I don't think Ive ever made anything which has got the same 'Oh-my-god' reaction as these hot dog cupcakes which my son took into school on his birthday.
The best news is: they are REALLY EASY. But to be completely honest, they do take quite some time to do. The hot dogs are made out of fudge, which you could make yourself but if you are a normal person you will buy. This is the sort of thing you need:
To make 12....
CUPCAKE RECIPE:
110g/4oz self raising flour
110g/4oz caster sugar
110g/4oz softened butter (I like Lurpak)
1 tsp baking powder
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
AND METHOD:
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well, then the flour, baking powder and vanilla extract.
Drop the mixture into cases in a cupcake tray and bake at 160c for about 20 minutes.
DECORATIONS:
Small quantity of shop bought fondant icing
Red, black and yellow food colouring - I find the gel colours are best and last forever
1 bag of soft fudge pieces
725g Icing sugar
2 egg whites
butter
DECORATION METHOD
Make the dogs - roll the fudge pieces in your hand into a barrel shape. Each piece will yield two hot dogs. If you like, mark the ends with a star shape using the flat of a toothpick.
Colour your fondant icing to a pale brown. Squish out a fat round in your hand and then wrap this around the dogs.
Ice the cupcakes with buttercream icing - 225g/8oz icing sugar beaten into 100g softened butter. I didnt feel the need to pipe it, you just want to achieve a sweet, flat surface for the dog.
Make a small quantity of royal icing using 1 egg white and 250g of icing sugar. Divide this in two and colour half yellow and half red.
Using your smallest piping nozzle, draw on ketchup and mustard squiggles.
There will be a lot of fudge left over. You know what to do...