3 DAYS IN ADVANCE

Make branches. Knead 1 oz. gum paste into 3 oz. chocolate fondant. Use nature fondant and gum paste mold to make 35 to 40 assorted branches. Let dry 48 hours on parchment paper-covered boards.

Prepare and tint fondant. Knead 4 oz. gum paste into 6 oz. white fondant. Tint 2 oz. each light royal blue, light rose, light kelly green; 1 oz. each lemon yellow/golden yellow combination (for yellow) and violet/rose combination (for violet). Reserve 2oz. white.

Make carriage. Use 9 in. fondant roller with purple guide rings to roll out a portion of rose fondant 1/8 in. thick. Use lace roller with pattern embosser to imprint design. Use largest circle cutter (3 5/8 in.) from 101 cookie cutters set to cut a circle for carriage. Use knife to cut opening, 1 1/2 in. wide x 1 3/4 in. high. Let dry 24 hours on parchment papercovered board.

Melt white Candy Melts candy according to package directions. Use melted candy to attach lollipop stick to back; leave 1 1/2 in. extended at bottom to insert into cupcake. Let set, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make trims.Use rose, yellow and violet fondant and nature mold to make 22 small and 27 medium flowers. Use green fondant and mold to make 22 small and 22 medium leaves. Use blue fondant and mold to make five sitting and five flying birds.

Let trims dry 24 hours on parchment paper-covered boards. Use melted candy to attach one white Sugar Pearl to each flower center.

1 DAY IN ADVANCE

Bake and cool 13 cupcakes. Prepare buttercream icing following recipe directions. Tint kelly green. Use spatula to ice smooth.

DAY OF CELEBRATION

Position cupcakes and trims. Position in 13-ct. dessert stand. Insert branches randomly in all cupcakes except top cupcake. Insert carriage in top cupcake. Use melted light cocoa candy in cut parchment bag to attach flowers, leaves and all but two birds (one sitting, one fl ying) to branches. Use melted white candy to attach remaining birds to carriage. Let set.