Celebrate spring with cupcakes evocative of the season. With adorable baby bluebird cupcakes and pretty flower cupcakes, the following recipes will add spring to anyone's step.
Welcome spring with these sweet bluebirds, which are still too young to leave their shredded coconut nest. The birds are carefully piped out of tinted buttercream onto a simple vanilla-cake base.
You can make the most adorable cupcakes for birthdays, parties, springtime, ladies teas or any occasion! Start with these basic cupcake recipes, and then learn how to decorate them.
Servings: Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 large egg whites
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Cupcake:
Heat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
Buttercream Frosting
Combine sugar and egg whites in mixer bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water; whisk until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on high until cooled, about 15 minutes.
Using paddle attachment, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until completely incorporated. Stir in vanilla. If not using immediately, refrigerate in airtight container up to a week, or freeze up to a month. Bring to room temperature, and re-beat or stir vigorously before using.
(To make chocolate frosting, substitute 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled for the vanilla extract.)
Makes 5 cups of frosting.
Heat oven to 350°. Line cupcake pan with liners; set aside.
In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide batter evenly among liners, about three-quarters full each. Bake until golden and tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes, rotating pan once if needed. Transfer to wire rack; cool completely.
Buttercream Frosting
Combine sugar and egg whites in mixer bowl. Place over a pot of simmering water; whisk until hot and sugar is completely dissolved, 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat mixture on high until cooled, about 15 minutes.
Using paddle attachment, add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until completely incorporated. Stir in vanilla. If not using immediately, refrigerate in airtight container up to a week, or freeze up to a month. Bring to room temperature, and re-beat or stir vigorously before using.
(To make chocolate frosting, substitute 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled for the vanilla extract.)
Makes 5 cups of frosting.
Assemble Nesting Baby Bluebirds Cupcakes
Before adding chocolate to buttercream frosting, set aside 1 1/2 cups buttercream frosting and 1 teaspoon melted chocolate.
Heat oven to 350°. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan once. Set aside to cool.
Lightly frost cupcakes with 1 cup chocolate buttercream; set aside. Tint 2 tablespoons reserved buttercream pale yellow; place in pastry bag fitted with a #349 Ateco leaf tip; set aside. Tint remaining buttercream light blue; place in pastry bag fitted with a #11 Ateco plain round tip, and pipe three blue bird heads, 3/4 inch in diameter, onto each cupcake. Using leaf tip, pipe yellow beaks. With toothpick, add melted-chocolate eyes. Form each nest with 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut.
Before adding chocolate to buttercream frosting, set aside 1 1/2 cups buttercream frosting and 1 teaspoon melted chocolate.
Heat oven to 350°. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating pan once. Set aside to cool.
Lightly frost cupcakes with 1 cup chocolate buttercream; set aside. Tint 2 tablespoons reserved buttercream pale yellow; place in pastry bag fitted with a #349 Ateco leaf tip; set aside. Tint remaining buttercream light blue; place in pastry bag fitted with a #11 Ateco plain round tip, and pipe three blue bird heads, 3/4 inch in diameter, onto each cupcake. Using leaf tip, pipe yellow beaks. With toothpick, add melted-chocolate eyes. Form each nest with 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut.
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