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Barnyard Cupcakes

3 reviews
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 1 hour 20 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Makes

1 cake (12-15 servings) plus 2 dozen cupcakes

Updated: Oct. 03, 2022
“My friend Kathy grew up on a farm, so I thought a ‘Farmer in the Dell‘ theme would be perfect for her baby shower,“ writes field editor Colleen Palmer of Epping, New Hampshire. Colleen’s colorful pig and chick cupcakes are adorable perched next to this bright red cupcake barn. And don’t forget the sun!
Barnyard Cupcakes
Barnyard Cupcakes Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 1 package butter recipe golden cake mix (regular size)
  • 1 package devil's food cake mix (regular size)
  • 4 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
  • Red, blue, pink and yellow paste food coloring
  • Miniature semisweet chocolate chips
  • Black and red decorating gel
  • M&M's miniature baking bits
  • Assorted candies (pink mint candy lozenges, Good & Plenty candies and Brach's white dessert mints)
  • Candy corn

Directions

  1. Prepare golden cake batter according to package directions. Pour into a greased and waxed paper-lined 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 33-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.
  2. Prepare devil's food cake batter according to package directions. Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 21-26 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.
  3. Tint 1 cup frosting red. Frost two-thirds of the cake, forming a barn shape; spread frosting on sides of barn. For sky, tint 2/3 cup frosting blue; frost remaining top and sides of cake.
  4. Outline barn roof with chocolate chips. Insert #6 round tip into a pastry bag; fill bag with 1/4 cup white frosting. Outline barn doors and a window. With black decorating gel and an M&M baking bit, add a spiderweb and spider.
  5. For pigs, tint 1 cup frosting pink; frost 12 cupcakes. Attach baking bits for eyes, pink candy lozenges for snouts, chocolate chips for nostrils and Good & Plenty candies for ears.
  6. For chicks, tint 2 cups frosting yellow; transfer to a pastry bag. Insert #17 star tip; pipe frosting onto 11 cupcakes. Pipe heads and wings. Decorate with dessert mints, baking bits and candy corn.
  7. For sun, frost remaining cupcake with yellow frosting. Position candy corn around edges. Form a face with chocolate chips and red decorating gel.