Elephant Cupcakes

• 1). Spread 1 tbsp. vanilla icing on top of each cupcake, Optionally, stir blue food coloring into the icing to make a light blue color for the background.
  
  
• 2). Lightly dust a work surface with powdered sugar and roll light blue or gray fondant on it to 1/8 inch thick.
  
  
• 3). Cut two peanut shapes out of the fondant, with a knife, measuring 1 1/2 inches tall and 1 inch wide each. These will be the ears. Cut out a 2-inch-long j-shape for the elephant's trunk.
  
  
• 4). Cut out a third round piece the diameter of the cupcake for the face of the elephant. Press the face of the elephant on top of the iced cupcake.
  
  
• 5). Apply a small dab of icing to the sides of the face at the edge and press the ears onto the spot so the ears are 3/4 on the elephant face.
  
  
• 6). Dab icing onto the top of the j-shape and attach it to the middle of the elephant face.
  
  
• 7). Press two banana-shaped candies onto the face, one on either side of the trunk, to make the tusks.
  
  
• 8). Apply two chocolate-coated candies to the middle of the elephant face above the trunk to make the eyes. Optionally, pipe a dab of white vanilla icing to the center of each candy to make the white of the eyes.
  
  

Monkey Cupcakes

• 1). Spread 1 tbsp. chocolate cake icing onto each cupcake.
  
  
• 2). Dip scissors in hot water and cut each chocolate marshmallow in half across the width. Flatten each half of the marshmallow with your palm, and press it onto the iced cupcake on the bottom of the cupcake's surface to make the face surrounding the monkey's mouth.
  
  
• 3). Draw a curve on top of the marshmallow with the gel decorator icing to make the smiling mouth.
  
  
• 4). Press two chocolate candy wafers onto either side of the cupcake to make the ears.
  
  
• 5). Place two jelly beans above the marshmallow for the eyes and one below those for the nose of the monkey.
  
  

Lion Cupcakes

• 1). Color vanilla cake frosting orange with yellow and red food coloring and spread 1 tbsp. on top of the cupcakes.
  
  
• 2). Cut red candy licorice ropes into 3/4-inch lengths, and press the trimmed licorice pieces around the edges of the iced cupcake to make the lion's mane.
  
  
• 3). Place three jelly beans in the middle of the cupcake for the lion's eyes and nose.
  
  
• 4). Draw a w-shape with rounded edges using the gel decorator icing directly below the nose jelly bean to make the cat's mouth for the lion.
  
  
• 5). Place two o-shaped cereal pieces on the upper portion of the cupcake just inside the mane to make the lion's ears.