Red Velvet Elf Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 cup butter softened
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 container cream cheese frosting 
• 2  eggs 
• 2.3 cups flour all-purpose
• 6  fruit (from 4.5-oz box)
• 12 large fruit 
• 12 small gumdrops green cut in half
• 12 small gumdrops red cut in half
• 7 oz chocolate icing red
• 1 oz food coloring red
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 48  semi chocolate chips 
• 1.3 cups sugar 
• 0.3 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla 

Equipment

• bowl
• oven
• hand mixer
• toothpicks
• muffin liners

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, beat sugar, butter and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in food color and vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk just until blended. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely. Set aside 1 tablespoon frosting; frost cupcakes with remaining frosting.
4. Cut each orange gumdrop in half; shape into triangles.
5. Place 2 pieces on each cupcake for ears.
6. Cut each fruit snack into 4 triangles.
7. Place 1 triangle on each cupcake for hat, folding pointed end over. With reserved frosting, attach 1 green gumdrop half to pointed end of hat. Use red gumdrops halves for nose and chocolate chips for eyes. Pipe red icing for mouth.