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Easter Chick Cupcakes

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Introduction & Inspiration

This recipe, “Easter Chick Cupcakes,” is all about creating a fun, festive, and incredibly cute treat that’s perfect for Easter celebrations.

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The inspiration comes from the classic imagery of baby chicks, a symbol of spring and new life, often associated with Easter.

These cupcakes feature a vanilla cupcake base, a generous layer of vanilla buttercream frosting, a coating of yellow sanding sugar, chocolate chip eyes, and piped buttercream details to create adorable chick faces and wings.

It’s a recipe that’s sure to delight both kids and adults, a perfect addition to any Easter gathering or springtime celebration.

Nostalgic Appeal

These Easter Chick Cupcakes tap into several nostalgic elements. Vanilla cupcakes are a classic childhood treat.

The bright yellow color and cute chick design evoke memories of springtime and Easter egg hunts.

The use of simple decorating techniques, like piping buttercream and using chocolate chips for eyes, is reminiscent of classic homemade treats.

It’s a recipe that combines familiar flavors and textures with a fun, festive design, appealing to both children and adults.

Homemade Focus

I’m a strong believer in the joy and satisfaction of homemade baking. There’s nothing quite like the aroma and taste of freshly baked goods.

This recipe is all about embracing that homemade goodness, from the vanilla cupcakes to the buttercream frosting and the detailed decorations.

While it involves a few different steps, each step is relatively straightforward, making it accessible to bakers of all skill levels.

Baking your own cupcakes allows you to control the ingredients and ensure that you’re using high-quality components.

Plus, it’s a fun and creative activity that you can share with your loved ones. Baking is a labor of love.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a classic vanilla cupcake with a moist, tender crumb and a sweet, buttery flavor, complemented by a creamy vanilla buttercream frosting.

The vanilla extract is the key flavoring ingredient, providing that familiar and comforting vanilla taste.

The frosting adds an extra layer of sweetness and creaminess, balancing the texture of the cupcake.

The sanding sugar and chocolate chips add subtle textural variations and pops of flavor.

We’re aiming for a cupcake that’s both simple and delicious, a perfect treat for Easter or any springtime occasion.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s break down each ingredient:

Cupcakes:

  • Granulated Sugar: This provides sweetness and contributes to the cupcake’s texture.
  • Unsalted Butter (softened): This adds richness and tenderness to the cupcakes, creating a moist and flavorful crumb.
  • Large Eggs: These add structure, richness, and moisture to the cupcakes.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: This is the key flavoring ingredient, providing that classic vanilla flavor.
  • All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for the cupcakes.
  • Cornstarch: This helps to create a soft and tender crumb.
  • Baking Powder: This is the leavening agent, helping the cupcakes to rise and become light and fluffy.
  • Kosher Salt: This balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
  • Whole Milk: This adds moisture and helps to create a smooth batter.

Buttercream & Assembly:

  • Powdered Sugar: This sweetens the frosting and helps to create a smooth, fluffy consistency.
  • Unsalted Butter (softened): This forms the base of the frosting, providing richness and a creamy texture.
  • Heavy Cream: This adds moisture and helps to create a light and airy frosting.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: This enhances the flavor of the frosting, adding a warm, aromatic note.
  • Yellow Sanding Sugar: This coats the frosted cupcakes, creating the “chick” color and adding a slightly crunchy texture.
  • Chocolate Chips: These are used to create the chick’s eyes.
  • Orange Food Coloring: This is used to tint a portion of the buttercream frosting for piping the beak and feet.

Essential Equipment

Here’s the equipment you’ll need:

  • Standard 12-cup muffin tins (2): For baking the cupcakes.
  • Cupcake liners: To line the muffin tins and prevent sticking.
  • Large mixing bowl(s): For preparing the cupcake batter and the frosting.
  • Handheld mixer (or stand mixer): For creaming the butter and sugar, mixing the batter, and making the frosting.
  • Measuring cups and spoons: For accurate ingredient proportions.
  • Whisk: For combining dry ingredients.
  • Shallow dishes (2): One for the yellow sanding sugar and potentially for the sprinkles
  • Piping Bags and Tips
  • Paring knife: To potentially help with placing the marshmallow ears.
  • Spatulas

That’s a fairly standard list of baking equipment!

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s the ingredient list with precise measurements:

Cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups (300 g.) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (240 g.) all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ¾ cup whole milk

Buttercream & Assembly:

  • 3 cups (340 g.) powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup yellow sanding sugar
  • 36 chocolate chips
  • Orange food coloring
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Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s walk through the process:

Make the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with liners.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer (or in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) on medium-high speed, beat the granulated sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy.
  3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry: Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Add the milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  6. Fill Liners: Fill 18 cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter.
  7. Bake: Bake the cupcakes until slightly golden on top and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
  8. Cool: Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Buttercream and Assemble:

  1. Make Frosting: In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
  2. Frost and Coat: Pour the yellow sanding sugar into a shallow dish. Frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes with buttercream, smoothing them to a flat top. Dip the frosted tops into the sanding sugar to coat completely.
  3. Add Eyes: Place 2 chocolate chips into each cupcake, flat side up, to create the eyes.
  4. Pipe White Dots: Transfer a little bit of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a small white dot onto each chocolate chip to create the pupils.
  5. Pipe Wings: Add about half of the remaining buttercream to another piping bag fitted with a small leaf tip. Pipe a zigzag line on each side of the cupcakes to create the wings. Sprinkle with more sanding sugar, if desired.
  6. Color Remaining Frosting: Add orange food coloring to the remaining buttercream and stir until the desired color is reached.
  7. Pipe Beak and Feet: Transfer the orange buttercream to another piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a small upside-down triangle under the chocolate chips to create a beak. Pipe short lines to create feet at the bottom of the cupcake.

