots of other things waiting to be posted but I just HAD to move these to the the front of the queue – and you see why.  They are SO CUTE!  They needed to be shared immediately 🙂  I saw a few variations on cupcakes like these last spring, but never got around to making them.  I’ve been waiting all year for another chance!  This week Ben needed something sweet to take in to school so it worked out perfectly.  I heard they were quite a hit!  

I had really good intentions of doing a step-by-step photo post as I made these, but I wasn’t feeling well and ended up becoming so engrossed in the detail work that I forgot to take pictures.  Sorry!  I’m sure you can pretty much imagine how to assemble them just from looking at the picture.  Originally I had planned to do half of the nests with just mini egg candies and the other half with birds, but then I decided that the eggs I bought were not even half as cute as the birds so I went all the way with those.  These are the perfect treat for springtime and would also be welcome as part of any Easter spread.  Next time I’ll be sure to make a double batch.  They were too cute to only have 12!  Happy spring!

Baby Bluebird Cupcakes
Supplies:
1 batch cupcakes (any flavor – I used vanilla)
Shredded coconut
Pastry bags (large round and small “V” tips)
Chocolate frosting (I used Hershey’s Perfectly Chocolate Frosting – 3/4 batch)
Vanilla frosting (I used leftover canned frosting from another project)
Blue and yellow icing color
Chocolate (I used a few leftover chocolate chips)

Directions:
Level cupcakes if necessary with a small paring knife.  Toast the shredded coconut and let cool completely before proceeding.  (I like to toast coconut in a non-stick skillet, as it is much easier to control the browning and less likely to burn than when using the oven.)  Transfer to a bowl.

Using a pastry bag, pipe a ring or two of chocolate frosting around the outside edge of each cupcake to form the foundation of the nest (the tip you use doesn’t really matter since it will be covered with coconut anyway).  Sprinkle a large amount of the toasted coconut over each cupcake, gently pressing it into the chocolate frosting.  Shake off the excess.  

Color some of the vanilla frosting light blue.  Using a pastry bag fitted with a wide round tip, pipe three mounds of frosting into the center of each nest to make the birds’ bodies.  (If there is a little peak on the top of your mounds, just wait a few minutes until the icing begins to set and then gently smooth it down with a toothpick or your finger.)  Color the remaining vanilla frosting yellow, and using a pastry bag fitted with a small “V” tip, pipe a beak onto each bird.  Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, in 20-30 second intervals until completely melted.  Dip a toothpick in the chocolate and dot eyes onto each bird.

Source: inspiration from Martha Stewart