cupcake de safari

Surprise Inside Safari Cupcakes

I’m obsessed with surprises. There’s nothing like putting a smile on someone’s face because you gave them a surprise that they truly didn’t expect. I also love throwing in that element of surprise when I bake. On the outside, these may seem like ordinary safari cupcakes, but there is an animal print surprise on the inside! These Surprise Inside Safari Cupcakes are guaranteed to be a hit at a kids (or adult!) party! If you love safari animals, check out my Zebra Cake .

Something that really adds a nice touch to these cupcakes are these cupcake wrapper templates. You can print those out here . I’d print them on card stock and put them on at end after the cupcakes are baked.

Instructions:

• Preheat a moderate oven (175°C/350°F)
• Make your vanilla cake mix per the packaging instructions.
• Place two spoonfuls of vanilla cake mix into a small bowl, and add 4 spoonfuls of cake mix into another small bowl.
• Add black food colouring to that vanilla cake mix well.
• Place half of your remaining vanilla cake mix to a snap seal bag. Also add your entire brown cake mix into a snap seal bag, and your entire black cake mix into a snap seal bag.
• Line your cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
• Cut a fine large tip from your snap seal bag with vanilla cake mix. Pipe about ⅓ of your cupcake liners with vanilla cake mix into 6 of your cupcake liners.
• With the black cake mix, pipe another layer directly over the brown cake layer design.
• Pipe your vanilla cake mix with a swirl starting in the center and moving outwards.
• Repeat the process of creating the bullseye in each of the cupcakes with a black, brown, black bullseye pattern. Then add another vanilla cake layer. Make sure this doesn’t fill over ⅔ of the cake.
• Add your remaining brown cake mix and add it into your white cake mix. Add orange food colouring and mix well.
• Spoon a layer of orange cake mix to the bottom of the remaining 6 cupcake liners.
• Bake in a moderate oven for about 12 minutes.
• Use a pastry brush to paint orange spots on an unmelted white candy melt. Draw a black ring around the orange. Draw black tiger stripes on unmelted orange candy melts.
• Wrap your printed animal print card cupcake wrappers, and wrap them around the bottom of the base of your cupcake. Tape where the 2 edges meet.

These cupcakes are wild! 🐅 🐆

For the printable recipe click here:   http://bit.ly/2hjUfeb

What You’ll Need:

• Vanilla cake mix (box cake) & ingredients to make the cake mix
• Buttercream frosting
• Unmelted white and orange candy melts (or you can use little fondant circle disks)
• Black food colour paste or gel
• Orange food colour paste or gel
• Unsweetened cocoa (or brown food colouring)
• Sticky tape
• Free printable wrappers
• Cupcake tray
• Cupcake liners
• Small spoons
• Large spoon
• 2 x spare bowls
• 3 x Zip lock bags

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Jungle Animal Cupcakes

Introduction: Jungle Animal Cupcakes

Cake (cupcake) decorating can be so expensive and overwhelming at first.  Here I show you some of my techniques for making beautifully decorated and professional looking cupcakes that won't break the bank and that anybody can do.  These cupcakes have a plain vanilla base, simple butter creme frosting, and are decorated with  homemade fondant jungle animals that taste delicious. This is not your typical flavorless and hard fondant, the homemade marshmallow fondant is delicious and creates toppers that any kid, or adult, would love to eat.

Step 1: Baking the Cake

This instructable focuses on a method for decorating cupcakes, the combination of flavors are endless and completely up to you.  I enjoy a simple vanilla cupcake with traditional butter creme frosting to showcase the fondant sculptures on top of each.  Bake the cake: Purchase your favorite boxed cake mix (even the off brands work great, they are all the same basic ingredients) and prepare it following the instructions on the box.  Make sure to use room temperature eggs so that your cupcakes bake up light and fluffy.  Using boxed cake mix is not cheating (These will still be homemade), I believe it is a simple way to make sure the cupcake tastes great and proportions of sugar, flour, baking powder, etc are correct.  I've experimented with many different homemade batter recipes and I've found that its not the base cake that makes the dessert special, but rather it is the optional fillings and toppings that make the cupcake special.  Pour your cupcakes into cupcake pans that have been lined with cupcake papers.  I like to use solid aluminum wrappers because they are typically the least expensive and (typically 79 cents for 50-75!) will not distract from the sculpted piece or decoration that you top the cupcake with.  Designer cupcake papers are overrated and way too pricey! Do not under bake the cupcakes! Many inexperienced bakers often worry about over baking the cupcakes so they end up taking them out too early only to find a sticky mess.  Test the cupcakes with a toothpick or by pressing the top with your finger to see if they spring back.  Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 2 minutes then flip them out onto a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting.

Step 2: Making the Buttercreme Frosting

Yum, nothing is better than a classic butter creme frosting. Here is my basic recipe. 1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks) 3-4 cups confectioners sugar (sifted) 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (the real stuff!) 3-4 tablespoons water or milk. pinch of salt In a mixer creme the butter for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the sugar 1 cup at a time until it is incorporated into the butter.  Add in the salt, vanilla, and water/milk and whip until light and fluffy (5-10 minutes).  Add in your favorite food coloring.  I use gel coloring which can be found at almost any grocery, craft, or specialty store.  The food gel colors will not alter the consistency of your frosting and are very inexpensive. If you choose to use traditional water based food coloring just decrease the amount of liquid you add to the frosting initially so that it doesn't turn out runny. 

