Today I’m sharing this post from sunny Florida! I specifically remember I read the whole Hunger Games series during my spring break here in Orlando last year. Most notable was Ryan teasing me for reading a young adult series and his inquiring comments after leaning over to get glimpses from my Kindle. We all know the book’s story-line is a little “out there”, but obviously you have to be amidst the plot to really appreciate all the craziness. Anyway, fast forward a few months and Ryan’s sleep depriving himself because he can’t put the books down! So needless to say, the Hunger Games is a fantastically addicting series and I had to join the pre-HG movie frenzy the only way I know how – with cupcakes!
I’ve been envisioning these cupcakes for awhile now, and I’m so thrilled with how they came out. The crushed up Oreos are supposed to represent coal from Katniss’s district, the fire frosting is obviously for the “girl on fire”, and I also incorporated a black lollipop-stick arrow and printed paper book logo as a topper. I think they’re as ferocious as the characters in the book but also kind of adorable. As I mentioned last week, I’ve been extremely busy recently, so I only made 4 of these, but they really weren’t hard to put together with a few tricks on hand. The fire frosting is made by loading a pastry bag with a large open-star tip and filling it with orange, yellow, and red frosting. Then you press on some crushed oreos around the edges, stick in a decorated black lollipop stick/arrow, and they’re ready for the Arena! Don’t you think Katniss and Peeta would love a silver balloon full of these??
I have my movie tickets already for Friday night and I can’t wait. If you’re counting down the days to the release like I am, you should definitely give these cupcakes a try. I’ve tried to make the instructions below as easy-to-follow as possible so don’t be intimidated, they’re really not as challenging as they may look!
Hunger Games Cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
12 cupcakes, your favorite recipe or boxed mix
20 Oreos, crushed into large pieces
12 Black lollipop sticks (I "painted" white ones with a food marker)
1 sheet black construction paper for the arrow heads
12 print-outs of the HG logo cut out into circles and hole punched (I just used one from here)
For the vanilla buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbsp milk
Directions:
- Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe or package instructions in black liners and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the lollipop sticks and toppers while you're waiting for the cupcakes to cool. I painted my white lollipop sticks with an edible food marker and glued on black triangles for the arrowheads. For the logos, I printed them out, cut them along the edges, and punched 2 holes along the ends of the arrow the mockingjay is holding in the image. Then the lollipop sticks are slid through the hole and that's it!
- For the buttercream frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the sugar in 1/2 cup increments, beating until well incorporated.
- Add vanilla extract and milk and beat for 2 minutes.
- Divide the frosting evenly into 3 bowls and dye one orange, one red, and one yellow. I use Americolor gel colors and really love how easily they dye frosting such vibrant colors without using a whole bottle.
- Load a pastry bag with an open-star tip. Use a rubber spatula to pick up as much of the red frosting as possible, then stick the spatula far down the pastry bag, and spread the frosting along that side of the bag. Then use another spatula to load the orange frosting in the next third of the bag. Finally, add the yellow. When you look down into the pastry bag, it should look something like the image below.
- To create the flames, apply even pressure as you move the pastry bag from the cupcake up about half an inch, then release. Cover the top of each cupcake with flames.
- When the frosting is complete, stick Oreo pieces along the edges of each cupcake. I was able to just attach them by slightly sticking them to the frosting flames, but you could also spread a little extra frosting on the back of each piece to help them stick.
- Insert the decorated lollipop sticks at an angle into each cupcake.
And in the words of Effie Trinket, “Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor!”
Those are awesome! Even though I have yet to read the books I can totally appreciate these.
These are amazing! I am so excited for the movie!
Mal @ The Chic Geek
This made my day!!!!
These are so great! I love the three tone flame frosting and the broken up bits of Oreos look awesome too, and your photography is great! I haven’t got into the Hunger Games yet but everyone I know seems to rave about it so perhaps I need to give it a try!
These are so cool! So perfect for the movie – love them! :)
Erica, I am obsessed with these cupcakes! They are perfect! I just finished the first HG book yesterday because I couldn’t stand being out of the loop ahead of the movie. Then, instead of waiting for my friend to lend me the second book, I ran straight to the bookstore and bought it for myself!
Erica, these are AMAZING. Absolutely amazing.
Those are perfect!! I’m tempted to go home and make some. I am so ready to see this movie.
LOVE these cupcakes!! They are perfect! My husband read the books before me, imagine that! We are going to see it at an IMAX theater this weekend!
I absolutely LOVE this, and not only because they’re Hunger Games cupcakes and look great, but also because they don’t involve creating a mockingjay out of icing like most recipes that I’ve seen on food blogs! :)
You are incredibly creative! Great job! I love the Hunger Games…just started the second book in the series! It’s true, they are hard to put down!
you are incredibly talented and I’m stealing this for my little hunger games pre movie party. My whole family devoured the books as I’m sure they will these cupcakes. Enjoy the movie.
