Harvest Corn Cupcakes

A-maize your crowd with this crafty centerpiece inspired by the dried harvest corn decorations that grace doorways each fall. The kernels are gourmet jelly beans in beautiful autumn shades. Sheets of toasted phyllo dough form the tawny corn husks.

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A-maize your crowd with this crafty centerpiece inspired by the dried harvest corn decorations that grace doorways each fall. The kernels are gourmet jelly beans in beautiful autumn shades. Sheets of toasted phyllo dough form the tawny corn husks.

Get more holiday ideas

Preparation Information

Recipe makes

8 "ears of corn" with 24 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 24 vanilla cupcakes baked in white paper liners
  • 3 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed
  • Vegetable cooking spray
  • 1 can (16 oz) vanilla frosting
  • 3 ¼ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • About 4 cups assorted Jelly Belly jelly beans in colors:
    Yellow | Brown | Cream | Orange | Red

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with crumpled foil. Cut the phyllo sheets crosswise into 3-inch-wide strips, tapering both ends. Drape the stacked husks on the prepared pan, shaping them over the crumpled foil to make curves. Spray lightly with vegetable cooking spray. Bake until the phyllo is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. The husks can be made up to 1 day in advance and kept in an airtight container.
  2. Tint the vanilla frosting pale beige with the cocoa powder.
  3. Unwrap caramels, set aside.Working with 3 cupcakes at a time, spread some of the pale beige frosting on top. Arrange about 5 straight rows of jelly beans, side by side and close together, on each cupcake. Try to select flavors that go well together, such as toasted marshmallow, banana, cappuccino, and chocolate pudding. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes, frosting, and jelly beans.
  4. For each ear of corn, place 3 cupcakes end to end on a serving platter, aligning the rows of jelly beans. Arrange the phyllo husks on either side of the corn.
Harvest Corn Cupcakes