Easter Basket Cupcakes
These charming Easter Basket cupcakes are filled with buttercream roses, candy covered eggs and coconut grass.
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 16 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (160g)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (75g)
- 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (1g, heaping)
- 1/8 tsp salt (1g)
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (113g, room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cup sugar (300g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream (80g)
- 1 cup milk (236mL)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract (3mL)
- 1 1/2 lb fondant (680g for assembly)
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- Chocolate eggs (for assembly)
- brown food coloring
- green food coloring
- pink food coloring
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (339g)
- 1 1/2 lb confectioners sugar (680g)
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder (22g)
- 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (5mL)
Instructions
- 1
For the Cupcakes
- 2
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- 3
Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl.
- 4
Add the eggs one at a time making sure to mix thoroughly. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla and milk.
- 5
While mixing on low speed add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
- 6
Scoop the batter into cupcake papers filling 2/3 the way up. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.
- 7
For the Buttercream
- 8
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter until smooth.
- 9
Sift in the confectioner’s sugar. You can add the sugar in two batches. Beat until you get to a thick consistency. Add the vanilla extract.
- 10
Reserve a small amount of buttercream in a bowl. Add more confectioners sugar and mix by hand until you get a play dough consistency. This will be used for the base of your flowers.
- 11
Split the rest of the buttercream into 2 batches. Dye one batch brown and the other pink.
- 12
Put brown buttercream into a piping bag fitted to a 47 tip.
- 13
Put pink buttercream into a piping bag fitted to a 120 tip or a curved petal tip.
- 14
For the Basket Handles;
- 15
Fold brown food coloring into the fondant until the desired color is reached. It should match the brown buttercream.
- 16
Roll out the brown fondant to 1/4-inch. Each strand should be about 5-inches long.
- 17
Twist two of the strands together to create the handle. Cut the ends with a knife for clean ends. Allow to dry overnight.
- 18
For the Buttercream Roses;
- 19
Cut out 1-inch squares of parchment paper to use as a piping base for each flower.
- 20
Mold a tiny amount of the play dough type buttercream into a cone and place it on the middle of the parchment paper square.
- 21
Using the pink buttercream, start to pipe small petals around the cone. Start small and gradually go a bit bigger until you have your flower.
- 22
For the Assembly
- 23
Once your cupcakes have cooled, remove them from the cupcake papers.
- 24
With the brown buttercream, use a basketweave technique to pipe the basket around the side of the cupcakes.
- 25
Dye the shredded coconut green by adding coconut flakes and a few drops of green food coloring to a sealable plastic bag. Mix together and place on top of cupcake for the grass.
- 26
Arrange the buttercream roses and chocolate candy eggs on top.
- 27
Carefully stick your basket handle into the cupcake.