Troubleshooting

Here are a few potential issues and solutions:

  • Cupcakes Sinking in the Middle: This can happen if the oven temperature is too low or if the batter is overmixed. Make sure your oven is properly preheated and mix the batter until just combined.
  • Cupcakes Too Dry: This can happen if you overbake them or if you use too much flour. Make sure to measure the flour accurately and watch the cupcakes carefully while they bake.
  • Frosting Too Stiff: Add more heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
  • Frosting Too Runny: Add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches the desired consistency.
  • Sanding Sugar Not Sticking Gently press it in.

Tips and Variations

Here are some ways to customize this recipe:

  • Different Cake Mix Flavors: Use a different flavor of cake mix, such as chocolate, lemon, or strawberry.
  • Different Frosting Flavors: Use a different flavor of frosting, such as chocolate, cream cheese, or lemon.
  • Different Colors: Use different colors of sanding sugar and food coloring to create different colored chicks or other designs.
  • Add a Filling: Before frosting the cupcakes, use a small spoon or a piping bag to create a small well in the center of each cupcake and fill it with jam, lemon curd, or chocolate ganache.
  • Make Mini Cupcakes: Use mini muffin tins and adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • Different Decorations: Instead of chicks, use different decorations.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

These Easter Chick Cupcakes are perfect for:

  • Easter Celebrations: They’re an adorable and thematic treat for Easter brunch, dinner, or egg hunts.
  • Spring Parties: Their bright colors and cute design make them a great choice for any springtime gathering.
  • Kid’s Parties: A perfect treat.
  • Baby Showers: They’re a fun and whimsical dessert for a baby shower.
  • Everyday Treats: They’re a perfect way to brighten up any day and satisfy your sweet tooth.

They pair well with milk, coffee, tea, or a glass of lemonade.

Nutritional Information

These cupcakes are a treat, so they contain sugar and fat from the cake mix, butter, and frosting.

The exact nutritional information will vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients you use.

It’s best to enjoy them in moderation as part of a balanced diet. They are a special occasion treat.

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Easter Chick Cupcakes


  • Author: Jessica

Description

This recipe, “Easter Chick Cupcakes,” is all about creating a fun, festive, and incredibly cute treat that’s perfect for Easter celebrations


Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes:

  • 1 ½ cups (300 g.) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (240 g.) all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ¾ cup whole milk

Buttercream & Assembly:

  • 3 cups (340 g.) powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup yellow sanding sugar
  • 36 chocolate chips
  • Orange food coloring

Instructions

Let’s walk through the process:

Make the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with liners.

  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer (or in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) on medium-high speed, beat the granulated sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy.

  3. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

  5. Combine Wet and Dry: Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Add the milk and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

  6. Fill Liners: Fill 18 cupcake liners three-quarters full with batter.

  7. Bake: Bake the cupcakes until slightly golden on top and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

  8. Cool: Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the Buttercream and Assemble:

  1. Make Frosting: In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the powdered sugar and softened butter until smooth. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

  2. Frost and Coat: Pour the yellow sanding sugar into a shallow dish. Frost the tops of the cooled cupcakes with buttercream, smoothing them to a flat top. Dip the frosted tops into the sanding sugar to coat completely.

  3. Add Eyes: Place 2 chocolate chips into each cupcake, flat side up, to create the eyes.

  4. Pipe White Dots: Transfer a little bit of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a small white dot onto each chocolate chip to create the pupils.

  5. Pipe Wings: Add about half of the remaining buttercream to another piping bag fitted with a small leaf tip. Pipe a zigzag line on each side of the cupcakes to create the wings. Sprinkle with more sanding sugar, if desired.

  6. Color Remaining Frosting: Add orange food coloring to the remaining buttercream and stir until the desired color is reached.

  7. Pipe Beak and Feet: Transfer the orange buttercream to another piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe a small upside-down triangle under the chocolate chips to create a beak. Pipe short lines to create feet at the bottom of the cupcake.

Recipe Summary and Q&A

Recipe Summary: Easter Chick Cupcakes are vanilla cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream frosting, coated in yellow sanding sugar, and decorated with chocolate chips and piped buttercream to resemble adorable baby chicks. They’re a fun and festive treat for Easter!

Q: Can I make these ahead of time? A: Yes, you can bake the cupcakes and make the frosting a day or two in advance. Store the components separately and assemble the cupcakes just before serving.

Q: How long do they last? A: Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they should stay fresh for up to 2-3 days.

Q: Can I freeze them? A: You can freeze the unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2-3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag or container. Frost them after thawing.

Q: Can I use homemade vanilla cake batter? A: Absolutely! Use your favorite vanilla cake recipe.

Q: Do I have to use sanding sugar? A: No, you can use regular granulated sugar, sprinkles, or even leave the frosting plain.

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