Step 3: Piping the Frosting Onto the Cupcakes

Step 4: Make Your Own Homemade Fondant

Purchasing fondant at the store is convenient, however it is not cheap.  Here I show you how to make your own homemade fondant for about $3.00.  This fondant is not only less expensive but it tastes great and the ingredients can be found at almost any convenience store. Ingredients. 16 oz bag of marshmallows ($0.99) 2 pound bag of confectioners sugar ($1.99) 2 tablespoons of water (free!) 1 teaspoon of your favorite flavoring (clear to make white fondant) (optional) Microwave the marshmallows and water in a glass bowl stirring every 15-30 seconds.  Microwave until the mixture becomes smooth and is completely melted.  Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix to combine.  Mound the remaining sugar onto a clean kitchen counter top and dump the mixture into the center.  Making sure your hands and fondant is covered in sugar, knead the mixture to incorporate the sugar.  Add in your favorite flavoring and knead to incorporate. Cover the fondant at all times when not in use to prevent it from drying out.  Take out small portions at a time and recover the remaining fondant. COLORING THE FONDANT: To color the fondant simply add a few drops of your preferred color and knead to combine.  If you are afraid of staining your hands you can wear food safe rubber/ latex gloves.  Do not use water based food dye as this will alter the consistency of the fondant, gel coloring is a very inexpensive option.  If you have any kool-aid packets lying around, these may also be used to color the fondant.

Step 5: Sculpting and Painting the Animals.

Sculpting the animals is easier than it may look.  These figures are very basic shapes with exaggerated characteristics to make them stand out and identify each animal.  Roll Small pieces of fondant to create the body and form into a teardrop shape. The arms and legs use a similar tear drop shape and the head is a round ball.  Mold ears, noses, etc depending on the animal and attach using a small amount of water as the glue (if necessary).  Once sculpted let your fondant sculptures dry to firm up a bit before painting. Use gel food coloring and a paintbrush to detail the characters with stripes, eyes, etc.  Let dry before topping the cupcakes. Paint sticks better if the sculptures have had some time to dry.  I suggest waiting a few days to let them set before applying the paint, though this is not completely necessary. Use your imagination and create any animal/ creature/ design you wish. Post your creations to share your work!

Step 6: Topping Off the Cupcakes

After the figures have dried you can set them into the cupcakes you have baked and frosted.  It is ideal to bake the cupcakes after the figures are made and dried so I typically recommend making the figures a week in advance. Arrange the cupcakes on a platter and make sure to mix up the animals so that like colors are not next to each other.  Take a photo of your masterpiece and dig in!

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Safari Party Theme Leopard Print Cupcakes

A Safari party theme needs a fabulous treat! How about some delicious spotted leopard print cupcakes!? I served these for our “Into the WILD” New years Party and they were so fun! I know, you're looking at these thinking, “I don't have time to make fancy cupcakes”.

But guess what? YOU DO. These are deceptively easy. They take just a little extra time to put the batter in the tins but that's it. If I can do it, I promise, you can too.

Safari Party Cupcake Ingredients

• Yellow or white cake mix made according to box
• Cocoa powder – dutch processed recommended
• 1/2 capsule activated charcoal or Black food coloring gel
• Baking Cups or Muffin tins with cupcake liners
• Plastic piping bags

Mixing Up Batter Colors

After you mix your cake batter scoop 2 cups light cake mix in a separate bowl. Add 3 tsp cocoa powder, dutch processed cocoa is more red in color and will give you the results seen here. This color is the for the main spot. Adjust quantity of cocoa as desired being careful to not get too dark.

Next scoop 3/4 cup of cocoa tinted batter into a separate bowl and stir in 1/2 capsule of activated charcoal , or a toothpick dip of black food coloring gel and mix well. You want this color, the spot outline, to be almost black.

Safari Party Cupcake How To

Now let's get down to the business of creating these fun little leopard print cupcakes! Fill the bottom of each liner with a few spoonfuls of yellow cake batter. You will be doing THREE layers and don't want to overfill so start off with small amounts.

Add Leopard Print Spots

Fill one piping bag with the light chocolate batter and another with the black/brown batter. Snip the end off the light chocolate bag, twist the top to prevent leakage and squeeze dots onto the yellow cake batter layer. 3 larger dots are better than the 4 smaller ones from my first batch.

Then snip the black chocolate piping bag and draw a “C” shape outline on the sides of each light chocolate spot. Your spots are now complete.

Repeat Two More Times

Now that your first layer is done and spotted, you're ready to try it again. And then again. After that 3rd layer has spots, you're ready to go in the oven.

You can use either baking Cups or cupcake liners in a tin but I wanted to show how fun and easy the baking cups are. They really make baked goods look SO much more professional.

Pro Tip : Do you see how full these baking cups are? They totally overflowed! Make sure to keep liners about 2/3 full to allow for rising of the cake. Luckily these were my test cupcakes and I learned my lesson real quick!

Pro Tip #2 : When making party food, it's a really good idea to have a small test batch! Just in case!

Display Safari Party Themed Cupcake

I think these are gorgeous without frosting and a simple New Years party pick.

The baking cups don't fade as the cupcake cooks and are ready to place on the party food table as soon as they come out of the oven! Grease spots no more!

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

BUT if you have kiddos like mine that prefer their cupcakes with frosting you can use our easy chocolate buttercream recipe as well. After making frosting, add to another piping bag and snip a large hole for easier, more uniform frosting.

The frosting hides the leopard print cupcake and gives your guests a fun surprise!

