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1
Using a serrated knife, trim top of each cupcake to make level.
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2
Tint 1/4 cup buttercream brown with gel-paste food color.
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3
Tint 2 cups buttercream peach.
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4
Tint 1/4 cup each yellow and green.
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5
Transfer tinted buttercreams to pastry bags fitted only with couplers.
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6
Tint remaining buttercream pale pink.
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7
Using an offset spatula, spread a smooth layer of pink buttercream over each cupcake.
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8
Using brown buttercream and a fine plain tip (#1), pipe thin branches on cupcake.
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9
With peach buttercream (shown opposite; pink is shown below) and a small petal tip (#103), pipe basic petals: Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle to the cupcake, with the tips wide end down and narrow end pointed away and slightly to the left.
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10
Move the tip forward 1/8 inch and back again while you pivot the narrow end to the right.
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11
Make five or six petals, turning the cupcake as you go.
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12
Then, if desired, pipe a smallpetal on stem to make the bud shown at left.
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13
With yellow buttercream and a small plain tip (#2), pipe three or four dots in center of flower.
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14
Pipe tiny leaves with green buttercream and a small V-leaf tip (#349).
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15
Repeat for remaining cupcakes.
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16
Refrigerate 30 minutes to allow frosting to set.
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17
Cupcakes can be refrigerated up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.
