CANDY BEES FOR CUPCAKES RECIPES

Steps:

• To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Add cupcake liners to a cupcake pan.
• Cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl. Add the egg, egg yolks, and honey and mix in. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add to bowl and mix in.
• In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour with the baking powder and salt. Gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Gradually mix in the milk. Pour batter into lined cupcake pan. Cook for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Let cool. Remove cupcakes from cupcake pan.
• To make the honeyed Swiss meringue buttercream, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt in a bain marie. Continue whisking until the temperature reaches 150 F (65 C).
• Remove from heat, add cream of tartar and honey and beat until egg whites are thick and glossy and have cooled to room temperature. Add butter a spoonful at a time, mixing continuously. Mix in vanilla. Keep mixing until mixture is smooth and cool.
• To assemble, add meringue buttercream to a piping bag with a large tip. Swirl buttercream on top of the cupcakes in the shape of a bee hive. Drizzle honey over top. Place candy bees on honey.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cups into 12 muffin pan cups; set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl; set aside. 
• Place sugar and 1/2 cup butter into large bowl; beat on medium-high speed until well mixed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, lemon zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture, alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.
• Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin pan cups. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely. 
• Place jelly beans onto parchment paper. Drizzle melted chocolate over jelly beans to look like bumble bee stripes. Immediately arrange 2 almonds slices to look like wings. Let stand until chocolate is set. 
• Combine 1 cup butter and 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey in large bowl until well mixed. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at medium speed until creamy and smooth. (Frosting will be thick.)
• Spoon frosting into piping bag fitted with large round tip. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes to look like beehive. Decorate with jelly bean bumble bees; drizzle with honey as desired.