Clown Cupcakes

• 24 Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes (page 26)
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream (page 304)
• Multicolored round candy sprinkles (nonpareils)
• 3 pounds mini uncoated gumdrops, such as Dots
• 24 small cinnamon candies, such as Red Hots
• Long chocolate sprinkles

1. For the hat, use a paring knife to score a circle in center of each cupcake.
2. Holding knife at a slight angle, cut out a cone shape, rotating cupcake as you go.
3. Using a pastry bag fitted with only a plain coupler, pipe untinted buttercream into the cavity of each cupcake and in a mound on top for the head.
4. Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.
5. Using a small plain tip (#7), pipe a pompom of frosting on top of each cone-shaped piece; dip pompom in a bowl filled with multicolored sprinkles to coat completely.
6. Place the cones on top of buttercream heads, pointed sides up.
7. Arrange gumdrops around the base of each head to resemble a ruffled collar; press a cinnamon candy nose into each face.
8. With kitchen tweezers, insert two chocolate sprinkles into each head for eyes.
9. Serve immediately.

buttermilk, swiss meringue buttercream, sprinkles, cinnamon, chocolate sprinkles

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/clown-cupcakes-389925 (may not work)