These Easter Chick Cupcakes are as adorable as they are delicious! Using a simple vanilla or lemon cake mix as the base and topped with rich yellow buttercream, these cupcakes transform into fluffy little chicks with candy eyes and orange beaks. Perfect for Easter parties, spring celebrations, kids’ activities, or gifting, this treat is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser!
🧁 Ingredients:
The Cupcakes:
- 1 box vanilla or lemon cake mix
- Ingredients as listed on the cake box (typically 3 eggs, ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, and 1 cup (250 ml) water)
The Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups (360–480 g) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Yellow gel food colouring
For Decoration:
- Candy eyes
- Orange mini M&M’s or Starbursts, cut into triangles (for beaks)
- Shredded coconut, dyed yellow (optional, for fluff)
- Yellow sanding sugar or yellow sprinkles
- Piping bag with a grass or star tip (optional, for feathered texture)
👩🍳 Preparation:
1: Bake the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (fan-forced) or 190°C (conventional).
- Line a 12-hole or 24-hole cupcake tray with paper liners.
- Prepare the vanilla or lemon cake mix according to the package instructions, adding eggs, oil, and water as listed.
- Fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
2: Make the Yellow Buttercream
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low to start, then increasing speed to high.
- Add vanilla extract and 2 tbsp cream or milk, continuing to beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Add a few drops of yellow gel food colouring and beat until evenly tinted. Add more milk for a softer frosting or more sugar for thicker texture, as needed.
3: Decorate Like a Chick 🐣
Option A: Fluffy Swirl Look (Simple)
- Use a butter knife or spatula to frost each cooled cupcake with a generous swirl of yellow buttercream.
- Roll the top lightly in yellow sanding sugar or dyed shredded coconut to mimic fluffy chick feathers.
- Press candy eyes near the top and an orange M&M or Starburst triangle just beneath for the beak.
Option B: Piped Feathered Look (Advanced & Cute)
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a grass or open star tip with yellow buttercream.
- Pipe small tufts or stars in a circular pattern to create a textured, chick-like feathered appearance.
- Place candy eyes and beak pieces as above for a lively chick face.
🍴 Serving Suggestions:
- Display on an Easter-themed cake stand with edible grass, chocolate eggs, and pastel décor.
- Pair with a cup of herbal tea or milk for a charming afternoon treat.
- Serve as a centrepiece dessert for your Easter brunch or school party!
🔄 Storage & Shelf Life:
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerate if your environment is warm, but let come to room temperature before serving for best texture.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 1 month. Thaw and decorate fresh.
💡 Tips for Success:
- Cool cupcakes completely before decorating to prevent frosting from melting.
- Use gel colouring over liquid for vibrant colour without thinning your frosting.
- For easy beaks, cut Starbursts into small triangles or flatten orange M&Ms slightly.
- Pipe a dot of frosting behind each decoration to help them stick securely.
- Want fluffier feathers? Use dyed shredded coconut for a fuzzy chick look!
⏱️ Time Overview:
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Baking Time: 20 minutes
- Frosting & Decorating Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
🧾 Nutritional Information (Per Cupcake – Approximate):
- Calories: 285
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
❓ FAQs:
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
A: Yes! Bake and store unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 days in advance. Frost and decorate the day of for freshest presentation.
Q: Can I make these dairy-free?
A: Yes! Use a dairy-free cake mix, vegan butter and non-dairy milk in your buttercream.
Q: What if I don’t have piping bags?
A: Use a ziplock bag with a snipped corner to pipe frosting. You can also spread it with a knife or offset spatula for a rustic look.
Q: Can kids help decorate?
A: Absolutely! Let kids add eyes, beaks, and sprinkles—they’ll love bringing the chicks to life!
Q: What’s the best way to dye shredded coconut?
A: Add a few drops of yellow food colouring to a ziplock bag with the coconut, seal, and shake until evenly coloured.
Conclusion:
These Easter Chick Cupcakes are the perfect mix of festive charm and sweet delight! With an easy base (boxed cake mix or homemade), luscious yellow buttercream, and cheerful candy decorations, they’re fun to make and even more fun to eat. Whether you’re baking with kids, preparing for a holiday gathering, or gifting a homemade treat, these cupcakes will brighten your Easter celebration and bring smiles to every table.
So grab your piping bags, dye that coconut, and get ready to hatch a batch of the cutest cupcakes ever! 🐥🧁🌸
Print
Easter Chick Cupcakes – Cute, Fluffy & Perfectly Festive
- Total Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients:
The Cupcakes:
- 1 box vanilla or lemon cake mix
- Ingredients as listed on the cake box (typically 3 eggs, ½ cup (125 ml) vegetable oil, and 1 cup (250 ml) water)
The Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (250 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 cups (360–480 g) powdered (icing) sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Yellow gel food colouring
For Decoration:
- Candy eyes
- Orange mini M&M’s or Starbursts, cut into triangles (for beaks)
- Shredded coconut, dyed yellow (optional, for fluff)
- Yellow sanding sugar or yellow sprinkles
- Piping bag with a grass or star tip (optional, for feathered texture)
Instructions
Preparation:
Step 1: Bake the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (fan-forced) or 190°C (conventional).
- Line a 12-hole or 24-hole cupcake tray with paper liners.
- Prepare the vanilla or lemon cake mix according to the package instructions, adding eggs, oil, and water as listed.
- Fill each cupcake liner about ¾ full and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Step 2: Make the Yellow Buttercream
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
- Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low to start, then increasing speed to high.
- Add vanilla extract and 2 tbsp cream or milk, continuing to beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Add a few drops of yellow gel food colouring and beat until evenly tinted. Add more milk for a softer frosting or more sugar for thicker texture, as needed.
Step 3: Decorate Like a Chick 🐣
Option A: Fluffy Swirl Look (Simple)
- Use a butter knife or spatula to frost each cooled cupcake with a generous swirl of yellow buttercream.
- Roll the top lightly in yellow sanding sugar or dyed shredded coconut to mimic fluffy chick feathers.
- Press candy eyes near the top and an orange M&M or Starburst triangle just beneath for the beak.
Option B: Piped Feathered Look (Advanced & Cute)
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a grass or open star tip with yellow buttercream.
- Pipe small tufts or stars in a circular pattern to create a textured, chick-like feathered appearance.
- Place candy eyes and beak pieces as above for a lively chick face.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Frosting & Decorating Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Protein: 2 g