As we gather around the table to celebrate the season of gratitude, what better way to indulge in the spirit of Thanksgiving than with a creative twist on the traditional centerpiece?  These Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes are as delicious as they are whimsical.  Although they have multiple steps, they end up being much easier to construct than you’d think!  

I first made these with my sister several years ago while we were looking through and being inspired by the book “What’s New, Cupcake? ” by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, and I’ve been recreating them for my family’s holiday dessert table ever since.

To make these sweet little bird cakes, I start  with a boxed spice cake mix  because let's face it, the real charm of these treats is in the visual appeal, although they were absolutely moist and delicious.  Rather than using a muffin pan with paper liners, I baked them using 3.5 inch foil cups on a baking sheet. This not only enhances the look with some authenticity but it also adds stability and structure for “construction” of the bird.

You will need:

• 12  cupcakes baked in round foil tins (I used these from amazon.com)
• 1 cup corn flakes cereal
• ½ cup Grape Nuts cereal
• 16 oz tub caramel frosting
• 1 10 oz package vanilla white chocolate melting wafers
• Food coloring (I used blue, yellow and red to make the brown and green because that’s what I had!)
• 2 12  oz packages Kraft Caramel bits (these are easier to soften than the squares and do not have to be unwrapped!)
• 1 tablespoon Green non-pareil sprinkles (you can add orange and white if you want your stuffing to have carrots and onions!)
• Thin breadsticks / pretzel sticks 

I only had white frosting, so I tinted it beige so that it blended with the aesthetic of the stuffing.  Skip this if you can find beige colored caramel frosting in a tub.  Frost the cupcakes generously, making sure to “mound up” the center about an inch to an inch and a half  to give the turkey some structure for adding the skin.

Put half a bag of caramel bits in a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 5-8 seconds, just until malleable.   You do not want them melted!   The caramel bits are really easy to work with.  Just gather and knead with your hands until they are molded together in a uniform ball.  Roll it out on a silicone mat or parchment paper about 1/8 in thick.  Do this in batches  of 2-3 "skins" at a time.  You can gather the scraps and rework them with your hands and roll them back out.  

Use a 3 ½ inch round cookie cutter to cut a circle from the caramel.  Use a sharp knife to remove a wedge-shaped piece from the circle, creating a “Pac-Man” shape.  This will allow a “cavity” for the stuffing. 

Gently lay the a caramel skin over each frosted cupcake and put aside while you prepare the "stuffing".

On a small plate, mix grape nuts and sprinkles.  Adding a little  frosting “glue” if necessary to fill the "cavity", gently press into the grape nut / sprinkle mixture to adhere.

Melt the white chocolate wafers according to the package directions.  Reserve about 2 tablespoons and add food coloring to tint the remainder of the chocolate green.  Toss corn flakes in a bowl with the green chocolate and coat thoroughly.  Spread corn flakes out onto a piece of parchment paper creating individual “lettuce leaves” and let set until hard.  

Garnish your bird by tucking the green cereal around the edge of each cupcake.  The sturdiness and stability of the foil cups makes this easier to do.

Break off a piece of breadstick or pretzel stick about 2 inches long.  I used the breadsticks from a Nutella snack pack which were almost perfect for this.  Do what I did and drop the remnants in with the yummy Nutella and eat it with a spoon for a quick little snack while you work.  Dip one end of the stick in the reserved white chocolate to recreate the end of the turkey bone.  Take some of the caramel and mold it onto the other end of the stick into the shape of a turkey leg.  Make 24 legs.

Moisten your finger and gently rub the  meaty end of the drumstick.  This will help adhere the leg to the body of the bird.  Place one leg on each side.

These Stuffed Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes are not only a visual treat that will amaze everyone at first glance, but also a testament to the delight of holiday baking. Despite their intricate appearance, they are surprisingly straightforward to make. So even though they may look too cute to eat with their miniature garnishes, don't hesitate to grab a tiny meat fork and carving knife—because, as delicious as they are delightful, they might just become your next Thanksgiving tradition.