You’re Never Too Old to Enjoy Birthday Cupcakes
Lovin’ that chocolate since 1987…
Remember back-in-the-day when your parents would bring cupcakes into school and your whole class would celebrate?? How awesome was that? Well I’m officially 22 years YOUNG today and I can honestly tell you that I still get that big, silly grin on my face every September 26th because I know I have my absolute FAVORITE cupcakes to look forward to!
ANIMAL CUPCAKES!!! (recipe posted below)
From Parents Magazine May 1990 issue: Article “Birthday Parties”
Decorating Ingredients:
-red and yellow food coloring
-white frosting
-milk chocolate frosting
-shaved coconut (1 cup)
-M&M’s (need brown and orange ones)
-Chuckles fruit jelly candies (large and small sizes) – purples, reds and pinks
-Caramel w/ vanilla center round candies (bear ears)
-red and black licorice
-milk chocolate Nestle morsels
-Bazooka or any pink bubble gum
-marshmallows
-yellow Nilla wafers
Directions:
Gather the goods…
The Big Bad Bear Cupcake:
Spread chocolate frosting on yellow cupcake; use 2 caramel w/vanilla center (round candies) for the ears; use 2 orange M&M’s for eyes, and stick a chocolate Nestle morsel on top of each orange M&M (use a dab of frosting to make it stick); use one marshmallow for the nose, and top it with a small red Chuckles fruit jelly candy (again, use a dab of frosting to make it stick to the marshmallow).
Little Miss Piggy Cupcake:
Mix a little red food coloring with the white frosting to get a light pink frosting; spread frosting on cupcake; use pink bubble gum cut into 2 triangle shapes for the pigs ears; make ‘eyelashes’ by cutting black licorice into 2 – 1/4″ long pieces, and make individual lashes by cutting a few slits in each piece – apply as “eyes;” under the licorice lashes, use one large dark pink jelly candy topped w/a sliver of red licorice (for the nose).
Leo the Lion Cupcake:
Mix a little yellow food coloring with the white frosting to get a light yellow frosting; spread frosting on cupcake; mix yellow food coloring with the coconut to get a deep yellow color; sprinkle the coconut around the edges of the lion’s face (as the mane); use 2 brown M&M’s for eyes; use 1 small dark purple (or black) Chuckles fruit jelly piece (sliced in half) as the nose; cut red licorice into 6 thin slivers (each 1/2″ long), and use 3 on each side of the nose as whiskers; use 2 yellow Nilla wafers for ears, with a dab of chocolate frosting in the center of each “ear.”
You could make a pretzel ‘fence’ using pretzel sticks stuck together, to corral your animals, and add to the fun.
BEFORE….
AFTER…voila!!
+ + + +
I never realized until now what a whirlwind this year has been…I graduated college, met some amazing new people, began grad school to pursue a career that I love, spent time with family and friends, traveled, launched Simply Savor and so much more. It has definitely been a year worth celebrating and I know 22 will be just (if not more) as exciting as the last! Thanks to all of you for sharing it with me!
A big thank you to Mama Simply Savor for making these cupcakes on my special day, it means the world to me 
+++++
And while I looove having these animal cupcakes on my birthday, let’s be honest–when it comes to birthday desserts…
…I’m never one to discriminate 
Enjoy your weekend everyone!
What’s your special birthday tradition?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!
Have a fabulous day 
I don’t have any b-day traditions. I wish I did. I think I’ll start one this year!
My fav b-day cake when i was little was a bunny cake with fruit roll ups for the pink in the ears and the nose and eyes and licorice strings for the mouth and whiskers!
aw that sounds adorable!! i think you’re going to have to recreate for your birthday this year!
happy birthday young girl~~~ have a lot of fun!!!
You (and your cupcakes) are too cute! I will have to make those for my niece’s next birthday. She’d love it.
Enjoy 22!! It was a big year for me and I’m sure it will be even bigger than 21 for you.
Happy birthday! Those cupcakes are really cute and so is the picture of you. I’m loving it! Have a great day and even better weekend.
Happy Birthday Kristen! I loved the pictures of you celebrating your birthday as a child – Sesame Street decor was a must.
