Golf-Themed Cupcakes

We typically go to my parents house for all the PGA majors so we can watch them together.  Last weekend was no exception with The Masters kicking things of for 2014.  I volunteered to bring dessert (as usual) and I was feeling crafty!  I really haven't had the time or energy for creativity lately so it was a refreshing change.  I decided to use cupcakes to create one of Augusta National's signature holes.  Number 12, Golden Bell, is the courses shortest hole, but gives players plenty of guff!  Rae's Creek and the Hogan bridge leading to the green are it's visual highlights.

I started by baking 2/3 of a box cake into mini-cupcakes, which yielded 43.   I arranged the cupcakes unfrosted into the shape I wanted.  Then I drew a diagram to help with assembly, but I forgot to take a picture of it.  I separated a small amount of white frosting to be colored yellow and blue, then colored the remainder green.  I also made green coconut and sugar using standard food coloring.

 I started by frosting all the cupcakes.  I dipped some of the green ones in coconut to represent the "rough," or longer grass along the edge.  The fairway was frosting only and I dipped the cupcakes for the "green" in the sugar.  Blue is obviously for the water in Rae's creek.  I used the yellow frosting for the based of the sand traps, which were then dipped in graham cracker crumbs

 The Hogan bridge in the background was the toughest part.  I wanted it to be edible, but was not having luck carving graham crackers into such and intricate design.  I ended up using a few layers of cardboard coated in peanut butter and rolled in crumbs.  I thought it turned out pretty neat.

 I cut a white jelly bean in half for a ball and made a toothpick pin for the finishing touches!  A delicious and fun way to celebrate!  Happy Baking!