Gluten-Free Valentine's Day Love Bug Cupcakes

Directions

Chocolate Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Spray and line 2 muffin pans (18 portions).
2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, oil and water. Mix with a whisk until combined.
3. Add Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cake Mix and whisk until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin (18 portions).
5. Bake in preheated oven for 18 - 22 minutes.

Yields 18 cupcakes 

Red Buttercream Icing  

1. In medium bowl mix butter until smooth.
2. Slowly add in sifted icing sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with milk. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
3. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
4. Add red colouring 1 - 2 drops at a time until desired colour is achieved.
5. Cover Red Buttercream Icing with plastic wrap. Set aside. Do not refrigerate.

Royal Icing 

1. Mix egg white until soft peak. Slowly add icing sugar and continue to mix until smooth (icing should be thick enough to pipe).
2. Place royal icing in a piping bag with a writing tip #3.
3. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Rolled Fondant 

Black Fondant Pieces 

1. Colour 200 grams rolled fondant with black food colouring.
2. Work coloured fondant in your hands to create a smooth even-coloured fondant (recommend wearing gloves).
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out rolled fondant with the aid of icing sugar or a piece of parchment paper.
4. Cut out 18 circles slightly bigger than the top diameter of cupcakes. 
5. Brush off excess icing sugar with a pastry brush.
6. Rework remaining black fondant and cut out small circles for lady bugs spots and eyes. 
7. Cover cutout pieces with a piece of parchment paper until ready to assemble. 
8. Store any remaining fondant covered in an air-tight container.

Red Fondant Pieces

1. Colour 150 grams rolled fondant with red food colouring.
2. Work coloured fondant in your hands to create a smooth even-coloured fondant (recommend wearing gloves).
3. Using a rolling pin, roll out rolled fondant with the aid of icing sugar or a piece of parchment paper.
4. Cut out fondant into 18 hearts with a cookie cutter. Cut each heart in half.  
5. Cover cut out pieces with a piece of parchment paper until ready to assemble.
6. Store any remaining fondant covered in an air-tight container. 

Assembly

1. Cover the top of each Chocolate Cupcake with a thin layer of  Red Buttercream Icing. Remaining Red Buttercream Icing place in a piping bag with a #3 writing tip. Set aside. 
2. Lady Bug Base: place black circles on top of Red Buttercream Icing. Press down slightly to adhere to top of cupcake. 
3. Lady Bug Wings: using a pastry brush or paint brush, wet the back side of each red heart half. Attach to the black base leaving a space at the front for eyes, nose and antennae. Flat side of the heart should be nestled against each other, rounded side pointing outwards.
4. Lady Bug Face: using the royal icing, pipe two eyes and a nose at the front of the cupcake. Place a small black circle (cut out or solid) to create eyes. Break a pretzel stick in half and insert both halves slightly into cupcake to create antennae.
5. Lady Bug Spots: use royal icing to pipe 3 to 4 dots on each wing (as uniform as possible). Attach a black cut out dot on royal icing dots to create black spots.  
6. Optional: use remaining Red Buttercream Icing to create a bead border around Valentine's Day Lady Bug Cupcakes. 

Yields 18 Cupcakes