Hoot Owl Cupcake

Ingredients 

• Chocolate cupcakes
• Buttercream frosting
• Caramel Bullseye candies
• White candy melts
• Chocolate chips
• Black licorice sticks
• Cashews

Supplies

• Waxed paper
• Rolling pin
• Kitchen scissors

Directions

1. Generously frost one third of the top of each cupcake.
2. To create the owl eyes, slice a caramel Bullseye candy in half to create 2 thinner circles.
3. Place the halves between two sheets of waxed paper and use the rolling pin to flatten them slightly (they should be about 1 1/2-inch-wide).
4. Top the caramels with white candy melts, and then set a chocolate chip on top of each candy melt, using dabs of frosting to hold the pieces in place. Place a pair of eyes on each cupcake, pressing them down onto the frosted portion.
5. Create facial feathers for each owl by snipping two 1 1/2-inch lengths from a piece of black licorice. Using kitchen scissors, cut fringes in one end of each length.
6. Stick the fringed licorice pieces in place right above the eyes.
7. For the finishing touch, add cashews for the owls' beaks.