Celebrating the guest of honor is as easy as A-B-C with these letter-cookie cupcake toppers. To create the cookies, cut rounds from sugar cookie cutouts (two different sizes are shown, but just one will do), then cut a letter from the inside of each round with a mini cookie cutter (see Sources, page 342). Instead of a single letter, you can make a set of cookies featuring the entire alphabet (you will need a couple more cupcakes to show them off), a great idea for a party full of preschoolers just learning their letters.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 24
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Make cookies, using 2-inch cookie cutters to cut out 12 rounds and 1 1/2-inch cutters to cut out another 12 rounds. Use mini letter-shaped cookie cutters to cut out letters from centers of rounds. Gather together and reroll scraps; cut out more rounds and letters, as needed.
Step 2
Tint royal icing with gel-paste food color (see page 304 for instructions). Transfer icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#3), pressing out air and sealing top of bag with a rubber band to keep icing from drying out. Pipe icing to outline each cookie and then outline letter cut out. Fill in with a thin layer of icing, using a toothpick to spread evenly. Let stand until icing is set, at least 3 hours (or overnight).
Step 3
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (Ateco #806 or Wilton #2A) with buttercream, and pipe in a spiral pattern onto each cupcake, starting at the edges and ending with a peak in the center. Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature, and place one iced letter cookie upright in the buttercream on each cupcake, before serving.
