Chocolate Leaf cupcake toppers!

Hello All!

I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful cool air that we have been getting! I find that I think better when there is a cool breeze flowing in, and I love watching the beautiful leaves fall to the ground. Therein comes my inspiration...falling leaves! I love different colors, but today, I decided on just brown leaves (per my kids request :), but you can change it up and make them into red, orange, and yellow...or any color that you want! Now let's begin!

Here are the supplies you will need:

Baked Cupcakes of choice (mine were strawberry)

White icing

1 bag of brown, red, orange, or yellow Candy Melts (I used just brown here)

Parchment paper

A leaf printout (can be found on Pinterest ;)

2 disposable icing bags

Wilton #1M tip

A bowl for melting chocolate (I prefer glass)

About 2 Teaspoons of oil (for thinning the Candy Melts)

**And a cookie sheet for laying the template and parchment paper on if you prefer. I didn't but you could always do it this way, so that you can put it in the fridge to help the candy melts harden better. I would definitely recommend putting the leaves in the fridge, if you are making them on a hot day, to help them along.

First you will need to put a piece of parchment paper over the leaf template you are working with. At this point, I decided whether or not I wanted to use all of the different leaves, just a few, or one. I decided that I would just use one of the small maple leaves, and then slide the parchment paper back over the same leaf over and over again.

I melted the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second increments until the chocolate was smooth when combined, and added oil to the chocolate (about 2 teaspoons per bag). I let the melted chocolate sit for about 10 minutes, so that it would be cool enough to pipe (you may need to check it often, just in case). It may be different for everyone, so I just encourage you just watch it until it is no longer runny, but just stiff enough to pipe. When ready, put the chocolate in the bag, and twist the top closed. Snip just the tip of the decorating bag...test it out on the parchment paper to make sure that it's flowing properly, and then begin.

With a light steady pressure, start piping over the leaf template. What I learned through this process, is that you will want to trace it pretty thick and evenly all the way around, or the thin sides will break off. Don't worry about them being perfect, in nature, no two leaves are alike!

You should connect the top and bottom of the leaf with one line through the middle, and I also recommend that you try connecting some of the sides as well, to make them a little more sturdy for removal in one piece.

And voila! You're done! (this part anyway :) I didn't have to put these in the fridge to chill, but you could if you would feel more comfortable.

While I was waiting for the leaves to harden.....

I got out my favorite Wilton tip #1M, and my second piping bag (no coupler), and scooped the icing into the bag. I twisted the end, and began icing my cupcakes.

For the 'cupcake swirl' technique, hold your bag at a 90 degree angle, and squeeze in a rotating motion until the top of the cupcake is covered. Overlap the first layer for more height to the cupcake.

Now for the big finale!! Pull back the parchment paper slooowly, and then carefully press each leaf into the newly frosted cupcake.

And that's it!! You could always add some sprinkles for added fall flair, or 'leave' (hehe) it how I did, with just the chocolate leaf doing all the talking!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, please subscribe to my page to keep up with my weekly 'yummies' tutorials, or simply pin this for later use! These make great gifts too! ;)

HAPPY FALL YA'LL!!!!

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