Those animal cupcakes are too darn cute. My niece is turning 10 in November so I might just have to bookmark this recipe.
Have a lovely b-day weekend.
haha how funny, i didnt even realize those were sesame street! soo old school
i hope your niece loves the cupcakes if you decide to make them!!
The happiest of birthdays to you
Kristen, those are the cutest cupcakes ever! I can see why you would crave them
every year on your b-day.
Every year I always ask my Mom to make my a chocolate vanilla swirl cheesecake…it’s to die for. I always end up having some for breakie the next day!
ooh yumm, cheesecake for breakfast is the perfect way to extend your birthday for as long as possible
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
22 will be even better than 21. Enjoy your day to the fullest
I will definitely need to make those adorable cupcakes in the future!
Happy 22nd birthday!! I adore those little cupcakes. I’m sure they taste as good as they look too! Have fun celebrating
Happy Birthday Kristen! Hope school is going well! : )
Personally, Leo the Lion is my fav!
Happy Birthday Kristen. Hope you have a great day. Leo the Lion is my favorite – he is so cute. Your mom is talented! My birthday is in August and I remember always being so sad that I wasn’t able to bring in treats for my birthday. Of course, in elementary school it felt like the end of the world! Ahh, to be young again! Enjoy your 22nd year – I’m sure it will be filled with great adventures!
Happy Birthday to my special girl on her special day! It seems like only yesterday that you were my adorable baby. Hope you enjoy your day as much as Dad and I have enjoyed every moment of your life since you were born. Mwaa
aww your first comment on the blog! proud of you mom! love you
Happy Birthday!!
So cool- we share the same birthday! (Except for the fact that I was turning 13 on the day you were born!
Have a fabulous day…and enjoy the chocolate!!
Happy Birthday!
Those cupcakes are just as adorable as little, baby you!
Yay Happy birthday!! Welcome to the 22 club–I’m liking it more than 21!
Happy happy birthday!!!!!!!
I took cakes to school too…though being older means you can eat more of them and don’t have to finish your dinner first if you don’t want to 
haha oh the perks of growing up !
I don’t know whats cuter, you or those cupcakes! okay, it’s a toss up.. absolutely precious
!!
happy birthday beautiful!
Happy Birthday; those cupcakes are absolutely adorable…love them!
Enjoy your special day.
Amie
you should open up a cupcake shop with your sick cupcake skills!! wow!!
happy birthday
Those cupcakes are adorable! I’m glad you had such a lovely birthday
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful, you do have a lot to be celebrating. Love the cupcakes. I made some doggy cupcakes for a client. I will have to share with you, I think you would get a kick out of them. And yes, I am a big cupcake fun!
ahh yes i would absolutely love to see your doggy cupcakes! that sounds adorable!
AW! I have a huge crush on the piggy cupcake in particular. My 21st birthday is in 2 weeks and I’d totally rather have cupcakes than beer.
Those are so friggin adorable! I just showed my roommate because I thought they were just so cute:)
Happy Birthday, Kristen!!
Happy birthday Kristen! And the cupcakes are adorable! sure u had fun to make it! haha..like being a kid again!
happy bday kristen!!
those cupcakes look phen and so cute!, almost too cute to eat, ALMOST! I just made cupcakes for a friends bday the other day, her name is Lauren and I made purple icing with big L’s on each one, she loved it and said it reminded her of the younger years too haha!
enjoy your day!
Those cupcakes are sooo cute! Happy Birthday and great blog.
Great pics! And I love the animal cupcakes. Happy Birthday, hope it was a great day for you!
Happy belated birthday, Kristen! I hope it was a blast. I’m glad you had a great year and I hope the ones to come are even better! Love the cupcakes!
First off – HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
Secondly, how adorable are those pancakes? I love the pig!
Oh those look adorable!! Thanks for the ideas.
Happy birthday!! Those cupcakes are absolutely adorable!!! Hope you enjoyed your day :O)))
Cute cupcakes! Happy Birthday!
Sorry I missed your birthday! How freaking cute are these cupcakes? Love the piggy