Enjoy Your Safari Party Cupcakes

Now that these leopard print cupcakes are done I dare you to eat just one! I'm not a huge yellow cake fan but these were SO good with their chocolate spots. Wild cupcakes perfect for your Safari party theme!

If you make some cheetah or leopard cupcakes, I'd love to hear about it in the comments below. And if you share photos, I want to see it too! Please tag us @partieswithacause on Facebook , Instagram , and Pinterest . We love celebrating all your hard work! 

More Safari Party Theme Ideas

• Safari Glam Baby Shower Ideas
• Safari Lion Baby Tag Toy DIY Tutorial
• “Party Animals” Jungle Themed Birthday – Featured Party
• Cheetah Corn Cones – Popcorn with Chocolate Drizzle

Into the WILD New Years Eve Party Ideas

• New Years Eve Party – Into the WILD
• Sherbet Pineapple Sunset Punch
• Blackberry Banana Yogurt Parfait Cups
• Non-Alcoholic Blackberry Mint Spritzer Mocktail Recipe

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Get your Healthy Food Susbstitution List for BEGINNERS

If you're ready to improve your lifestyle and the health of your family, join me in the "Healthy Hostess" movement. Where we serve great food to the people we love. With food that nourishes the body and events that feed the soul. Use this food subtitution list to plan more intentional holidays and gatherings. Collect healthier recipes, less stuff, and more meaningful memories, with me at Parties With A Cause. 

You are on your way to Healthier events! One food substitution at a time.

What a great idea! I loved your spin on nye!

Thank you so much! I wanted something a little different and things have definitely been WILD so it seemed fitting!!

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Make These WOW-Worthy Safari Minnie Cupcakes

These safari Minnie cupcakes are perfect for Disney fans whether you’re setting up a Jungle Cruise movie night, a safari party, or just because you want to have a bit of fun in the kitchen. And best of all – they’re pretty simple to make.

The cheetah spot ears will make you look like a professional baker (it will be our secret). You can use a cake box mix base, make my lazy girl’s chocolate cupcake recipe , or get a little help and buy pre-made cupcakes.

What You'll Find On This Page

Adorable Safari Cupcake Idea

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, I absolutely believe cupcakes are one of the best and most versatile desserts for any occasion. And Disney… Well, we are pretty much obsessed with making adorable Disney-themed treats around here.

When the Jungle Cruise movie came out, I made two versions of themed cupcakes – this Minnie Mouse cupcake and one a bit less girly for the fellas. I’ll put it below in case you want to whip up a batch.

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Honestly, though… if you are making these, I would make these Mickey themed safari cupcakes by leaving off the bow or by making a mini safari hat to put in the center of the ears. And if you do that, please, please send me a picture! Let’s get started with these fun cheetah print cupcakes.

RELATED READING: Jungle Cruise Snack Mix

No Time to Make This Now? Save or Share This

If you don’t have time to make these now, come back later and check out the entire recipe. Save and pin this to your favorite Disney or dessert board or share in one of your favorite recipe groups on Facebook.

As an Amazon Associate, I can earn from qualifying purchases. There could be affiliate links within this article.

Jungle Cruise Cupcake Idea

Earlier this year, I shared the ‘not so girly’ version of these Jungle Cruise cupcakes for a fun reminder of one of my daughter’s favorite rides at the park. She giggles, jumps, gasps, and screams with delight every time we ride it.

If you haven’t seen it, the movie was absolutely hilarious and has become one of our favorites to watch during family movie nights. These colorful cupcakes are perfect for a movie night because they only require a cake and frosting.

Fun Ways To Share These Jungle Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

• Birthday Party Cupcakes – These would be super cute for a jungle or safari-themed birthday party. I found a ton of sets for the theme on Amazon: this is the one I bought for our party and I combined it with these fun leaf plates for the Jungle Cruise snack mix and a few other treats.
• Jungle Cruise Movie Night – Cupcakes are the ultimate treat for snuggling up and watching movies at home (and they can be made ahead of time, so that’s awesome). I used the garland and a few balloons left over from the kit I mentioned above for an easy decoration.
• Drop Off a Sweet Treat – I have these cupcake boxes on hand and combine them with stickers to drop off a treat for my daughter’s friends or when someone can’t make a party.
• Bring Them as a Class Party or Booster – You would literally blow everyone’s minds if you make these for a bake sale or party! Just a tip: if you’re putting these into a traditional cupcake carrier, turn them perpendicular every other cake so they will fit without touching.

RELATED READING: DONUT MINNIE CUPCAKES

How to Store Cupcakes to Keep Them Fresh? What About Fondant and Frosting?

The key to keeping these cute Minnie cupcakes moist and delicious is to store them in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. You don't have to store them in the fridge and can prepare them a day in advance of the party or event.

If you want to pre-bake the cupcakes, they can be stored in the freezer for a couple of months. Thaw them at room temperature. Additionally, you can make the frosting one week in advance or freeze and store for a couple of months. Bring to room temperature and beat with the mixer to fluff.

To make the cheetah spot Minnie or Mickey ears ahead of time, let them dry completely and use high quality edible ink markers. Wrap them in cling wrap and store them in an air tight container out of direct sunlight. Make sure they're not stacked on top of each other. You can make these up to a month ahead of the party.

Safari Minnie Mouse Ear Cupcakes

These safari Minnie cupcakes are a fun and super cute treat for a Jungle Cruise movie night, bake sale or booster fundraiser, or as a safari party treat.

