Cut Out Marzipan

1. Work a small amount of food coloring into the marzipan if you want to dye it. Add a drop or two of the gel, then knead the dye into the dough. Add more food coloring to get a deeper hue if needed.

2. Line a work surface with a piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle a bit of powdered sugar on the plastic wrap, then set handful of marzipan on top. Sprinkle the marzipan with more powdered sugar, cover it with another layer of plastic wrap and flatten it slightly. The powdered sugar keeps the marzipan from clinging to the plastic wrap, and the plastic wrap keeps the marzipan from making a big mess on the work surface.

3. Use a rolling pin to the roll the marzipan out into a very thin disc. You want the marzipan to be about 1/8-inch thick.

4. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Use a cookie cutter to cut out round shapes the same width as the top of the cupcakes. If you don't have a cookie cutter, use a paring knife.

5. Coat the top of the cupcake with a thin layer of jam or frosting. Place the round of marzipan on top, then smooth it out.

6. Use smaller cookie cutters to cut out additional shapes such as small squares, little animals or tiny flowers. Put the shapes on top of the first layer of marzipan. You also may frost the cupcakes then place a shape in the center of the frosting.

Shaped Decorations

1. Add food coloring to the marzipan and knead it into the paste until the color is even. Divide the undyed marzipan into sections if you want to use several colors.

2. Tear off a small piece of marzipan about the size of a quarter. Shape the piece into a ball if you want to make a snowman, mushroom or flower. Shape the piece into a cone to make a carrot.

3. Tear off additional pieces of marizpan to make more shapes or to complete the shape. Make petals for the flower by flattening small pieces into discs, then attaching them to the center ball of the flower. Tear off a tiny piece of marzipan to shape leaves for the carrot.

4. Set the marzipan shapes on top of frosted cupcakes. You can put the shapes in the center of each cupcake or position them so they are slightly to the side.