Compost Cupcakes

• 1 box (15.25 oz.) cake mix
• Hershey's Kiss, unwrapped
• 10 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
• 6 graham crackers
• 1/2 cup white-chocolate chips
• 16-oz. can vanilla frosting
• Green food coloring
• 1/2 cup cornflakes
• 1/4 cup mini candy fruit slices
• 1/2 cup thin pretzel sticks
• 4-oz. bag gummy worms

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, dropping one Hershey's Kiss into one cupcake.
2. Place chocolate cookies in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl. Add graham crackers to food processor; pulse until coarsely ground. Put into another bowl.
3. Place three wooden spoons on a cookie sheet about 2" apart; set aside. Microwave white-chocolate chips at 10-second intervals, stirring in between until smooth and melted. Spread chocolate over a sheet of wax paper and place over spoons, allowing paper to drape and create waves in chocolate. Refrigerate until set, 5 minutes. Break white chocolate into pieces to look like eggshells; set aside.
4. Tint 3 Tbs. of frosting with green food coloring; melt in microwave for 5 seconds. In a bowl, toss cornflakes in melted frosting to coat. Spread green flakes on a cookie sheet to dry.
5. Cut mini fruit slices in half.
6. Frost cupcakes with remaining vanilla icing. Press frosted tops into both chocolate and graham cracker crumbs to look like dirt. Add remaining toppings.

• Get the cupcake wrapper template.
• Get More Carnival Birthday Party Ideas

Originally published in the May 2013 issue of Parents magazine.