Sunflower cupcakes

This past weekend I had the pleasure of making a cake for my Goddaughter Emmy's 1st Birthday party.  In addition to the cake, her mother and my bestfriend, wanted mini cupcakes for all the mini guests at the party.  The theme was ladybugs and flowers so I decided to make a cake with daisy's and cupcakes that look like sunflowers (an idea I rememebered from my book hello cupcake). 

To make things extra cute I added little pink fondant ladybugs to EVERYTHING!

Start with any cupcake flavor you like. 

Tint half of vanilla buttercream with Moss gel color from Wilton

and half with yellow

next top the center of the cupcake with a mini oreo.  

This is starting to get really cute, can you dig it?

Fill piping bag with yellow buttercream and using a leaf tip ( I used #70)

Pipe starting at the bottom edge of the oreo and go all the way around.

Purtay!

But, we're not done yet. 

Make two or three layers of leaves for a full flower.  Then go back with the green buttercream using another leaf tip to fill in bare spots at the bottom

Add a cute little fondant ladybug and you have a wonderful mini surprise for all your mini guests.

Of course, you don't have to be mini to enjoy these.  You can use a regular size cupcakes and regular size oreos for us "regular" size peeps!

I made a whole army of mini's ....80 to be exact!

It took six hours to get them all to look like this

They ended up here...at Emmy's Birthday party table.  A fabulous party stylist named Sarah who owns sheek shindigs did all of the party decorations and table scapes. 

Here is a better look...so yummy and purtay!

Oh, I almost forgot...

I also made sunflower sugar cookies with fondant ladybugs

They were take home favors and were a big hit.

Happy Birthday Emmy "bug"!

Happy baking and decorating,

Buttercream