6 chocolate cupcakes baked in brown paper liners

6 plain mini doughnuts

6 creme wafers (e.g. Rippin’Good, 4 1/2 inches long)

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate frosting

1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

Yellow food coloring

2 tablespoons white chocolate melting wafers

6 malted milk balls

6 mini pretzels twists

6 thin crisp cookies (e.g. 100 calorie pack, Chips Ahoy or Oreo)

2 (1.55 ounces each) milk chocolate candy bars (e.g. Hershey’s)

3 tablespoons yellow edible glitter

1. Trim both sides of the mini doughnuts to make them flat. Cut opening of donuts into a rectangle to fit one end of the creme wafer. (The doughnut gives extra support to hold the cookie upright) Spread a small amount of chocolate frosting on top of the cupcakes and attach the doughnuts in the center. Place the cupcakes in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.

2. Spoon 1/3 cup of the dark chocolate frosting into a ziplock bag. When cupcakes are ready, spoon the remaining dark chocolate frosting into a 1 cup glass measuring cup and microwave for 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring frequently, just until frosting is the consistency of slightly whipped cream (do not overheat the frosting).

3. Holding the paper liner on cupcake, dip the cupcakes, one at a time, into the dark chocolate frosting just up to the paper liner. Allow excess frosting to drip off. Carefully invert cupcake and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.

4. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Place the white chocolate melting wafers in a ziplock bag. Microwave on high at 10 second intervals, removing and rubbing bag between every 10 seconds, until chocolate is melted, about 45 seconds altogether (do not overheat the chocolate). Arrange the creme wafers on the wax paper. Snip a small (1/8 inch) corner from the bag with the melted chocolate. Pipe some of the chocolate on one short end of the creme wafer. Add the malted milk ball. Pipe some chocolate in the center of the pretzel and attach to the creme wafer under the malted milk ball. Pipe some chocolate on the cookie crisp and add to the bottom edge of the pretzel to make the shield. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.

5. Tint the vanilla frosting bright yellow with the food coloring. Spoon 1/4 cup of the yellow frosting into a ziplock bag. When cookies are set, spoon the remaining yellow frosting into a 1 cup glass measuring cup and microwave for 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring frequently, until frosting is the consistency of slightly whipped cream (do not overheat the frosting).

6. Holding flat end of cookie assembly, dip, one at a time, into the yellow frosting just up to finger tips. Allow excess frosting to drip off. Return cookie to the wax paper on cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Reheat the frosting if consistency becomes too thick. Sprinkle the tops of the cookie statues with the edible glitter. Allow cookies to set in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

7. Carefully remove cookie statues from wax paper. Push undipped cookie end into the the opening of doughnut on top of cupcakes about 1 1/2 inches deep. Snip a small corner from bag with the dark chocolate frosting and pipe dots around base of cookie to cover any gaps or cracks in the coating.

8. Cut the milk chocolate candy bars into six 2 by 3/4 inch rectangles. Snip a very small corner (1/16 inch) from bag with the yellow frosting. Pipe desired titles on flat side of chocolate rectangles. Pipe some dark chocolate frosting on edge of cupcake in front of cookie statue and attach the chocolate plaques. 

Makes 6 cupcake awards