Nature’s Yoke Turkey Cupcakes
Here at Nature’s Yoke, we love this time of year, a time to give thanks and eat turkey! Now, we understand this recipe isn’t for the traditional turkey you carve, slather in gravy and devour while gathered around the Thanksgiving table. However, it might just be our new favorite turkey recipe! After all, who could turn down a turkey made from rich chocolate cupcakes, creamy fudge buttercream frosting and nostalgic, sweet candy decorations? These are the best turkey cupcakes — an easy and memorable Thanksgiving treat.
This is a wonderful recipe and activity to do with the kiddos in your life. A fun project like this allows for each individual to express their creativity and enjoy the holiday season in a way that reflects tradition and sparks creativity that tastes absolutely delicious. Here you will find a basic set of steps to get you started, but feel free to experiment and let your imagination run wild.
We are confident that you and your kids will have a hard time not licking your fingers as you decorate each cupcake. And if you eat a cupcake or two before decorating, we won’t judge…your secret is safe with us.
How to make Turkey Cupcakes:
Natures Yoke Organic Free-Range Eggs
Eggs are the cornerstone to any delicious baked good. They help stabilize and add a richness to the texture and flavor of your cupcakes.
At Nature’s Yoke, we think it’s important that our family helps your family stay within your dietary goals. The best way we can do this is by providing eggs that align with your goals. With so many organic options for food and ingredients, we know how important it is that we provide you with a completely organic egg. If eating organic is important to you, then we know you will love our Nature’s Yoke Organic Free-Range eggs.
A little background to get you acquainted with our organic eggs: Did you know that in order to be Certified Organic, our eggs must come from hens that are fed a 100% organic diet and no genetically modified foods (GMO’s)? Just that information alone takes us in the right direction!
Our organic free-range hens eat well-balanced, all-organic feed that includes a variety of proteins, grains, vitamins and minerals, plus ingredients for supporting digestive health and more.
Additionally, Certified Organic hens must live in free-range environments and have plenty of access to the outdoors where they can also nibble on pesticide-free plants, as well as insects. When hens are free to frolic and peck the ground, living as hens should, they’re automatically happier and laying better tasting, better-for-you eggs.
Cocoa Powder
Good quality cocoa is a key ingredient to the best chocolate cupcakes and fudge buttercream frosting. We like our cupcakes and frosting to be made with a rich and dark cocoa that enriches the flavor, texture and color of our turkey cupcakes.
Sour Cream
By adding this dairy and fat product, our cupcakes will be so rich and moist. You might call it one of our secret ingredients!
Vanilla Extract
The usual unsung hero to most baked goods — even chocolate ones — is vanilla extract. Vanilla will take the flavor of your cupcakes and frosting to the next level, by adding just a dash of that familiar twinge of sweetness and unique flavor.
Butter
We can’t talk about rich chocolate cupcakes and decadent fudge buttercream frosting without mentioning butter. Good quality butter is a must for any cupcake or frosting. We like using a good sweet cream butter.
Candy
Last but certainly not least, a good variety of candy is very important for this treat. Of course, we know what we want our little turkeys to look like. However, when you are in the candy isle just let your imagination run free. All turkeys look different in nature so why not on cupcakes? Here is what we went with:
a. Lindt chocolate balls for the heads.
b. Oreo cookies (they must be double stuffed) for the fanned tail.
c. Candy corn for the feathers, wings and beaks.
d. Swedish fish (cut into strips) for the wattle.
e. Candy eye balls.
How to make the best Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes:
Once our cupcakes are all baked, cooled and slathered in fudge buttercream frosting, it is time to make our turkeys.
First cut 1/4 of the Oreo off to give it a flat edge (see photo).
Then take candy corn, alternating colors, and wedge them in between the Oreo cookies. Gently push them into the filling. Next, place this tail into the frosting.
Now it’s time to give our turkey a head. Place a Lindt chocolate truffle onto your frosting.
This frosting works great as an adhesive. Dab a bit of frosting onto the backs of the eyes and adhere them to the turkey head. We used a toothpick to put the frosting on the back of the eyes and on the backs of the candy mentioned below as well.
Cut off the tips of candy corn for the beaks, again adhering them with frosting.
For the turkey wattle (loose hanging skin) cut a skinny slice off of a Swedish Fish candy and adhere it with frosting.
Have fun and get creative!
Best Turkey Cupcakes: Easy Thanksgiving Treat
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large Nature's Yoke Organic Free-Range Eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
Fudge Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/3 cup milk (2% or vitamin D, do not use skim milk)
Turkey Decorations
- 1 pkg Double Stuffed Oreos – one third trimmed off (refer to photo)
- 1 bag Candy Corn – We used traditional color and harvest color
- 1 bag Lindt truffles
- 1 pkg candy eyes
- 1 box Swedish Fish
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350º degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- Into a medium bowl, sift together your dry ingredients, cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In bowl of mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the oil and then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
- Bring mixer down to low speed, add flour mixture in by spoonfulls, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.
- Scoop batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Cool completely.
Fudge Buttercream Frosting
- In bowl of mixer add the cocoa powder, vanilla and salt.
- With mixer on low speed stream in the melted butter.
- Continue to mix and add in the confectioners sugar one spoonful at a time, alternating with the milk but ending with the confectioners sugar.
Decorating Your Turkey
- Cut 1/4 of the Oreo cookie off. This flat edge will be placed into the fudge buttercream frosting for the tail.
- Pipe a swirl of fudge buttercream frosting onto the tops of the cupcakes, we used an Ateco 853 tip.
- Next pipe a line across the back where the tail (Oreo cookie) will go. Pipe a dollop where the head will go (Lindt chocolate truffle).
- Arrange your candy corn in between the Oreo cookie layers to mimic feathers. Place into the line of fudge buttercream frosting you piped. Make sure it is secure, adding frosting if needed.
- Place Lindt truffle into the dollop of frosting for the head.
- Using a toothpick, place a small dab of fudge buttercream frosting on the backs of the candy eyes and place them on the turkey head.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the tip off the candy corn for the beak. And trim a slice off the Swedish Fish to make the wattle. Using a toothpick, place a small dab of frosting on the backs of each to adhere to the head.
- Add wings by placing a candy corn piece, pointy tip down, into the fudge buttercream frosting on the sides of the turkey head.