Ingredients

Fondant bow ingredients:.

• 1 package of White Fondant
• 1 Black edible marker 
• 1 Brown edible marker
• 1 Cheetah cookie stencil
• 1 Stripe cookie stencil
• 1 fondant cutter (round and 2 inches in size)
• 1 can of red cake spray 
• 1 can of silver cake spray 

Chocolate Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 box of chocolate cake mix
• 1 ¼ cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of butter, unsalted

Vanilla and peanut butter frosting ingredients

• 1 cup of soft butter, unsalted
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tsp of vanilla extract
• 3-5 T of heavy whipping cream
• 3 cups of toasted coconut
• 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter
• 1 large piping bag with star tip

Instructions

Minnie mouse fondant ears.

• Add cornstarch to a cutting board and knead the white fondant. It must become soft and workable.
• Add a bit more cornstarch onto the cutting table if needed and roll out the fondant to 1/4 inch thick.
• Use the fondant cutter and cut out 40 circles.
• Put them onto a cookie sheet and leave them to dry.

The Next Day:

• Use the black edible marker and cheetah stencil set on top of one of the white circle fondant pieces. Trace the cheetah spots and set each disc aside. Repeat with all of the fondant circles.
• Use the brown marker and trace around the black lines.
• Spray the top of the circles with silver spray to make them shiny and let them dry for a few hours.

How to Make a Minnie Mouse Bow:

• Pinch off 1 tablespoon of the white fondant. Press it into the larger bow mold then place it on the cookie sheet to let each dry.
• After it has dried, put the stripe stencil on the bowl and spray the bow with the red cake spray. Let dry completely.

To Make the Cupcakes:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line the pan with cupcake liners.
• Beat milk, butter, eggs, and cake mix together in a large bowl.
• Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and put them in the oven to bake for 21 minutes. Remove and let cool completely.

Make Frosting and Assemble Cupcakes:

• Mix butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and whipping cream with a mixer. It should be smooth and stiff when done.
• Use an ice cream scooper and scoop the frosting on top of the cooled cupcakes. Use a butter knife to spread out the frosting.
• Roll the cupcake into the toasted coconut and set aside. Repeat with all cupcakes.
• Add peanut butter to the rest of the frosting and put that mixture into a piping bag. Add a dollop of it onto the middle of each cupcake.
• Put the bow in the middle and one ear to the left and right of the bow.

To turn this fun safari ear idea into a full-size cake, make the fondant circles larger and cut 4 of them. Place a skewer on a fondant disc, add water to secure, and layer the other disc on top. Let dry completely before decorating with cheetah spots.

Nutrition Information:

Serving size:.

All nutrition information is estimated. For accuracy, please calculate your exact brands and ingredients if accuracy is desired.

Did you make this yummy recipe?

Please leave a comment or share a photo and tag me @rufflesandrain

More Safari and Jungle Themed Fun You Might Like

• Jungle Thumbprint Animal Art - Learn how to set up one of the most fun party activities and get the how-to for giraffes, lions, monkeys, tigers, and more.
• Monkey Puppet DIY for Kids - These are adorable, have a fun tail, and everyone will have so much fun making and playing with them!
• Elephant Paper Puppets - Using the easiest puppet making technique for little hands, use the steps here to have the kids make their own.

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Meet the Creator

Hi there, I’m Sarah. I’m a crafty gal and always have at least 14 projects going at once. I am a crafter, designer, and pattern maker and share my creations here and over at the Ruffles and Rain Boots® shop . Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots®, you’ll find gnomes to make, crafts, gifts, cupcakes, Cricut projects, and so much more. I love sharing video tutorials over on YouTube and chatting with the community in the Facebook Group .

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Jungle Animal Cupcakes

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• Prep 2 hr 45 min
• Total 2 hr 45 min
• Servings 24
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Ingredients

Cupcakes and frosting.

• 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Yellow Cake Mix or 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Devil's Food Cake Mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
• 1 1/4 cups from 1 tub (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting
• Black food color
• 2 1/2 cups from 2 tubs (16 oz) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting
• Yellow and red food color

Lion Decorations

• 1 1/2 cups caramel popcorn
• 12 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits
• 12 pretzel sticks
• 12 pieces Cheerios™ cereal (any flavor)

Tiger Decorations

• 12 orange chewy fruit-flavored gumdrops (not sugar coated), cut in half crosswise, top halves discarded

Monkey Decorations

• 6 miniature marshmallows, cut in half crosswise, pieces flattened
• 12 small round chocolate-covered creamy mints

Zebra Decorations

• 6 round vanilla wafer cookies
• 24 brown miniature candy-coated chocolate baking bits
• 6 black chewy licorice-flavored gumdrops (not sugar coated), cut in half vertically

