Character Cupcakes

• Making cupcakes with the faces of classic Sesame Street characters such as the Count, Big Bird, Oscar, Elmo, Burt and Ernie may seem a bit overwhelming, especially for the novice baker. But with some simple preparation, this project is not so daunting. First purchase sprinkles in the colors of each characters face. You will need purple for the Count, yellow for Big Bird and Burt, green for Oscar, red for Elmo and orange for Ernie. Ice cupcakes with a plain, white frosting and then cover the icing with the appropriate colored sprinkles. Place dots of white icing on the faces for the eyes and an upside down chocolate chip for the eye ball. Next, add colored candies to create the mouths of the characters. Consider adding half a cookie for Cookie Monster's mouth and candy corn for Big Bird's beak.
  
  

Dirt Cupcakes

• Oscar the Grouch, in his tin trash can, is the most lovable grouch on the block. Create special cupcakes for the grouches in your family. Bake chocolate cupcakes in silver wrappers to simulate the trashcan. Then ice the cakes with chocolate icing. Crumble cookies on top to resemble dirt and garnish the cupcakes with a gummy worm. The grouchy, messy, trash can loving kids in the group will be sure to love these Oscar-inspired creations.
  
  

Cakes for Cookie Monster

• Just as the Oscars at the party deserve their own creations, create cupcakes for the little Cookie Monsters. Bake any flavor cupcake and try using colorful cupcake liners for a rainbow of cookie inspired confections. Ice the cakes in a variety of colors, or try mixing a little blue food coloring into white icing to create Cookie Monster's favorite color. Next, purchase or bake a selection of cookies. Cut the cookies in half and just before serving, garnish each cupcake with half a cookie.
  
  

Numbers and Letters of the Day

• Bake and ice any flavor of cupcakes. Using a variety of colors and flavors ensures there are flavors each child will enjoy. Next, mix up some sugar cookie dough. Roll out the dough. Use letter and number cookie cutters to cut out the letters. Bake the cookies. Decorate them with icing, sprinkles and colored candies to add some color to cakes. Be sure to decorate the cakes just before the party to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.