Flesh Wound & Eyeball Cupcake Toppers

I've always been more of a 'cute' Halloween person rather than a 'gory' Halloween person, however, I had so much fun making these gross cupcake toppers I just might be converted. I'm looking at Halloween in a new disturbing light this year!

This instructable will break down all the simple steps for making some really disgusting and edible cupcake toppers. Are you ready for some grossness?!

You will need the following colors of fondant and supplies to make these toppers:

Fondant

• peachy flesh color
• red
• white
• black
• blue

You can purchase pre-colored fondant or mix up colors yourself with
white fondant and food coloring. I prefer coloring my own with Wilton brand icing colors.

Supplies

• sharp knife
• rolling mat (if you don't have one smear your counter top with vegetable shortening and roll fondant on that)
• rolling pin
• toothpicks
• food safe paintbrush
• red food coloring
• black food coloring
• painters palette or two small bowls
• vodka or any flavor of clear extract - I recommend clear vanilla or almond
• wax paper lined baking sheet
• 3 inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass

Edible Fake Blood

• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• red food coloring (to desired redness)

In a small bowl mix all ingredients together until smooth. Add more cornstarch to desired thickness. Set aside until ready to use. (This recipe will be way more than you need for a few cupcakes so feel free to cut the amounts.)

1. Roll out flesh colored fondant to 1/8 inch thick.
2. Cut out a circle with a 3 inch round cookie cutter (or drinking glass).
3. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet.
4. Using a sharp knife make a curved cut in the fondant. This will be the wound.
5. Make maggots - roll out a skinny snake of white fondant cut into maggot sized lengths. Smooth edges and set aside.
6. In your painters palette mix 1/4 teaspoon vodka or extract with a very small amount of red food coloring. Incorporate food coloring and vodka with paint brush.
7. Brush the mixture around and inside of the wound (cut).
8. In your painters palette mix 1/2 teaspoon vodka or extract with a very small amount of black food coloring. Incorporate food coloring and vodka with same paint brush. It's okay if a little red gets in the black
9. Paint the black wash over the red to darken it up. Don't go overboard! You still want it to look bloody.
10. Sutures - Roll out very skinny snake of black fondant cut lengths and drape across wound poking the ends down into the flesh with a toothpick.
11. Place maggots in and around the wound. Secure in place with vodka or extract. (this is your fondant glue)
12. Once maggots are in place paint on heads (with straight black food coloring) and stripe variations to make them look more realistic.
13. Drip fake blood sparingly in and around wound.
14. Gross flesh wound cupcake topper complete!!

1. Roll out red fondant 1/8 inch thick.
2. Cut a 3 inch circle with cookie cutter or drinking glass.
3. Roll out black and blue fondant as thin as possible.
4. Cut small circles to make iris (blue) and pupil (black). I used round piping tips but you could also cut these out with your knife and smooth edges with fingers.
5. Roll a 1 1/4 inch ball of white fondant. This is the eyeball.
6. Place black circle on the blue circle and place on white eyeball.
7. Cut a small football shape in the red fondant circle.
8. Place eyeball underneath the cut and smooth fondant around and down the sides of the eyeball.
9. Using a toothpick make ridges in the red fondant and droop the bottom eyelid - see pictures.
10. Using the same black food coloring 'wash' brush it all over the red fondant to darken it up.
11. Using a clean paintbrush and straight red food coloring make the eyeball bloodshot.
12. Place toppers on wax paper lined baking sheet.
13. Drip fake blood into the bottom eyelid and all around as desired.
14. Disgusting eyeball cupcake topper complete!!

Let the toppers harden slightly on wax paper lined baking sheet. Make cupcakes, top with buttercream and place topper on cupcakes.

Take a picture of your beautiful (or disgusting) work!!