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate cupcakes to make 6 lions, 6 tigers, 6 monkeys and 6 zebras.
• 2 In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup chocolate frosting with black food color to make black frosting. Place in resealable plastic freezer bag; cut small tip off 1 corner of bag. Use black frosting to decorate lions, tigers, monkeys and zebras (steps 3 through 7).
• 3 Lions and Tigers: In medium bowl, mix 1 cup vanilla frosting with enough yellow and red food colors to make orange. In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon orange frosting with 3 tablespoons white vanilla frosting to make lighter orange for muzzles. Frost 12 cupcakes with darker orange frosting. For muzzle, spread or pipe small circle of lighter orange frosting on each cupcake.
• 4 For lions, place caramel corn around edges of cupcakes for mane. For eyes, add brown baking bits. For whiskers, break about 1/2-inch pieces off each end of pretzel sticks and insert in cupcakes. For ears, add cereal pieces. Using black frosting, pipe on mouth and nose.
• 5 For tigers, use black frosting to pipe on stripes, nose and mouth. For eyes, add brown baking bits. For ears, add gumdrop halves.
• 6 Monkeys: Frost 6 cupcakes with chocolate frosting. In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon chocolate frosting and 2 tablespoons vanilla frosting to make light brown. For muzzle, spread or pipe circle of light brown on each cupcake that starts in middle and extends to edge; pipe small tuft of hair on opposite edge. For each eye, attach brown baking bit to marshmallow half with frosting; place on cupcakes. With black frosting, pipe on nose and mouth. For ears, add mints.
• 7 Zebras: Cut small horizontal slit in top of 6 cupcakes near edge of paper cup. Insert edge of vanilla wafer cookie into each slit to create elongated face, adding small amount of vanilla frosting to cookie before inserting to help stick. Frost cupcakes with vanilla frosting. For muzzles, frost cookies with black frosting. With black frosting, pipe on stripes and mane. Add brown baking bits for nostrils and eyes. For ears, add black gumdrop halves, cut sides down.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

• tip 1 Get a party menu, prep guide, tips, party games, activities and more for a Zoo-rrific Kids Birthday Party!

More About This Recipe

• Animal-themed foods make back-to-school time fun! When August starts drawing to a close, kids may get anxious at the thought of heading back to school. So put a little pep in their steps with animal-themed lunches, dinners and after-school snacks! To see recipes, click on title or photo. 1. Panda Bread Any old sandwich can go from a disappointing "aww" to a pumped up "AWWW!" when it's made with Panda Bread. Basic white bread becomes a real treat when slices look like pandas! Just imagine lunchbox sammies made with this! 2. Jungle Animal Cupcakes (Featured!) Lunchbox desserts don't get any cooler than this for young ones! Cute animal faces peek up at your kiddo for a real day brightener. You could also make these into a super fun after-school project, letting the kids put the faces on themselves when they get home! 3. Ominous Flaky Owls Owls are so "in" again! So this is another fun sweet treat for your kids, made from crescent dough, chocolate stars, cinnamon and sugar. The only prob? They're so cute your children may not want to eat 'em. (Jk! They'll totally be gone before you know it!) 4. Silly Snake Dogs These Silly Snake Dogs are way easy, because all you have to do is wrap breadstick dough around a hot dog, decorate the little snake face and pop 'em in the oven. You can serve them alongside a Friendly Dog Salad for a balanced meal. What an awesome dinner idea for the first day of school! 5. Spooky Spiderweb Pizza Another great dinner that can let your kids get their hands into it is this Spooky Spiderweb Pizza. You can make the base, and let the kiddos make spiders and other critters to decorate it with. Keep this recipe handy -- Halloween is right around the corner, so you're sure to use it again! Lions and Tigers and Bears Here's the recipe for the cute featured cupcakes. For other recipes, click on the photo or recipe title above. More Fun Food for Kids Check out these Tablespoon articles with lots more super fun food for kids: 5 Breads Your Kids Knead Night Owl Trix Cake Mixed-Up Garden Snacks

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Roxy's Kitchen

How To Make Safari / Jungle Animals Fondant Cupcake Toppers – Tiger, Zebra, Giraffe, Elephant, Monkey, Hippo, Bear, Lion

September 5, 2014 by Roxy

As promised, here is the full tutorial on how to make Safari / Jungle Animals Fondant Cupcake Toppers, the ones I showed you in Part I of my Safari / Jungle Themed First Birthday Party post. Here are all the posts in case you missed them:

Part I – Dessert Ideas Part II – Appetizers, Finger Foods & Snack Ideas Part III – DIY Decoration Ideas + FREE Printables Part IV – Cheap Party Supplies & Decorations 

In this post you will find step by step instructions and photos on how to make all the toppers as well as details on all the tools I used. I made four of each animal face cupcake topper, from tigers, zebras, giraffes, elephants to monkeys, hippos, bears and lions. I think they turned out pretty adorable, right? Which one is your favourite?

I also made a few ones with the number 1 but you can personalize these ones based on your little one’s age. I used the FMM Funky Number Tappit Cutters to make the number 1.

Materials & Tools:

• Orange, yellow, white & black fondant
• Small fondant ball tool
• A toothpick or the cone fondant tool which has a pointy end
• Blunt knife fondant tool
• #8 round piping tip
• Small paint brush
• Small rolling pin – I use the Wilton 9″ fondant rolling pin
• X-Acto knife or any other sharp knife with a thin blade

Directions:

Knead and roll out the orange fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter.

Knead and roll out the yellow fondant to the same thickness. Cut out oval shapes for the mouth.

Roll two small balls of orange fondant into a teardrop shape. Use the small ball tool to make an indentation, a bit more at the base of the ear and less towards the tip.

Cut the black stripes using the X-Acto knife and the nose shape.

For the eyes, roll out a bit of white fondant and make tiny circles using the small end of the #8 piping tip. You can shape these with your fingers as well but I find it harder to make them exactly the same in size. Attach two dots of black fondant for the pupils using a bit of water. If you want to save yourself some time you can buy the pre-made Candy Eyeballs.

Use a small brush and some water to attach all the pieces together as seen below.

Use the bigger end of a piping tip to mark the mouth and the blunt knife to mark line just below the nose. Use the pointy end of the cone fondant tool or a toothpick to mark in the cheeks.

