Turkey Cupcakes
These adorable Turkey Cupcakes made with chocolate cake mix and frosting are a fun and easy Thanksgiving treat that kids will love decorating for your holiday celebration!
If you have been looking for easy Thanksgiving cupcake ideas, stop here! These cute Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes are all about fun! They are a stress-free, easy baking recipe that is perfect for the kiddos to help with. This makes baking Thanksgiving desserts for kids a breeze!
With the holiday season gearing up, I am all about the easy recipes. These chocolate turkey cupcakes are just that and, I mean, they are so adorable. I always like to plan at least one fun baking activity with my kids for Thanksgiving and making turkey cupcakes is always a hit.
This recipe makes 24 cupcakes so there’s plenty to share! They’re great for potlucks or as a special Thanksgiving dessert after the holiday meal. Sometimes we deliver a few cupcakes and a batch of homemade Pumpkin Playdough to neighbors as a surprise.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- We’re using chocolate cake mix and premade frosting so there is minimal work and lots of fun.
- Once the cupcakes are baked they’re turned into turkeys with candy corn, pretzels, M&Ms, and cute little googly-eyes – all the things kids dream of!
- I’m sharing step-by-step instructions so everyone can have a job no matter their age.
Ingredients
- Chocolate cake mix – Use your favorite brand. You can also make homemade chocolate cupcakes.
- Box ingredients to make the cupcakes – Follow the instructions on your cake mix.
- Chocolate frosting – Use your favorite storebought frosting or make some homemade.
- Decorations – Pretzel rods, candy corn, brown M&Ms and candy eyes.
How to Make Chocolate Cupcakes
Simply bake the cupcakes as instructed on the box. You should have 24 cupcakes total. You will know they are baked completely when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
How To Decorate Turkey Cupcakes
Fit the piping bag with the round tip and then fill it with chocolate frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes starting wider at the bottom and narrowing as you pipe the layers. When you’re done the center should be the highest point.
Tail: Place two pretzel rods so they’re slightly overlapped where they meet at the bottom and sticking up in the shape of a “V”. Stick four pieces of candy corn tip-side-down in the frosting right in front of the pretzels.
Beak: Take one candy corn and place it on the front edge of the cupcake. The point should face forward so it looks like a beak.
Wings: Line three brown M&Ms on both sides of the cupcake for the wings.
Eyes: Gently press two eyes into the frosting just above the beak.
Storage
The cupcakes will keep for up to two days at room temperature in an airtight container.
Fridge: You can store them in the refrigerator for a few days longer.
Freezer: Freeze cupcakes once cooled in an airtight container. You can definitely freeze them with the buttercream on if you want, but wait to decorate them until you will be serving them. Thaw on the countertop for about 45 minutes.
Pro Tips
- For less mess, place the piping bag in a tall glass and fold it over the rim of the glass. Add the frosting and then roll the edges up and twist them to close the bag. This makes it easy to fill it without getting frosting all over the bag.
- Make certain the cupcakes are cooled completely before decorating them or the frosting might melt and run off of the cupcakes.
- Can’t find candy corn? A box or two of Reese’s Pieces should do the trick – the yellow, orange and brown peanut butter candies will be a great substitute and you won’t have to buy M&M’s (but let’s face it, you might as well have all the goodies to snack on!)
Can I Bake The Cupcakes In Advance?
Yes! This will save you some time if you can’t do the whole project in one day. Bake the chocolate cupcakes a day ahead. Once cooled, keep them tightly wrapped until you decorate them.
If you store the unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container, you can store them for up to seven days before decorating them.
How Do I Make Moist Cupcakes?
Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Keeping the container closed will keep the moisture in the cupcakes.
Avoid over mixing the cupcake batter. If you mix slowly and allow air bubbles to form, you will enjoy nice moist cupcakes.
Be sure not to over bake your cupcakes. Bake in the oven as directed on the box, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the pan for about five to ten minutes then put them onto a cooling rack.
Your family is going to love these easy turkey cupcakes! Decorate as a family for a little bit of Thanksgiving fun. They’re just as fun to make as they are to eat – enjoy! This fun Thanksgiving dessert will be gobbled up in no time!
Turkey Cupcakes
Equipment
- Small bowls for toppings
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces box chocolate cake mix plus ingredients called for on box
- 16 ounces tub chocolate frosting
- Pretzel Rods for decorating
- Candy corn for decorating
- Brown M&Ms for decorating
- Candy eyes for decorating
Instructions
- Bake cake mix as directed on the box for 24 cupcakes. Cool completely.
- Fill pastry bag fitted with a ½‘’ round tip with chocolate frosting. Then frost the cupcakes with chocolate frosting so the center is higher than the outside.
- Place 2 pretzels on the backside of the cupcake for the tail with the center of them slightly overlapping.
- Then arrange 4 candy pieces in front of the pretzels with the tips pointing down into the frosting for the tail.
- Place another candy corn on the front of the cupcake for the beak with the tip facing forward.
- Then place three brown M&M’s on each side for the wings.
- Finish the turkey cupcake by placing 2 candy eyes above the beak.
Nutrition
More Thanksgiving Activites for Kids
- Acorn Cookies are an easy no-bake treat you have to try. They are so cute and perfect for putting in lunch boxes before the holidays and you only need three ingredients!
- Check out my Thanksgiving Activities Round-Up for loads of great ideas to keep the kids busy while they wait for supper. Sudoku, Tic-Tac-Toe, Bingo, and more!
- Set out some Fall Chex Mix and watch it disappear. It is the perfect mix of salty and sweet with a delicious caramel coating.
- Candy corn, candy eyes and candy melts come together to make adorable Nutter Butter Turkeys. They’re so fun to make and even better to eat!
These are so fun to make and eat!! Love these cupcakes! Definitely a must-make for Thanksgiving!
So glad you enjoyed these Toni!
Where do you buy the eyes? I havenโt seen them in my area
They can be found on Amazon!
Cora, thank you very much for answering my question of where to find the candy eyes
No problem! Happy Thanksgiving!