More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys!

Happy monkeys!

I loved playing the barrel of monkeys game when I was a little kid. I'm sure my mom loved it too, a cheap and easy way to keep us entertained for hours with those little plastic monkeys. But even better than monkeys you can play with are .... you guessed it, monkeys you can eat! I made these super fun and super duper cute monkeys for a birthday party and they sure were a hit. I was even able to personalize a few to look like some of the party guests. These are really easy to make, your favorite cake mix, easy to find candies, and pre-made frosting.

For the crazy monkey cupcakes you will need:

24 cupcakes (any flavor, but banana sure is fun!)
24 peanut butter sandwich cookies cut in half (I used Nutter Butters)
48 mini chocolate candies (I used mini -M&Ms)

Angry monkey!

24 vanilla wafer cookies, cut off the top 1/3
Black gel frosting
Red gel frosting
2 cans chocolate frosting

Once the cupcakes are made and cooled, frost the tops with a thin to medium layer of chocolate frosting. Reserve some frosting for hair and other features. Press two mini candies into the frosting, letter side down for the eyes. Gently press two halves of the peanut butter cookies on either side of the eyes for the ears. If the ears hang off the sides of the cupcake too much they will fall off, so make sure to squeeze them in close to the eyes. Press the vanilla wafer cookies into the frosting, rounded side up with the cut flat side closest to the eyes.

Crazy monkey!

Use the black gel frosting for pupils on the chocolate candies, eyebrows/eyelashes, and nostrils. Use the red gel frosting for the mouths. With a pastry bag and a small star tip, or a plastic bag with the corner cut out, pipe the remaining chocolate frosting for hair above the eyes, mustaches above the nostrils, or even a little beard under the mouth.


These cupcakes are great for birthdays of all ages, because, let's face it, who doesn't love monkeys?
What was your favorite birthday cake, dear readers?