Cupcake Topiary

Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake pans with mini cupcake liners.

Prepare cake mix according to package directions and fill mini cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. An easy way to do this is to use a cookie scooper. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until done. Let cupcakes cool.

Frost cupcakes using the leaf tip on the icing bottle. You can make a swirl shape or make petals. Place one jumbo sprinkle in the middle if desired. *You can also just decorate the cupcakes using your own frosting. You can fill a plastic bag with your own frosting, cut of the the end, and pipe a flower or cone shape.

Fill the terracotta pot with floral foam and insert the dowel or stick. Push the floral foam ball down on the dowel securing it in place.

You may want to use straight pins to plan where you are going to attach your cupcakes. Use the toothpicks to attach each cupcake to the ball. I used 1 toothpick for the top cupcakes and more for the sides to make sure they were secure. Push toothpicks in the ball and then press the cupcakes onto the toothpicks. Continue doing this until all of the topiary is covered with cupcakes.

You may use 24-36 cupcakes depending how closely you space your cupcakes.

Tie a pink ribbon under the base of the ball and cover the floral foam in the pot with spanish moss or greenery.