Robin’s Egg Easter Cupcakes
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Robin’s egg Easter cupcakes are so adorable. The vanilla cake is fluffy and tender with the perfect crumb. Luscious blue-speckled frosting is swirled in the shape of a nest with mini Cadbury eggs. Such easy cupcakes for Easter!
📌 PIN ROBIN’S EGG EASTER CUPCAKES
When deciding on desserts for a festive Easter holiday table, I look for simple time-tested recipes that are quick to make and have a beautiful presentation. These easy cupcakes for Easter check all those boxes.
Did you know, Robin’s egg Easter cupcakes are not just for Easter? They’re also ideal for gender reveal parties and baby showers. Fill half the frosting egg nests with pink candy eggs, and the other half with blue candy eggs.
Make them for spring celebrations like May Day festivities. When set on dessert stands, they double as party decorations.
These beautiful treats are guaranteed to receive oohs and aahs when served. It’s exciting to bake up batches of these hand-held cakes all season long. Instead of a box of donuts, bring a dozen of these Easter nest cupcakes to the office. Or make them for your toddler’s preschool party.
If you think these are the cutest Easter cupcakes, you’ll definitely want to try our darling robin’s egg Easter donuts. They’re baked, not fried, and are easy to make. These gorgeous bakery-style desserts will elevate any occasion.
🛒 INGREDIENTS
Vanilla Cupcakes
- All-purpose Flour: Is the main dry ingredient for our Robin’s Egg Easter cupcakes. It provides strength and structure.
- Granulated Sugar: Add sweetness and flavor, and interferes with gluten formation. Less gluten is important for soft, tender cupcakes. Sugar also contributes to browning.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent causes the batter to rise. It creates air bubbles within the batter that lighten the texture of the cupcakes so they’re light and fluffy.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the flavor of the other ingredients, while perking up their complexity. It also balances the sweetness in the cupcake batter.
- Whole Milk: The fat in the milk adds texture to the batter while binding the ingredients together. It also keeps the cupcakes moist so they don’t dry out.
- Vegetable Oil: Contributes moistness while capturing gases formed by the baking powder’s reaction. This slows down gluten formation so the cupcakes are fluffy and tender.
- Large Eggs: Adds richness, moistness, color and flavor, while also assisting with leavening and providing structure for the cupcakes.
- Vanilla Extract: Is a flavor enhancer. It also balances the flavors of all the other ingredients in the recipe, bringing them together in tasty harmony.
Robin’s Egg Buttercream Frosting
- Butter: Is the main ingredient for buttercream frosting. It’s what gives the frosting structure.
- Powdered Sugar: Helps stiffen the buttercream while also providing delicious sweetness. If the frosting is too stiff, add a tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds delicious flavor and aroma.
- Mini Cadbury Eggs: These chocolate candy eggs are an Easter favorite. But if you can’t find them at the market, use mini jelly beans instead.
- Robin’s Egg Gel Food Coloring: I used AmeriColor Robin’s Egg Gel Paste Food Color. But you can use Wilton Delphinium Blue, Wilton Sky Blue, or any gel food coloring in a pastel blue.
- Black or Brown Gel Food Coloring: Mixed with a bit of water it’s flicked onto the frosting to give it the speckled look of a robin’s egg.
📖 RECIPE STEPS
Vanilla Cupcakes
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-well cupcake pan with parchment paper cupcake liners.
- STEP 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- STEP 2: Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined. Do not over-mix, or the cupcakes will the heavy and dense instead of light and fluffy.
- STEP 3: Divide cupcake batter between the 12 wells of the prepared cupcake pan. Fill each well with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
Robin’s Egg Buttercream Frosting
KITCHEN TIP: Before speckling the piped-on frosting, put on an apron and protect your workspace. Cover countertop and walls with old rags or cloths.
- STEP 1: Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer). Beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and mix briefly. Add 2 to 3 drops robin’s egg blue food gel.
- STEP 2: Turn mixer on high speed. Beat for 1 minute or until buttercream frosting is light and fluffy. As needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. If a deeper color is desired, add another drop of blue.
- STEP 3: Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip. Pipe a ring of buttercream in the middle of the cupcakes leaving a half-inch unfrosted border around the sides. This is the robin’s egg nest. For dark speckles, mix black or brown food gel with a splash of water. Dip a stiff pastry brush into the mixture and flick tiny specks onto the frosting. Let the spots dry for 10 minutes.
👩🏻🍳 DECORATE ROBIN’S EGG EASTER CUPCAKES: Fill the egg nests with mini candy eggs. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for later.
🧑🏼🍳 RECIPE FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making robin’s egg Easter cupcakes, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Don’t substitute ingredients or alter amounts. The recipe is tested using the exact ingredients and amounts that are listed. Don’t over-mix the batter. For light fluffy cupcakes, mix until ingredients are just combined. Don’t overfill the cupcake liners. As the cupcakes rise they need the strength and structure that the edges of the pan wells provide. Let cupcakes cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting.
