Hug Loving Cupcakes

Step 1

In advance: Make fondant hearts, bows, hands and shoes. Add 1 teaspoon Gum-Tex to 8 oz. of fondant. Tint half rose and half red. For hearts, roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick; cut using 2nd smallest cutter. For bows, shape ½ in. triangle loops and ¼ in. diameter ball knot. Attach bows to hearts with damp brush. For legs, cut lollipop sticks to 3 in.; attach to back of hearts with melted candy. Let set. For arms, on a 3 in. stick, shape white fondant hands 1/2 in. long; attach to back of hearts with melted candy. Let set. For boy's shoes, tint a portion of fondant black. Shape 5/8 in. oval shoes. Insert leg sticks through shoes, leaving 1 1/4 in. exposed at bottom for inserting in cupcake. Let all fondant pieces dry on waxed paper-covered board dusted with cornstarch.

Step 2

Bake cupcakes in Hearts Standard Baking Cups. Cool completely on Cooling Grid.

Step 3

Spray cupcakes with pink and blue Color Mist™ Food Color Spray.

Step 4

Tint buttercream icing pink and blue. To decorate booties on cupcakes, use round tip 12. Beginning at toe end of bootie, pipe a ball with heavy pressure, hold tip at a 45º angle as you move toward back of foot, then bring tip straight up to finish. Indent top of booties with finger dipped in cornstarch. Use round tip 2 to add zigzag cuffs and sting bow to booties.

*Combine Red-Red and Christmas Red for red shown.