Let the tiger face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• White & black fondant
• Small rolling pin – I use the  Wilton 9″ fondant rolling pin
• X-Acto knife  or any other sharp knife with a thin blade

Knead and roll out the white fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter.

Knead and roll out the black fondant to the same thickness. Cut out round shapes and then using the same cutter cut off a bit of each end to make the mouth as seen in the image below.

Roll two small balls of white fondant into a teardrop shape. Use the end of the paint brush to make an indentation, a bit more at the base of the ear and less towards the tip.

Cut the black stripes using the X-Acto knife.  For the eyes, roll out a bit of black fondant and make tiny circles using the small end of the #8 piping tip.

Use the bigger end of a piping tip to mark the mouth and the end of the paint brush to mark the nostrils.

Let the zebra face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• Yellow, brown & black fondant
• Three round piping tips in different sizes

Knead and roll out the yellow fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter.

Roll a ball of fondant for the mouth/nose, shape it into an oval and flatten it with your fingers. Make the nostrils using the small fondant ball tool. Use the bigger end of one of the piping tips to mark the mouth.

Roll two small balls of yellow fondant, flatten them with your finger and pinch them at one end. Use the small fondant ball tool to create a small pocket in the ear.

Roll two tiny balls of brown fondant to make the two pieces between the giraffe’s ears.

Roll out some brown fondant and using the 3 round piping tips make tiny dots in different sizes. You could also make 10-12 tiny balls out of brown fondant and flatten them out with your finger instead of using the piping tips.

For the eyes, make two tiny balls out of black fondant. Or you can use an edible marker to draw them.

Let the giraffe face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• Dark gray, black & white fondant

Knead and roll out the gray fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter.

Cut out a flower shape per elephant and make the ears as seen below.

Roll a ball of gray fondant and shape the trunk using your fingers. Make small indentations using the blunt knife fondant tool.

Make the two tusks using white fondant.

For the eyes, roll out a bit of white fondant and make tiny circles using the small end of the #8 piping tip. You can shape these with your fingers as well but I find it harder to make them exactly the same in size. Attach two dots of black fondant for the pupils using a bit of water.

Brush some water on the edge of the ears and stick them to the side of the head. Attach the trunk, eyes and tusks using some water as well.

Let the elephant face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• Dark brown, light brown & black fondant
• A piping tip

Knead and roll out the dark brown fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter. Cut out two small round shapes using the large end of the piping tip for the ears.

Knead and roll out the light brown fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the smaller round cutter.

Roll out two small balls out of light brown fondant and flatten them with your fingers. Attach them to the two small circles using some water to form the ears.

Use the flower cutter to cut out the monkey face from the round shapes made out of light brown fondant as seen below.

Make two tiny balls out of black fondant for the eyes and a slightly bigger ball out of brown fondant for the nose. Make the hair out of dark brown fondant.

Use a small brush and some water to attach all the pieces together as seen below.  Use the bigger end of the piping tip to mark the mouth.

Let the monkey face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• Purple, white & black fondant
• Small fondant veining tool or any tool with a pointy end

Knead and roll out the purple fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter. Cut out oval shapes for the mouth.

Roll two small balls of purple fondant, flatten them with your finger and pinch them at one end. Use the small fondant ball tool to create a small pocket in the ear.

Cut the teeth out of rolled white fondant using the X-Acto knife. For the eyes, make two tiny balls out of black fondant.

Use the pointy end of the small fondant veining to mark in the cheeks and the small ball tool to make the nostrils.

Let the hippo face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• Black edible marker

Knead and roll out the dark brown fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) round cutter. Cut out two small round shapes using the smallest round cutter.

Knead and roll out the light brown fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out round shapes for the mouth using the oval cutter.

Make two tiny balls out of black fondant for the eyes. Also, make a slightly bigger ball and shape it into a triangle or oval with your fingers to form the nose.

Use a small brush and some water to attach all the pieces together as seen below.  Use the black marker to draw the mouth.

Let the bear face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

• The cone fondant tool which has a pointy end or the small fondant veining tool

Knead and roll out the orange fondant to a 1/8 “(1/3 cm) thickness. Cut out flower shapes using the 2.5 ” (6.5 cm) cutter.

Knead and roll out the yellow fondant to the same thickness. Cut out round shapes.

Roll two small balls of yellow fondant into a teardrop shape. Use the end of the paint brush (or a small ball tool) to make an indentation, a bit more at the base of the ear and less towards the tip.

Make two small balls out of white fondant for the moustache. Make two tiny balls out of black fondant for the eyes and a slightly bigger one for the nose.

Use the pointy end of the cone tool to mark the moustache and the end of the paint brush (or a small ball tool) to mark the mouth.

Let the lion face cupcake toppers dry on a flat surface.

You might also like…

Monkey & Bananas Cake Topper

This post contains Amazon.com affiliate links for products I personally use and love. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, your costs will be the same but I will receive a small commission which is used for hosting and running this site. I appreciate your support! 

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August 22, 2016 at 11:31 AM

These are all adorable! Question: If I frost my cupcakes, can I just set these fondant animals on top? Or do I need to do something else to make sure they adhere properly? I’m new to fondant, so I wasn’t sure. Thank you!

March 7, 2017 at 12:55 PM

They should stick to the frosting.

July 31, 2016 at 10:14 AM

Sooo cute…. question when you add it to the cupcake does it necessarily have to have buttercream or can it be the elite whipped icing?

