Kids' Beach Crabs Macarons

Ingredients:

Cakes

• 1 and 1/3 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 110 g butter, room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk

Butter cream

• 220 gr. butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• A pinch of fine salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp. whole milk
• Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip

Crabs

• 230 g blue rock candy, coarsely crushed
• 12 pieces of red almond macarons
• 12 red and/or orange (e.g. peach) gummy candies, cut in half
• 72 red licorice candies, 2.5 cm long.
• 24 small round red gummy candies (for example, cherry)
• 24 eye-shaped lollipops

"Beach"

• Turbinado sugar, quantity determined as needed
• 450 g of blue lollipops
• Gummies in the shape of fish, sharks, turtles and other sea creatures, for decoration

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cupcake pan with red paper liners.
2. CupcakesIn a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until pale (about 3 minutes). Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.
3. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, continuing to beat on low speed, alternating with pouring in the milk in 2 additions. Then beat on medium-high speed for no longer than necessary to combine the ingredients.
4. Spread the batter evenly among the paper liners. Bake until the tops spring back when pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (20-25 minutes). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Butter creamIn a bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy (about 1 minute). Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed to combine the ingredients.
   
   Then increase the speed to medium-high. Beat until light and creamy (about 3 minutes). Continue whisking until the milk is 1 tablespoon at a time, creating a spreadable cream.
6. Set aside about 1/3 cup of frosting and place the rest in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes.
7. Decoration: Place crushed blue candy canes on top of the cupcakes to create waves.
8. Divide the macarons into halves, and attach two pieces of flat jelly beans to one half. Attach them to the positions corresponding to the numbers 10 and 2 on the clock face. These will be the "claws." Press three pieces of licorice under each "claw" to form the "legs."
9. Spread 1 teaspoon of frosting or less on top to secure the elements. Fold the macaron halves back together, making sure the "claws" and "legs" are securely held in the frosting. Glue 2 small round red gummy candies on top of each macaron, using a small amount of frosting. Use the same frosting to attach eyes to each red gummy candy. Press macaron "crabs" into the top of each cupcake.
10. BeachSprinkle turbinado sugar over a serving tray to resemble sand. Arrange candy canes along one edge to create "surf waves." Push "crabs" into the "sand." Add jelly bean sea creatures to the surface of the "water" and "sand."