TeaCupCakes

Makes 6 teapots and 6 teacups

12 vanilla cupcakes baked in gingham or pastel liners

Pink buttercream frosting
Yellow buttercream frosting
White fondant

9 yellow fruit chews (Tootsie Rolls or similar)
6 plain donut holes
6 vanilla wafers
6 jumbo gumdrops (1 inch diameter at the base)
6 chocolate melting wafers (Wilton Candy Melts)
12 thin chocolate cookies (Famous Chocolate Wafers)
6 pink fruit decorating decors (Cake Mate)
Daisies sprinkles (Wilton)
Pink Sugar Pearls (Wilton)
Powdered sugar

Fluted rolling pastry wheel
#4, #2 pastry decorator writing tubes
6 Small forks (or corn cob holders)
Styrofoam block or portion of crusty bread
Wax paper

For the handles and spouts: For the handles roll some fruit chews into ropes about 1/8 inch in diameter. For the teapot handle, cut six 2 inch pieces. For the teacup handle, cut six 1-1/2 inch pieces. Fashion all pieces into handle shapes. For the spout, roll some fruit chews into ropes about 1/4 inch in diameter. Cut six 1 inch pieces. Taper the spout to 1/8 inch diameter at one end. Fashion into spout shapes. If possible, make spouts and handles ahead of time to allow the pieces to firm up.

Place one cup pink frosting in decorator bag.
Place ¼ cup yellow frosting in decorator bag.

For the teapots and saucers: Place 1 cup pink frosting in small microwave-proof mug. Heat frosting in microwave, stirring often until it is of a glaze consistency. Spear donut holes with small forks. Dip each donut hole entirely into thinned pink frosting. Quickly turn donut hole upright and place fork handle in Styrofoam or bread to allow the glazed donut hole to dry. Dip vanilla wafers into thinned pink frosting. Allow to dry on wax paper with rounded wafer side down (and flat side up).

For tea: Using pink frosting in the decorator bag with writing tube, spread small amount of frosting onto flat bottom of gumdrop. Press chocolate candy melt onto gumdrop with the flat of candy melt side up.

For the tablecloths: Roll fondant until very thin (about 1/8 inch thick or thinner). With a fluted rolling wheel, cut 12 4-inch circles. Using the decorator tube, cut a hole into each scallop of the tablecloth edge. Frost each cupcake with pink frosting. Place a thin chocolate cookie centered on the top of each cupcake for the tabletop. Pipe small amount of pink frosting evenly over surface of cookie. Drape fondant tablecloth over cookie, pressing down over the cookie edge to shape it into “flounces”.

Finishing the teapot: Pipe frosting onto center of tablecloth and carefully affix the dry donut holes to the tablecloth. Carefully insert formed handles and spouts into donut hole. Pipe very small amount of frosting onto fruit decorating décor and place on the top of donut hole for the lid. Affix daisies sprinkles to the teapot in same manner. Using yellow frosting, pipe scallops onto top of teapot with a #2 writing tube. Pipe small amount of pink frosting to base of teapot and carefully affix pink sugar pearls around the entire base.

Finishing the teacup: Pipe frosting onto center of tablecloth and carefully affix dry vanilla wafer to the tablecloth. Pipe frosting onto center of vanilla wafer and affix gumdrop to the saucer. Pipe pink frosting evenly over gumdrop sides and around rim of “cup”. Smooth sides by patting with fingers dipped in powdered sugar. Affix pink sugar pearls around the entire base of teacup. Insert formed handle into the cup. Affix daisies sprinkles in same manner as for the teapot.

Note: Other color combinations would be adorable. Use your imagination and all of the colored candy possibilities to create a colorful TeaCupCake service!