Poinsettia Cupcakes

Instructions

1. Cut 1″x1″ squares out of your parchment paper (these don’t need to be perfect), as many squares as flowers.
2. Prepare your frosting (I used a buttercream- store bought or home made is fine) and frost your cupcakes with a single, even layer of frosting. I used a large round tip to do this. Reserve 3-4 spoonfuls to be tinted red, and 1-2 spoonfuls to be tinted yellow. If you plan on decorating your cupcakes with sprinkles, you’ll want to do it now before the frosting crusts.
3. Once your frosting is tinted, spoon the yellow into a piping bag with the small round tip, and the red into a piping bag with the Wilton #352 tip. Secure a square of parchment paper with a small dab of frosting on the top of your flower nail (or meat thermometer), and begin piping your poinsettia. With one of the metal points down, pipe three petals with their corners touching. Pipe three petals over the first three to fill in the open areas. Add a few dots of yellow frosting in the center. Remove the piece of parchment from the flower nail and set it aside on a baking sheet. Repeat this process for as many flowers as you want to make.
4. Once all of the flowers are made, put them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes, or until the frosting no longer sticks to your fingers when handled. Gently remove the frosting flowers from the parchment and arrange them on your cupcakes. Don’t be afraid to re-freeze the flowers if they start getting soft. Decorate with a few extra sprinkles if you wish!