Jelly Bean Cupcakes 

Description

Jelly Bean Basket Cupcakes are perfect for an Easter Party or celebration. They are easy to make and make a cute centerpiece when put into a cupcake holder. Cupcakes are decorated with a bow and chenille stem basket handle.

Ingredients

• Box of cake mix or your favorite cake/cupcake recipe
• White Cake frosting or homemade Buttercream Icing
• Shredded Coconut
• Small egg shaped candies. We like Jelly Bellies. (Other options are mini jelly beans, malted eggs, and bubble gum eggs)
• Green food color
• Chenille Stems (pipe cleaners)
• Thin ribbon

Steps

• Line muffin tin with liners.
• Bake cupcakes as directed on box or your recipe.
• Let cool completely and then frost with white cake frosting.
• Place white coconut in small ziplock and add a drop of food coloring. Shake bag up and down to spread color. Add another drop for a deeper color.
• Place a rounded spoonful of colored coconut on top of cupcake. With tip of spoon, hollow out the center a little by pushing coconut to form a nest shape.
• Place a dab of icing or frosting in the center of the "nest" to hold the candy eggs in place. Place about 3 candies inside of nest and press very gently to secure.
• Tie ribbon on pipe cleaner. It's much easier to do this first. Then cut length desired leaving about an inch on each side to poke into the cupcake on either side. Measure length for the rest of the cupcakes. Bend the pipe cleaner in an arc.
• Poke bent pipe cleaner gently into cupcake making sure you are NOT too close to the edge (adult recommended)

Tips and Suggestions

• Pink or yellow dyed shredded coconut would also be cute if you want variation in color.
• It just takes a drop of food coloring to color the coconut.
• Don't like coconut? Here are some suggestions for creating the nest, sanding sugar, chocolate shavings, chopped nuts or slivered almonds (check for allergies), rice krispies or other cereal, cotton candy
• You can find chenille stems at Walmart, crafts stores and the Dollar Tree