Dinosaur Cupcakes

Directions

1. 1
   Make gingerbread cookie cutouts, using a 5- to 7-inch dinosaur-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, and placing a lollipop stick under each shape, in the center (press lightly to adhere), before chilling and baking as directed.
2. 2
   Using gel-paste food colors, tint 1 cup buttercream pale orange, 1/2 cup deep orange, and the remaining pale brown.
3. 3
   Transfer pale orange buttercream to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#7), and dark orange to a pastry bag fitted with another small plain tip (#3).
4. 4
   Using an offset spatula, spread pale brown buttercream over each cupcake.
5. 5
   Insert the stick of a cookie into each cupcake.
6. 6
   Pipe small pale orange spikes along the top ridge of each dinosaur cookie (squeeze out a dot of frosting, then release while pulling up to end with a pointed peak), and pipe tiny deep orange spikes alongside, at the point where the larger ones meet.
7. 7
   With a paring knife, cut grass from green gummy candy, with some spears longer than others.
8. 8
   Arrange 3 candy eggs beside each dinosaur cookie, and stick a few pieces of candy grass in among the eggs.
9. 9
   Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.
10. 10
    Cupcakes are best served the same day they are decorated; keep at room temperature.