So pretty! I so want to make these!
Love it!! So excited for the movie, but not sure I can see it in public, since even when I watch the trailer, I kinda start to cry. Did you know there’s a Hunger Games cookbook?
These look awesome!! I am going to make them tonight instead of studying, then my friends and i are going to eat them in line while waiting for the midnight premiere!! thanks so much!
These are so cute! I am so excited for the movie :) I just posted a Hunger Games Lamb Stew on my site that I made! Check it out!
http://www.elementalcustard.com/pages/LambStew.php
Love these!! Can not wait for the movie! May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor :D
Oh my how cool are these! I haven’t read the series but my hubby of all read the books and has begged me to read them so we can see the movie this weekend. I said no to the books I’ll just watch the first film and if its good then I read the books lol! I have to say these are very cool cupcakes.
You are like the Cinna of cupcakes. I love how you incorporated the coal/Oreos.
Erica — March 22nd, 2012 @ 4:35 pm
Hahhaha I love this! Thanks :)
These are really great!
These are so cool!!!
You’re baking skills are amazing. always beautiful, perfect and most importantly delicious!
These are beautiful and very artistically done! You are so talented and have great taste in pants! ;)
Thank you so much! I made these today for my daughters bday party tomorrow. They didn’t turn out as great as yours but we are happy with them. Thanks for sharing!!
These look freaking awesome!!!! I want to try them/go see the movie asap. I wrote a song called girl on fire when I read the books and I should record it and have you upload it to play when people are reading this post :)
These are incredible. My daughter went to see the movie opening day at midnight. I was so tired from our trip I was not impressed. Lol!
I just want to say I am a new follower and I love your blog! I stumbled across this trying to find an awesome st pattys day cupcake recipe (I made the Bailey’s one’s by the way, thank you!) and I am so super impressed that I want to make all kinds of stuff!!
These look great, Erica! I haven’t read the books or seen the movie, but I keep hearing so much about it that I’ll probably have to breakdown and do so!
Also wanted to drop by and let you know I nominated you for The Versatile Blogger Award. I love following your posts!! If you want to check out the details, they’re on my blog:
http://attemptingdomestication.com/?p=460
I’m totally making these for our mini hunger games party. Though I’m sure they won’t be as pretty as yours. Love it
Hey Erica they look great wish we had them when we went to the movie last night. John
Sooooooo cute and creative! Thanks for the idea! :)
I love the little flames on these! They are so cute!
sooooooo stinkin’ cool!!!!! wish i’d seen these earlier!
Thanks for this idea! I made these for my daughter’s class for her 12th birthday this week. I used royal icing to make the flames ahead if time. Then I made chocolate mocking jays to put in the middle. They turned out AWESOME! Everyone was impressed! It was my first time making cupcakes like this. Your idea was so helpful!
Stunning cupcakes and photos!
OMG, I can’t believe I missed these when you first posted these. These look so awesome!
these look amazing =] i’ve been looking at a few of your cupcake recipes, and you are so creative. i’m glad i found out that i can follow your blog on facebook!
-Jess
These are fantastic!!! Headed to share with my FB readers!
hugs! Kim @ Party Frosting!
hi
Thee are amazing! Just wondering, what tip did you use for the frosting? Thanks!
Erica — July 9th, 2012 @ 12:16 pm
I used a small star tip – I’m not sure what the # is, but something like this that is small: http://www.amazon.com/Ateco-Pastry-Tube-Star-Size/dp/B0000VLEEA/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1341836164&sr=8-5&keywords=star+tip
LOVE these! I am featuring them on my blog tonight. Thanks for the inspiration! {amyallender.com/blog}
I can’t wait to make these!! Can I make these a day ahead?? Will the icing stay just as I make it?!
Erica — April 26th, 2014 @ 8:19 pm
Yup, a day ahead is fine!
Looking fabulous Erica! I really loved to see this hunger games cupcake but still waiting to take taste practically and that’s why looking to make by myself. Thanks
How did you make the cupcake picks?
Erica — May 7th, 2019 @ 8:02 am
“I painted my white lollipop sticks with an edible food marker and glued on black triangles for the arrowheads. For the logos, I printed them out, cut them along the edges, and punched 2 holes along the ends of the arrow the mockingjay is holding in the image. Then the lollipop sticks are slid through the hole and that’s it!”
Cupcakes symbolize several characters in The Hunger Games by Diamonds for Dessert. Orange cupcake with arrow Katniss the girl on fire, green leaf cupcake with a toast on top Peeta the boy with the bread, pink frosting cupcake with purple flower on top Effie Trinket and the white rose cupcake with red dots on top President Snow. What a lovely character portrait through frosting design!