Description
Get festive with these cute bunny ears Easter cupcakes. Buttercream frosting and marshmallows make these vanilla cupcakes extra sweet and delicious.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Bunny Ears:
- 12 large marshmallows
- sugar sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 12-tin muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated. Add vanilla and yogurt, beating until combined.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Then, add half of the milk, and beat until just combined. Repeat, until you end with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl as needed and beat until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop up the batter and into the cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, then transfer into a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
Decorate the Cupcakes:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add in confectioners' sugar one cup at a time and continue to beat until incorporated. Add milk ad beat until light and fluffy. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth until you are ready to use the icing to prevent it from drying out.
- Use a couplers to secure a no. 2D decorating tip onto a piping bag. Fill the bag with icing and pipe the icing onto each cupcake starting at the edges and move in an overlapping circular motion until you reach the center and gently lift up.
- Prepare a small shallow plate of sugar sprinkles. Then, use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut each of the marshmallows diagonally and dip the sticky cut edges into the sugar sprinkles, pressing down gently to coat.
- Place the marshmallow halves standing up in the frosting to form into bunny ears.
Notes
Use room temperature butter. Using the right temperature butter is about having the right consistency. Your butter should still be cool to the touch and should hold its shape well. If you poke it, your finger should leave an indent—not slide into it. Leave your butter out for about an hour to achieve this.
Use room temperature dairy products. Don't skip this step! Allow your yogurt, milk, and eggs to warm up a bit to room temperature before making your batter. You end up with a fuller batter and fluffier, lighter cupcakes.
How to store. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, then store iced bunny ears Easter cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to freeze. You can freeze these cupcakes either before or after icing.
- Before frosting: You can freeze unfrosted vanilla cupcakes by wrapping them tightly with plastic cling wrap, and then placing them in an airtight container and freezing for up to 3 months.
- After frosting: Place frosted cupcakes on a baking tray and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then wrap them tightly in plastic cling wrap, and then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To serve: Allow them to completely thaw overnight in the refrigerator, or for a few hours at room temperature, before icing or serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+25 minutes to cool)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American