Perfect for a retro diner party, I thought these mini treats would make a cute project and I wanted something easy peasy for my kids to help with. There’s no baking involved because we used all store bought cake and icing and the best part is that they look like the real thing!

We hope you have as much fun making these trompe l’oeil treats as we did! Enjoy!

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

HOT DOGS:

Twinkies
Marzipan (1 oz. per Hot Dog)
Store Bought Tub of Icing
Pink/Yellow/Red Paste Food Coloring
Piping Gel
Black Non-Pareils
Eclair Cups
Toothpicks
Piping Bag with Writer Tip

FRENCH FRIES:

Mini Chevron Bags
Scissors
Pound Cake (Such as Sara Lee)
Scalloped Square Cutter

SUNDAES:

Polka Dot Nut Cups
Ice Cream
Store Bought Tub of Icing
Cherries
Non-Pareils
Wooden Ice Cream Spoons
Piping Bag and Star Tip
Permanent Marker

TO MAKE THE HOT DOG:

Take a twinkie, place it on top of an eclair cup and then spread a thin layer of piping gel on top, with your finger or a paintbrush. Next, sprinkle the top with some black non-pareils to look like poppy seeds. Use a knife to slice the twinkie down the middle but DO NOT cut all the way to the bottom.

Knead the marzipan with some pink paste until a hot dog color is achieved. Use 1 oz. of paste to roll into a log shape and make sure that it’s close to the length of the bun.

Use the end of the toothpick to make a star shaped impression on both ends of the hot dot and then place it inside the bun. Tint some of the buttercream yellow and some red and pipe “ketchup” and “mustard” on top (or just mustard if you’re from Chicago like I am:)

TO MAKE THE FRIES:

Start by cutting 1″ off the mini bags to shorten them a little bit. Use a glass or a circle cutter and a pencil to trace a half moon on the front of the bag. Cut it out with scissors.

Next, slice the pound cake into 1/2″ slices. Lay each slice down and use the scalloped square cutter to make individual crinkle fries. Place the fries in a bag.

FOR THE SUNDAE:

Scoop some ice cream into each nut cup and then pipe some buttercream on top. Sprinkle with multi colored non-pareils and top with a cherry. Use a marker to write each child’s name on the wooden spoon and insert into the sundae.

Place these in the freezer until serving time. (We used buttercream instead of whip cream so we could keep it in the freezer and enjoy some later)