Easter Cupcakes

5 from 7 votes
13 Comments

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Spring has finally sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with these deliciously colorful Easter cupcakes?! This a delicious cupcake recipe with an adorable bunny on top!

These Easter cupcakes make a tasty addition to your Easter dinner. Also, make sure to check out our full list of cakes and cupcakes for more sweet recipes.

Three Easter Cupcakes, one with a green coconut birds nest with candy eggs and two with marshmallow bunny ears.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients for Easter Cupcakes
  2. Homemade Frosting Ingredients
  3. Steps to Making Easter Cupcakes
  4. Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting
  5. Making and Assembling Bird’s Nest Cupcakes
  6. Decorating the Easter Cupcakes
  7. Suggestions for this Recipe
  8. Frequently Asked Questions
  9. Storing Easter Cupcakes
  10. More Easter Dessert Recipes to Love
  11. Delicious Easter Dessert Recipes
  12. How to Make Easter Cupcakes
  13. Easter Cupcakes Recipe

These easy Easter cupcakes are not only cute but delicious too! Fluffy cake with sweetened coconut flakes topped with pillowy cream cheese coconut frosting… oh my goodness! Nothing tastes better, I promise. It is the perfect combination!

Easter cupcakes are a delightful springtime treat that’s perfect to take along on a spring picnic, enjoy after an egg hunt, or serve after Easter dinner. Continue reading below to see how to decorate these cupcakes into darling Easter treats. They are so easy, my kids can help with the decorating!

Ingredients for Easter Cupcakes

Take your pantry staple ingredients and mix together creating a moist and fluffy cupcake every time! These are going to be vanilla in flavor with a hint of almond in the batter. These Easter bunny cupcakes are so adorable it will be hard to eat them!

  • Butter – Soften the butter ahead of time. Butter gives moisture and softness to the cupcakes.
  • Sugar – Added for sweetness in the vanilla cupcake base.
  • Eggs – Room-temperature eggs are the best for baking with.
  • Extracts – Vanilla extract and almond extract are both used in this recipe for enhanced flavors.
  • Flour – This is the all-purpose flour that will hold together the batter. It is the thickness the cupcakes need. You can also use cake flour if you have it on hand.
  • Leavening mixture – Baking powder, baking soda, and salt combined to give a lift to the cupcakes as they are baking. This is where you will see a nice round dome on top of the cupcake base.
  • Buttermilk – The secret ingredient to moist and delicious homemade cupcakes every time!
  • Coconut – Sweetened shredded coconut adds a hint of texture and flavor to the Easter bunny cupcakes.

Homemade Frosting Ingredients

Create a family favorite Easter bunny with these delicious cupcakes topped with a homemade frosting everyone loves! These will be your new Easter and springtime traditions for making this special dessert. Kids love to make these with a sweet and delicious frosting.

  • Cream cheese – Soften the cream cheese ahead of time. Leaving it on the counter to get to room temperature will help.
  • Butter – Room temperature butter is best. It is easier to mix and cream. Butter gives a creamy and rich flavor to the vanilla frosting.
  • Extracts – Vanilla and almond extract are used in the frosting for a sweet and savory frosting flavor. It will also balance out the cupcake flavor too!
  • Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar is the thickness and base of the frosting. It is a sweeter type of sugar and has a slightly different texture. It is a smooth texture that will give your frosting that smoothness it needs to be rich and creamy.

Steps to Making Easter Cupcakes

  1. Cream – Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
  2. Mix – While mixing on low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each egg. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix well.
  3. Sift – In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Combine – Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in ½ of the coconut.
  5. Fill liners – Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Do not overfill the cupcake liners.
  6. Bake – Bake in the oven until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely.
  7. Make frosting – While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix until smooth.
Coconut cupcakes topped with coconut cream cheese frosting


Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosting can go a long way! It can do so much to a cake or cupcake when decorating. Create the best Easter bunny cupcakes using frosting and a few other toppings to make the cute bunny come to life!

