OWL BIRTHDAY CUPCAKES RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 muffin tins with paper liners.
• Combine 2 cups sugar, flour, 1 cup cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a bowl.
• Whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Add flour mixture; mix until well-combined. Pour in hot water; stir until batter is smooth. Divide batter evenly among muffin tins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 12 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• Whip 3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoon heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in 1 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese, 7 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/4 cup sugar gently to make frosting.
• Spread 1 tablespoon frosting over each cooled cupcake.
• Twist chocolate sandwich cookies open, leaving all cream filling on 1 side. Place 2 cookies, cream filling-side up, on each cupcake to make owl eyes. Place a brown milk chocolate piece on each cookie to create pupils. Insert an orange or yellow milk chocolate piece in the center to make a beak.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º and line 2 12-cup muffin tins with black cupcake liners. Prepare cupcake batter according to package directions. Scoop cupcake batter into liners and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool.  Frost cupcakes with chocolate frosting, making two swooshes on top for ears! Top with Oreo halves, icing side up for eyes. Dot the bottom of chocolate mini M&Ms with frosting and place on top of Oreo halves for eyeballs. Place an orange mini M&M for the nose.