Q1: What are "candy melts," and where can I find them?

Candy melts (also known as confectionery coating or melting wafers) are a type of candy that is designed to melt very easily and smoothly and then harden again at room temperature with a nice, shiny finish. They come in a wide variety of colors. You can find them in the baking or the party supply aisle of most major craft stores (like Michaels or Jo-Ann) and many large grocery stores.

Q2: Can I make the candy melt feathers ahead of time?

Yes, absolutely! This is a great time-saving trick. You can make the candy melt feathers up to a week in advance. Let them set completely, and then store them, still on their parchment paper sheets, layered carefully in a flat, airtight container at room temperature.

Q3: What is the best way to transport these decorated cupcakes?

Because of their tall, 3D decorations, these cupcakes can be a bit tricky to transport. The absolute best tool is a dedicated cupcake carrier with tall, individual slots that will hold each cupcake securely in place. If you don't have one, you can place them carefully in a large, deep, lidded container in a single layer.

Q4: Can I use real white chocolate instead of the candy melts?

You can, but it is a bit trickier. Real white chocolate needs to be "tempered" in order to set up properly with a hard, shiny finish at room temperature. Candy melts are designed to give you this result without any of the complicated tempering steps, which makes them a much more foolproof and easy choice for a simple decorating project like this one.

Q5: My frosting is too soft to hold up the feathers. What should I do?

If your store-bought frosting seems a bit too soft, you can easily thicken it up. Simply place the frosting in a large bowl and, using an electric mixer, beat in some confectioners' (powdered) sugar , about 1/4 cup at a time, until the frosting is thick and stiff enough to hold the candy feathers upright.

The Best Adorable & Easy Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

A festive and creative recipe for Thanksgiving cupcakes designed to look like turkeys with fanned-out tails. The recipe starts with a simple base of chocolate cupcakes baked from a box mix, which are then frosted with pre-made chocolate frosting. The elaborate ‘turkey tail’ is created by painting stripes of melted white, yellow, orange, and red candy onto parchment paper. Once set, these colorful candy stripes are arranged as ‘feathers’ on the cupcakes, with a milk chocolate drop candy for the body and pretzel pieces for the feet.

Author: Evelyn
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes (includes cooling time)
Yield: 24 cupcakes 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking, Decorating
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cupcakes:
1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix, plus required oil and eggs
Two 16-ounce tubs chocolate frosting
For the Decorations:
2 1/2 ounces white melting candy (a heaping 1/3 cup)
3 ounces yellow melting candy (1/2 cup)
3 ounces orange melting candy (1/2 cup)
3 ounces red melting candy (1/2 cup)
24 milk chocolate drop candies (e.g., Hershey’s Kisses)
24 miniature twist pretzels

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Instructions

Bake 24 chocolate cupcakes according to the package directions and let them cool completely.
Make the Candy Feathers: While the cupcakes cool, melt each color of the melting candy in separate microwave-safe bowls, heating in 10-second intervals until smooth.
Using a 1/2-inch paintbrush, paint thick, 1-inch long stripes of the melted candy onto sheets of parchment paper. You will need 72 white stripes and 96 stripes each of yellow, orange, and red.
Let the candy stripes set at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until they are dry and firm.
Decorate the Cupcakes: Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting on each cooled cupcake.
Press a milk chocolate drop candy, point-side up, onto the lower third of each cupcake to serve as the turkey’s body.
Cut or break each pretzel to get 2 T-shaped pieces from each one. Insert one pretzel ‘foot’ on either side of the chocolate drop candy.
Assemble the Feathers: Carefully peel the set candy stripes off the parchment paper.
Create the tail by inserting the candy stripes into the frosting at a 45-degree angle. Start with a back row of 4 red stripes, followed by a row of 4 orange stripes, then 4 yellow stripes, and finally a front row of 3 white stripes.
Repeat the decorating process for all 24 cupcakes.

Notes

This recipe relies on several store-bought shortcuts, like cake mix and frosting, to focus on the creative decorating aspect.
Painting the candy stripes onto parchment paper allows them to set into firm, individual ‘feathers’ that are easy to handle.
If the melting candy hardens while you are working, it can be re-softened in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cupcake
Calories: 450-550
Sugar: 60-75 g
Sodium: 350-450 mg
Fat: 22-28 g
Saturated Fat: 8-12 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 65-80 g
Fiber: 1-2 g
Protein: 3-5 g
Cholesterol: 25-40 mg

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/thanksgiving-turkey-cupcakes-2/