8 vanilla cupcakes baked in red paper liners
1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
Red paste food coloring
8 mini plain or chocolate-covered donuts (I used chocolate-covered)
4 chocolate chews (Tootsie rolls)
6 green fruit chews (Jolly Rancher, Tootsie Fruit Rolls)
1 cup red decorating suger (you will need A LOT)
3 black candy-coated chocolate-covered sunflower seeds
1. Spoon 1 tablespoon of vanilla frosting into a small ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal. Tint the remaining vanilla frosting red with the food coloring. Cut 1/2 inch from the bottom of each mini doughnut with a serrated knife and discard the bottom piece. Spread some red frosting on the cupcakes and place mini doughnut piece, cut side down, on top. Place the cupcakes in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until slightly frozen.
2. For the stems, cut the chocolate chews in half lengthwise on the diagonal and shape each half into a stem (you will need seven). For the leaves, roll out the green fruit chews to a 1/8 inch thickness, and then cut into twelve 3/4-by-1 1/2 inch leaf shapes. Make a crease down the center of each leaf with the back of a paring knife and pinch one end.
3. Place the red decorating sugar in a medium shallow bowl. Working on 1 cupcake at a time, spread some of the red frosting on the top and sides of the doughnut and cupcake to fill in the gaps and lightly coat, making the doughnut top look like the top of an apple. Roll the frosted cupcake in the red sugar to coat. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes.
4. To create a bike mark, carefully remove a 1 1/2 inch diameter divot in the side of 1 sugar coated doughnut, using the tines of a fork or a paring knife. Snip a small corner from the bag with the vanilla frosting and pipe a thin layer of frosting to cover the exposed area inside the divot. Spread lightly with the back of a small spoon to smooth. Arrange the sunflower seeds in the vanilla frosting stems with the green fruit chew leaves at the top of the apple cupcakes. Arrange the cupcakes in a basket.
