Reindeer Cupcakes

Make the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C / gas mark 4 and line your cupcake tray with liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and instant coffee powder.
3. In another bowl add the oil and sugar and mix well. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat till you get a homogenous mixture.
4. Now add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk. Mix gently after each addition just until everything comes together.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out the batter and fill each liner to ¾ full.
6. Bake for 16-22 minutes or till the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Once baked, remove from the tray and let them cool down completely on a cooling rack before frosting.

Make the frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter until it's light and creamy. Add powdered sugar (in batches) and beat until you get a smooth and fluffy consistency. This might take about 5-6 minutes.
2. Beat in a tablespoon of fresh cream if the frosting looks too thick.
3. Fill the frosting in the piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.

Make the Oreo Reindeer cookie

1. Break the pretzels into half (be careful as they are very fragile) and keep them aside. We will use them for the horns of the reindeer.
2. Open the Oreos carefully. Dip a portion of the broken pretzels in the melted chocolate and place them on the cream side of the Oreo. Place the other half of the Oreo on top. The chocolate will hold the pretzels in place.
3. Working with 1 Oreo at a time, dip the Oreo (with the pretzel horns) in the melted chocolate until evenly coated, scrape the bottom of the cookie against the edge of the bowl to remove the extra coating, and transfer it to the parchment paper-lined tray. Let the chocolate harden.
4. Stick a red M&M or skittle using a little melted chocolate to make the reindeer nose and use buttercream for the eyes (you can also use candy eyes to make the eyes). Repeat until all the other Oreos are done.

Assemble the cupcakes

1. Make sure the chocolate is melted.
2. Pipe the frosting on the cupcakes.
3. Dunk these cupcakes with the frosting in melted chocolate and immediately place one Oreo reindeer cookie on top of each cupcake before the chocolate hardens.
4. Wait till the chocolate hardens, then use the leftover buttercream to pipe the scarf! Serve immediately and enjoy!