  1. Mix – Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Mix until desired consistency.
  2. Frost – Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with a piping bag or knife.
  3. Bird’s nest cupcakes – To make bird’s nest cupcakes, add a drop or two of green food coloring to a bowl of the remaining coconut flakes and stir until the coconut is all tinted green. Sprinkle the green coconut onto the cupcakes and shape into a nest. Add Cadbury mini eggs to the nest.
  4. Easter bunny cupcakes – To make Easter bunny cupcakes, cut a marshmallow in half diagonally and push the sticky side of each half into the pink sprinkles. Then press both marshmallows, pointy side up, into the top of the cupcake. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut flakes.
An Easter Cupcake with a coconut birds nest and candy eggs on top.

Making and Assembling Bird’s Nest Cupcakes

Bird’s Nest cupcakes are so sweet and are great for springtime celebrations and Easter! It is the perfect cupcake with just a few toppings to make it look bright and pretty. These cupcakes are adorable and fun to make alongside the Easter bunny cupcakes!

  1. To make bird’s nest Easter cupcakes, frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting.
  2. Then, add a drop or two (you can always add more) of green food coloring to a bowl of coconut flakes and stir until the coconut is all tinted green. After the coconut is all green, then sprinkle it onto the cupcakes.
  3. Finally, for your “easter eggs”, add jelly beans, Cadbury mini eggs, M&Ms, or any of your favorite Easter candies to the top to make the cupcakes look like little nests. They’re so fun to make and even more fun to eat!

Decorating the Easter Cupcakes

For the Easter Bunny cupcakes, you will need a few toppings to complete the bunny ear look! These Easter bunny cupcakes can be decorated in any way though! Get out your creative side and make colorful and unique Easter bunny cupcakes to share with friends and family!

  • Ingredients – Sweetened shredded coconut, marshmallows, a small bowl of pink sprinkles, and also a pair of sharp scissors.
  • Frosting – Start by frosting the cupcake with cream cheese frosting. You can use an offset spatula to help layer the frosting onto the bunny cupcakes.
  • Ears – Then, cut a marshmallow in half diagonally and push the sticky side of each half into the pink sprinkles. Then press both marshmallows, pointy side up, into the top of the cupcake.
  • Sprinkle – Finally, sprinkle the rest of the cupcake with coconut flakes. These Easter cupcakes are a hit with the kids.
An Easter Cupcake sprinkled with coconut and topped with two bunny ears made out of marshmallows and pink sprinkles.

Suggestions for this Recipe

  • Room temperature – Make sure that when it says, “softened” or “room temperature” you stick to that! The batter will come out SO much smoother if everything is at room temperature, especially butter and cream cheese.
  • Don’t overmix – Do not over-mix the batter! Mix it well enough to combine the ingredients, but then stop. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl very frequently to make sure there aren’t any surprises when you start scooping the batter into the liners.
  • Don’t overfill – It is best not to overfill the liners in the muffin tins. I used my melon-baller to scoop the batter in, and that was just the right amount, but you could use a small cookie or ice cream scoop as well.
  • Frosting tip – To frost your Easter cupcakes, use a thick round tip on your piping bag or use a knife and slather it on top. The great news is you’re going to cover it all with coconut so it doesn’t have to be perfect.
  • Decorations – Use more than just the bunny ears to make an Easter bunny cupcake. Try pink jelly beans, licorice for whiskers, and M&Ms for eyes.
  • Cake – Make an Easter bunny cake recipe! Instead of putting your cake batter into muffin tin liners, try round cake pans or a 9×12 cake pan. This will make an adorable bunny cake!
Easter cupcakes on a wooden cupcake stands. Some of the cupcakes have birds nests made out of candy and the others have bunny ears made out of marshmallows

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these Easter cupcakes with a cake mix?

Yes! This easy cupcake recipe can be made even easier by using a cake mix. You can make vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, or even carrot cake cupcakes! Whatever flavor you make, your guests are going to love these adorable and delicious cupcakes.

Do I have to use cream cheese frosting?

No, you can use any frosting recipe that you like, as long as it is thick enough to stay on top of the cupcake and hold the decorations. I have used buttercream frosting for these cupcakes before and they have come out great.

Do I need to use an electric mixer to make these cupcakes?

I would suggest using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer for this recipe because you want all your ingredients to be really smooth cake batter and it is difficult to achieve that by hand.