June 12, 2015 at 6:47 PM

hi! I want to try making these for a friend’s baby’s 1 year old zoo party.

I’m a total newbie with fondant cupcakes. Are people supposed to eat the cake toppers? Or is it meant to harden completely and just plucked off?

June 14, 2015 at 2:37 PM

You can definitely eat the fondant toppers. They shouldn’t harden as much so that you can’t eat them… actually, if you live in a hot and humid climate the fondant will be softer and not harden as easily. Also, it depends how many days ahead you’re making the toppers. The longer they sit the dryer they get but it takes a good amount of time for them to harden out completely. Personally, I don’t like eating the fondant… it’s mostly made of sugar. But I love decorating with it :). I have friends who really like the fondant though :).

I hope this helps!

May 31, 2015 at 11:26 PM

Thank you so much for this tutorial! I have a baby shower I am doing cupcakes for in 2 days and I was a little overwhelmed and considering cheating and just printing toppers for the cupcakes. Your tutorial is so simple, yet they look amazing and give me the hope that maybe I can pull this off! Thanks for sharing your talents!!

June 8, 2015 at 12:01 AM

I hope you gave these cupcake toppers a try for the baby shower 🙂 . They take some time to make but the final result is worth the effort 🙂

March 17, 2015 at 1:42 AM

How much in advance can these cake toppers be prepared and how to store them? Do you also have tutorials on making the actual cake with the fondant and all the details you added to it including the name, number 1 etc.?

March 18, 2015 at 10:08 PM

You can make the cupcake toppers 1 month ahead, let them dry completely and store them in a cardboard box in a dark place. The colors might fade if you leave them in sunlight. Don’t store them in airtight plastic containers or in the fridge as the fondant will become sticky. I’ve stored fondant decorations for several months (even 1 year) and they still looked good so if you need to make them more than 1 month in advance you’re safe to do so :). I’m planning to write the posts for the cake as well but I haven’t had a chance to do so yet.

Hope this helps!

March 20, 2015 at 3:14 PM

Thank you very much Roxy! I would really appreciate if you can post your tutorial on how to make the fondant animals & details for the main cake or direct me to the resources you used to make them. I’m planning on making it for my son’s first birthday on April 2nd. Most of the tutorial I found on youtube don’t look half as cute as yours. Thank you once again!

March 30, 2015 at 11:24 PM

So sorry DK but I’ll most likely not be able to post the tutorial in time for your son’s birthday. Dealing with a sick toddler these days. If it’s helpful at all, the tutorial for the teddy bear cake topper is already posted here – https://roxyskitchen.com/teddy-bear-fondant-cake-topper-tutorial.html

I used a simple leaf cutter to make the leaves for the palm trees. For the name I used these funky cutters – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002INR2OE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002INR2OE&linkCode=as2&tag=roxskit-20&linkId=HZUM6D6YOVOUWKGX

For the wood sign I used an impression mat – http://www.amazon.com/FMM-Tree-Bark-Brick-Impression/dp/B001SSJWG6/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427772006&sr=1-1&keywords=wood+impression+mat

For the flowers, you can use a small cutter or a plunger & cutter – http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Run-67003-4-Piece-Blossom/dp/B00AZMKCC4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427772208&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=flower+plunger+cuttoer

All other fondant figurines are shaped by hand.

March 10, 2015 at 9:23 AM

How much fondant would you need to make 50 cupcakes?

March 15, 2015 at 10:33 PM

Hi Daniell, You would need about 3. 5 – 4 pounds of fondant. I hope this helps and sorry for the late reply.

March 8, 2015 at 6:47 PM

i had to make jungle cupcakes and your website with precise instructions came in very handy. Just wanted to thank you for all the insttuctions for newbies like me.. Best wishes Michelle

March 15, 2015 at 10:15 PM

You’re very welcome, Michelle! I’m so glad you found the tutorial useful :).

September 10, 2014 at 10:46 AM

These are so cute. I never thought I could do something like this on my own, but after reading this I just might be able to.

[…] Safari Animal Toppers are popular right now. See a step-by-step easy tutorial on how to make the different animals here. […]

[…] lactose-free cupcakes for a first birthday. We decided on a jungle theme for these cupcakes, using these as […]

[…] Todos los tutoriales: Roxy’s Kitchen […]

[…] Safari Animal Toppers are popular right now. See a step-by-step easy tutorial on how to make the different ani malshere. […]

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Gorgeous Safari Cakes For A Special Occasion

Hi friends! Safari cakes are among the most popular trends for birthday parties, baby showers, and special occasions! Many beautiful elements go into a safari cake, such as gold animal cake toppers, edible gold splatter, fondant animals, fondant leaves, and many more. The theme is also interchangeable with jungle-themed cake. How can you not like it? I rounded up a group of gorgeous safari cake ideas for your pleasure of viewing!

Safari Cake Ideas

Stunning safari cake.

Such a beautiful cake with rice paper sails and a custom name plaque! I’ve had the pleasure of featuring her on my blog; click here .

Golden Safari Cake

I love the overlap buttercream on the bottom of the cake. Gorgeous cake.

King of The Jungle

All of the details on this cake are incredible!

Jungle Birthday Cake

What a lovely cake. CHocolate spheres are a wonderful addition!

Gorgeous Tiered Cake

I love the palette painting on the top tier because it mimics the grass and fields. Please take a read about her baking journey here .

Colored Stenciled Cake

As you can see, there are endless options to make a safari cake like this with a stencil and multi-colored buttercream.

