Hold Your Christmas Lovin’ Horses – It’s Still Pumpkin Time! How to Make Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers!

Yes Christmas is almost here. You can smell it in the stores, especially when you pass the cinnamon scented pinecones (I LOVE THOSE THINGS!) but it’s not time to skip over fall just yet. In fact, if you need a cute idea for an upcoming Thanksgiving potluck or class party, try your hand at these almond paste cupcake toppers.  Almond paste, also known as marzipan, is extremely easy to work with. You buy it ready to use at your local grocery store (in the baking aisle). All you need to do is knead the color directly into it and you’re ready to use. It’s similar to fondant but the taste is 1000X’s better and it’s actually easier to use.  Marzipan is often used for cookies and decorations in other countries but isn’t as well known here in a America.  So maybe it’s time that you get your hands on some marzipan and get to work. To make these all you need is marzipan, whole cloves (found in the spices section) and yellow and red food coloring.  Simple right? Start by kneading a single drop of red food coloring and several drops of yellow in to the marzipan. Remember that red is a stronger color. If you mix even amounts of food coloring you’ll wind up with red marzipan. Less red, more yellow will win the marzipan pumpkin race.  Once you have the color where you want it, tear off a small amount and form it into a small ball of dough by rolling it in your hands. Marzipan puts off a small amount of almond oil while you work with it. Next you want to get a butter knife and make slices around the outside edge of the ball of dough.  I found it was easiest to start at one point and roll the ball in my hand as the line went down to the bottom point.  Once you have the marzipan cut all the way around you might choose to shape it slightly with your hands to look more like a pumpkin shape.  Once you have the ball of dough in the traditional pumpkin shape, put a whole clove into the top to act as a pumpkin stem.  Cute huh? 5 little pumpkins sitting on a cupcake… oh wait. Aren’t those adorable? And they’re easy to make. While you’re waiting for the cupcakes to cool, you could easily make these pumpkin cupcake toppers.  So before you break out those ornaments and ugly christmas sweaters, give pumpkin cupcake toppers a chance.