Storing Easter Cupcakes

It is easy to store cupcakes in the fridge or freezer! They are great to make ahead or quickly make the day of. These Easter bunny cupcakes are so cute to share with friends and family!

  • Frosting – If you have added the frosting and toppings onto the Easter bunny cupcakes, place them in an airtight storage container that you can place a lid over but not touch the top of the ears. The ears are high and can be tricky to find a deep container. Place plastic wrap over top with a toothpick carefully placed in the cupcake to avoid the wrap from touching the bunny’s ears.
  • Freezer – Before icing and adding the toppings to the Easter bunny cupcakes, individually wrap the cupcakes and place them in an airtight container to be stored in the freezer.
  • Chill – Once the frosting and toppings are added to the cupcakes, place the Easter bunny cupcakes in the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to serve them. This will help hold together the toppings.

More Easter Dessert Recipes to Love

Make your Easter extra special and enjoy making these kid-approved desserts! They are all simple recipes with easy ingredients you have right at home.

Delicious Easter Dessert Recipes

If you’ve already tried our Easter cupcakes and you are looking for another sweet Easter treat, then try one of our other favorites!

How to Make Easter Cupcakes

An Easter Cupcake sprinkled with coconut and topped with two bunny ears made out of marshmallows and pink sprinkles

Easter Cupcakes

5 from 7 votes
Spring has finally sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with these deliciously colorful Easter cupcakes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Decorating Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course cake, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the frosting

For Decorations

  • mini cadbury mini eggs
  • large marshmallows
  • pink sprinkles

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about five minutes.
    Butter and sugar creamed together in a large mixing bowl
  • While mixing on low, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each egg. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix well.
    Cupcake batter before the dry ingredients are added in a large mixing bowl
  • In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
    Dry ingredients for cupcakes in a large glass bowl
  • Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in ½ of the coconut.
    Coconut Cupcake Batter in a large mixing bowl
  • Fill cupcake liners ⅔ of the way full. DO NOT OVERFILL.
    Coconut cupcake batter scooped into cupcake liners in a muffin tin
  • Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely.
    Baked but not frosted coconut cupcakes in a muffin pan
  • While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. Cream together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extracts. Mix until smooth.
    Cream cheese and butter creamed together in a large mixing bowl
  • Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl frequently. Mix until desired consistency.
    Cream cheese frosting in a large mixing bowl
  • Once the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with a piping bag or knife.
    Coconut cupcakes topped with coconut cream cheese frosting
  • To make bird’s nest cupcakes, add a drop or two of green food coloring to a bowl of the remaining coconut flakes and stir until the coconut is all tinted green. Sprinkle the green coconut onto the cupcakes and shape into a nest. Add Cadbury mini eggs to the nest.
    An Easter Cupcake with a coconut birds nest and candy eggs on top
  • To make Easter bunny cupcakes, cut a marshmallow in half diagonally and push the sticky side of each half into the pink sprinkles. Then press both marshmallows, pointy side up, into the top of the cupcake. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut flakes.
    An Easter Cupcake sprinkled with coconut and topped with two bunny ears made out of marshmallows and pink sprinkles

Nutrition Information

Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 109mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 580IUCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg

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About the author

Echo Blickenstaff

Echo lives in Pleasant Grove, Utah with her husband, Todd, who works in advertising, and her four kids: two girls and two boys. She deploys her accounting degree as the blog’s resident problem solver. In her time outside the kitchen, Echo loves to get away from the phones and busy schedules and spend quality time with the family. Anywhere’s great – but getting out into nature in the mountains or on the beach – is the best kind of getaway.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    You had me at coconut! These cupcakes are going to be such a perfect dessert for a baby shower I’m hosting!

  2. 5 stars
    I can’t believe it’s already time to be thinking about Easter! I love coconut & the hint of almond in the frosting!

  3. does this recipe actually work? scale of 1 – 10 . 1being the worst and 10bengthe best. please be honest even though you created this recipe.

    1. What exactly do you mean by “work”? Every time we have made these they have worked perfectly. We think they taste great! They are some of my favorite cupcakes.

    1. We just used all-purpose but cake flour would be wonderful. We typically almost always used salted butter. Hope this helps!