First Birthday Safari Cake

This is a pretty adorable birthday cake! Using fondant animals as a cake topper is always great.

Tall Jungle Cake

So fun! The animal-printed chocolate balls are a genius idea!

Semi-Naked Safari Cake

Doing a semi-naked theme for a safari party is a fabulous idea! I love semi-naked cakes for their simplicity and refined look. For more semi-naked inspiration, click here .

Adorable Birthday Cake

What a cute cake. It will be a perfect baby shower cake as well! The fondant animals on the bottom tier are so darling.

First Birthday Fondant Cake

Here’s one of the other wonderful safari cake ideas. I still can’t get over the cute fondant animals.

Gold & Green Jungle Cake

One of the cakes using mainly gold and dark green colors. I love this color scheme.

Special thanks to wonderful bakers who gave me permission to use their cakes! Please make sure to check out their beautiful creations on their Instagram. (linked below each picture)

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Super Cute and Easy Animal Cupcakes

By: Author Agnes Hsu

Posted on Last updated: May 26, 2023

Categories Desserts

Photo Credit: Canva

By using this site, you agree to our  terms of use . this post may contain affiliate links. read our  disclosure policy., follow us on  instagram  for more fun food ideas for kids.

If you’re on the lookout for fun, creative, and downright adorable cupcake ideas to delight your little ones, then this round-up of sweet treats is right up your alley. Get ready to venture into the delightful world of animal cupcakes – super cute, incredibly easy to make, and guaranteed to bring out oohs, aahs, and smiles from your kiddos. 

My 5 year old son @Dashbakesthegreats and I love decorating cupcakes because they are one of the simplest baked goods you can make with kids. We almost always have a batch of plain cupcakes we keep in the freezer ready to decorate! Making animal cupcake styles is one of our favorite thing to imagine. There are endless possibilities from cute pig themed desserts, pandas , or under-the-sea cupcakes!

These mini cakes are edible works of art that your children will love to help create and devour. Perfect for birthday parties, sleepovers, or simply to brighten up a regular day this zoo of delightful creatures will bring joy to your everyday.

Do I need to make homemade cupcakes?

Nope! We know time with the kids is precious and you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, especially with the cleanup. We’ve made plenty of homemade treats but when the craving calls for a cute and tasty cupcake, we use our favorite cake mix and even store-bought frosting in a pinch. 

The best part about these animal cupcakes is that the fun is in the decorating! Kids love nothing more than adding sprinkles, candy, a smear or dollop of frosting, candy googly eyes, or rolled fondant to create a cute animal shape! It’s super fun to lay out all the decorating bits and focus on the decorating instead of making a five-star cake. 

Easy Animal Cupcakes Anyone Can Make 

Owl Cupcakes

Creating owl cupcakes with Oreos as eyes is a hoot and a half! Not only does it offer a fun and interactive baking experience, but also results in irresistibly cute treats that kids will absolutely love.

Hedgehog Cupcakes 

Crafting hedgehog cupcakes with dollops of chocolate frosting as the spiked is a delightful way to bring cupcakes to life. The chocolate chips add the perfect touch as twinkling eyes. It’s an adorable and delicious twist that’s sure to captivate your little ones with their cute faces. 

Turkey Cupcakes 

Gobble gobble! These turkey cupcakes aren’t just great for Thanksgiving. They bring giggles anyday of the year with their Oreo bases and Reese’s Peanut Butter cup bodies with candy corn feathers!

Teddy Bear Graham Beach Cupcakes

Life’s a beach when you’re eating one of these adorable beach cupcakes. Perfect for summer or beach parties, use ready-made Teddy Bear Grahams to create a fun beach scene out of graham cracker sand!

Ladybug Cupcakes

Creating ladybug cupcakes with fondant is an artistic way to introduce vibrant colors and charm to your baking. These delightful treats are quite simple to roll out. Kids will feel like they’re making playdough cupcake creations! 

Chick Cupcakes

Crafting chick cupcakes with piped-on yellow frosting makes for an irresistibly cute and delightful treat. This creative way to pipe also adds a dash of cheeriness into each bite, making these cupcakes a hit with the little ones.

Octopus Cupcakes

Dive under the sea with these octopus cupcakes. The gummy worm tentacles make these a playful treat perfect for an ocean celebration. Sure to be a hit with kids who will love their quirky, edible tentacles.

Bear Cupcakes

Think outside the cupcake box and make a bear pull-apart cake! You can make the main bear head as the cake and create individual cupcakes as the paws!

Monkey Cupcakes

Use Milano cookies as the face and two ends of Nutter Butter cookies for the Monkey cupcake ears ! The googley candy eyes make it super easy to finish off! These are great for a safari themed party! 

Puppy Dog Cupcakes

These puppy dog cupcake are so clever because they use one piping tip and create the illusion of a cute doggie face with the swirled frosting pattern! You can easily use candy eyes if you don’t have black frosting. 

Platypus Cupcakes 

Final Thoughts 

Baking these adorable animal cupcakes with your kids is a fun and creative kitchen experience! Not only do these cute and easy creations add a playful twist to your baking adventures, but they also provide a wonderful opportunity for family time. The decorating process helps foster children’s creativity, fine motor skills, and appreciation for the art of baking. Plus, who can resist a tray of yummy and delicious cupcakes as the end results? Happy baking, and enjoy the sweet moments these edible critters bring to your family!

Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.

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• Kontinental Hockey League

Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

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