Featured Recipe
Bunny Butt Cupcakes Remix
By Kate
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Cupcakes baked from a mix, topped with vanilla and chocolate frostings, decorated with halved banana-flavored circus peanuts to mimic bunny feet. Pink star-piped frosting tails, black dots for foot pads, grass piped with star and leaf tips, and jelly beans posing as Easter eggs. Step timings slightly adjusted. Quantity reduced to 18 cupcakes. Substitute banana circ peanuts with pink marshmallow twists or other bunny-themed candies; mix buttercream with cream cheese for tangy frosting variation. Fun, visual dessert with tactile and taste contrasts, seasonal and kid-friendly.
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Prep:
35 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
70 min
Serves:
18 servings
Easter
cupcakes
baking
kids
desserts
Introduction
Cupcakes done the fun way—channels eyes, hands, and little fingers. Start with a trusty cake mix, scaled here to 18 cupcakes instead of 24 to avoid waste. Cooling crucial. Hot cupcakes plus frosting? Slip and slide disaster. Task: replicate bunny feet with candy halves pressed just right. The figure 8 shape? Visual clue that halves work. Black piped dots for foot pads give dimension and detail. Pink-star frosting tails? Textured with fork tines for character, not flat blobs. Grass with mixed piping tips adds that wild patch look, messy but intentional. Jelly beans scattered in as faux Easter eggs. Layout on platter—bunnies nose down, tails up. Keep frosting chilled if it warms. Eat soon or risk sugar hum.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Cut cake mix quantity to match fewer cupcakes. If circus peanuts unavailable, pink marshmallow twists are a good swap—similar texture, better flavor for some. Frosting can be all vanilla, chocolate, or both, depending on preference. Adding cream cheese to vanilla frosting gives tang and stability but alters sweetness. Black frosting for details can be finicky—gel types stick better than liquid colorings. If piping grass feels complicated, use a grass tip or a leaf tip, mixing both creates texture variation, avoids monotony. Jelly beans are decorative but do add an extra chew factor; substitute with candy-coated chocolate pieces for a richer option. Use a sturdy toothpick or small offset spatula to press candy gently into cupcake skins without breaking the cake or denting frosting.
Method
Technique Tips
Don’t rush cooling—warm cupcakes wreck frosting consistency and decoration placement. Use wire racks for air circulation and faster cooling. When frosting, work swiftly but confidently; thin frosting slides off if room temperature too high. Candy halves pressed while frosting still a bit tacky stick better. Piping black toe pads requires steady hands and correct tip size to avoid smudging. If frosting gets slightly too soft, pop cupcakes into fridge briefly to firm up before piping fine details. Star tip work on tails and grass doesn’t have to be perfect; subtle differences create a natural look. Fork tine technique for tail texture is quick and easy, just drag lightly. Aim for visual appeal over perfection. Arrange platter after all decorations complete to avoid smudged frosting and misplaced candies.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Mix cake batter well—sounds crucial. Noisy to soft hum, ready when it ribbons off spatula without breaking. Adjust mix for fewer cupcakes as needed. Cool before frosting. If warm, melting disaster. Use wire racks for airflow. Soggy wilt, lose shape.
- 💡 Pipe frosting efficiently—batch process helps. If use both frostings, swirl creates a marbled look. Don’t glob too thick. Fluffy but stable consistency matters. Chill if frosting softens—quick fix. Black frosting tricky, thin with water to control.
- 💡 For bunny feet, marshmallow halves need careful pressing. Smooth side up. Ensure visual cues, figure 8 shape works best. Tiny black dot for toe pads. Use gel for precision; liquid food coloring can run.
- 💡 Pink frosting tails? Use fork tines, creates natural fur texture. Just drag lightly, too much leads to flat blobs, not fluffy tails. Grass around cupcakes adds charm. Vary tips for textures; star and leaf tips alternate nicely. Jelly beans scatter for color.
- 💡 Presentation essential. Arrange on platter with decorated sides up, bunnies in grass style. Easy serving access, crowd them. Keep chilling if warm, otherwise frosting loses form. Patience here really pays off.
Kitchen Wisdom
Why are my cupcakes sinking?
Check oven temp—too hot leads to sinking. Also ensure no overmixing. Adjust mixing speeds when batter thickens.
My frosting keeps melting. What to do?
High kitchen heat problematic. Chill frosting slightly to stabilize. Thicker frosting holds better.
How long do leftovers last?
Store in airtight container at room temp for 2-3 days. For longer, fridge may help. But flavor changes.
Can I freeze these cupcakes?
Yes, freeze without frosting. Wrap tightly to avoid ice crystals. Thaw, then frost fresh. Better texture.