Once properly baked, cupcakes will give off an amazing aroma. Slide a skewer into the center of a cake. The tester should come out clean, or mostly clean. It’s okay if just a few moist cake crumbs are clinging to it. But no smooth smear of batter or gummy-looking crumbs. The edges should feel firm to the touch. The tops will have a light golden hue. The surface will spring back when gently pressed with no finger indents.
To achieve the speckled look of a robin’s egg on the blue buttercream frosting, whisk together 1 tablespoon cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Carefully flick dark specks onto the frosting with a small food-safe decorating brush.
Top the swirled buttercream frosting nests with sweetened shredded coconut. Then add jelly beans to the nests or Whoppers brand Robin Eggs (malted milk candy eggs with speckled shells). Or put candy eggs in half the nests, and small chocolate Easter bunnies in the others.
When stored in an airtight container on the countertop, these Easter cupcakes with buttercream frosting can stay fresh for 2 to 3 days. In warm weather, refrigerate up to 4 days. Just know that refrigerated cake tends to dry out and develop a hard texture.
🐣 MORE SPRING AND EASTER DESSERTS
If you’re prepping Easter brunch or a dessert table, these are the essential spring recipes you need. They pair well, side by side, with robin’s egg Easter cupcakes. Print out your favorites for later or pin them to Pinterest.
- Robin’s Egg Easter Donuts
- Mini Lemon Raspberry Tarts
- Hot Cross Buns
- Bunny Hug Cookies
- Chocolate Mousse Trifles
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Easter Cheesecake Bites
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My friends and neighbors say these are the BEST Easter cupcakes! They love the tender vanilla cupcakes with luscious buttercream frosting. And the nest with eggs makes them look gorgeous – like straight out of a food magazine.
If you agree these robin’s egg Easter cupcakes are super special, give them a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero! Share it with a friend. 📌Pin it to Pinterest.
Robin’s egg easter cupcakes
- Total Time: 40 Minutes
- Yield: 12 Cupcakes 1x
Description
Robin’s egg Easter cupcakes are adorable treats that are easy to make. Pipe the nest out of frosting. Fill the centers with mini Cadbury eggs. Serve on Easter, or for gender reveal parties and baby showers.
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
ROBIN’S EGG BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 (tiny) pinch of salt, if needed to tamp down sweetness
- 2 to 3 drops AmeriColor #187 Robin’s Egg Gel Food Color (or see notes)
FOR DECORATING CUPCAKES
- 4 drops black or brown food gel (or see notes)
- 1 splash of water
- Mini Cadbury Eggs (or see notes)
Instructions
VANILLA CUPCAKES
RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-well cupcake pan with parchment paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl: milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined. Do not over-mix, or the cupcakes will the heavy and dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Divide cupcake batter between the 12 wells of the prepared cupcake pan. Fill each well with 1/4 cup of batter. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
ROBIN’S EGG BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- Add softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer). Beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Slowly add powdered sugar, mixing until fully incorporated. Add vanilla and mix briefly.
- Add 2 to 3 drops robin’s egg blue food gel. Turn mixer on high speed. Beat for 1 minute or until buttercream frosting is light and fluffy. As needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl. If more color is desired, add another drop of blue.
- Transfer frosting to a piping bag fitted with a metal tip. Pipe a ring of buttercream in the middle of the cupcakes leaving a half-inch unfrosted border around the sides. This is the robin’s egg nest.
DECORATE EASTER CUPCAKES
KITCHEN TIP: Before speckling the piped-on frosting, put on an apron and protect your workspace. Cover countertop and walls with old rags or cloths.
- For the dark speckles, mix black or brown food gel with a splash of water. Dip a stiff pastry brush into the mixture. Carefully flick tiny spots onto the surface of the frosting. Let the specks dry for 10 minutes.
- Arrange a few candy eggs inside the robin’s nests. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes
No AmeriColor Robin’s Egg food gel? The next best option is Wilton Delphinium Blue. But you can also use Wilton Sky blue, teal Tiffany blue, or any pastel blue.
No black or brown food coloring for speckling? No problem! To achieve the speckled look of a robin’s egg on the blue buttercream frosting, whisk together 1 tablespoon cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Carefully flick dark specks onto the frosting with a small food-safe decorating brush.
Candy eggs: If you can’t find mini Cadbury eggs (Easter milk chocolate candy) at the market, you can also use Whopper’s brand mini robin eggs malted milk candy, or jelly beans.
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
ROBIN’S EGG EASTER CUPCAKES 👉🏻 join the conversation
Have you ever experienced the joy of biting into one of these beautiful spring cupcakes? Did you buy them from a bakery? Share your thoughts on robin’s egg Easter cupcakes in the comments below!
I made these for my friend’s baby shower and they were a huge hit! I had been looking for a special dessert and this was it. So many people were asking for the recipe.