Make the cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter, sugar, oil and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are incorporated.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
6. Add the milk and mix until well combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
7. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full (52g) and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Remove cupcakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Make the buttercream

1. To make the buttercream, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until well combined and smooth.
3. Add the vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and salt and mix until well combined and smooth.
4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth and well combined. Add additional heavy cream as needed to get the right consistency of frosting.
5. Remove about 1 cup of buttercream and add to another bowl. Add the cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of heavy cream mix until well combined. Add additional heavy cream, if needed.
6. Divide the remaining vanilla buttercream between three bowls. I added about 1 ¼ cups to one bowl, 1 cup to the second bowl and ¾ cup to the third bowl. Color the largest amount of frosting red, the smallest amount yellow and the other frosting should be orange.
7. Add the red and orange frosting to a piping bag fitted with the Wilton 104 tip and add the yellow frosting to a piping bag fitted with the Wilton 102 tip.

Decorate the cupcakes

1. Start with the red “feathers” around the outside of the cupcake. The larger end of the piping tip should be almost touching the cupcake, but not quite. Create the ruffle “feathers” by moving the piping tip towards the outside of the cupcake, then towards the center in small up/down movements that create a ruffle or wave-like design around the outer edge.
2. Repeat the same step with the orange and then the yellow, starting the piping in the same place and moving inward for each color so that you can see the one behind it. When you’re done with all three, the line where all 3 colors began with the piping and the small gap in the center of the 3 colors is where the turkey body will go.
3. Add the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with the Ateco 808 tip, or another large round piping tip. Pipe one continuous body and head. You’ll add a little more pressure for the large part of the body to make it larger.
4. Add a little bit of leftover chocolate buttercream to a small bowl and color it with black gel icing color. Add the black frosting to a piping bag with a small round tip, I used Wilton tip 4, and pipe on the eyes. Add some of the remaining orange frosting to a piping bag fitted with another small round tip, I used Wilton tip 5, and pipe on a little triangle for the beak. I start with a little more pressure to create the larger end of the beak, then use less pressure and release for the smaller end.
5. Store cupcakes in an air-tight container until ready to serve. You can leave them at room temperature for up to 24 hours, then they should be refrigerated.