Last updated on February 1st, 2025 at 09:08 am
Easter is one of my favorite times to bake, and these Easter nest cupcakes are the perfect treat to celebrate the season! They’re adorable, festive, and so easy to make. Starting with a simple yellow box cake mix and topping them with chocolate frosting and candy chocolate eggs, these cupcakes come together in no time. Whether you’re looking for a fun family baking project or a cute addition to your holiday dessert table, these nest cupcakes are sure to hit the spot.
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Ingredients for Easy Easter Nest Cupcakes
Let’s kick off this Easter baking adventure with a list of simple ingredients that make these Easter nest cupcakes a breeze to whip up! These festive treats are as fun to make as they are to share. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients for the Cake:
- 1 box yellow cake mix (choose your favorite brand)
- 1 cup buttermilk (replace any water your cake mix calls for with buttermilk)
- 4 large eggs (Take the eggs your cake mix calls for and add 1 more.)
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled slightly (replace oil in cake mix with melted butter)
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4-6 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Mini chocolate eggs for decorating ( I used the Cadbury kind)
These yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting are sure to become a hit at any Easter gathering. Let’s hop into the fun part—making them!
How to Make Nest Cupcakes
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Gather your ingredients. You can absolutely use a regular yellow cake mix and just follow the box instructions! If you want to be a bit fancy, though, you can make enhance your yellow cake mix like this:
- Replace any water your cake mix calls for with buttermilk (or milk). For example mine called for a cup of water, so I used a cup of buttermilk (or 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar)
- Replace any oil your cake mix calls for with melted butter (let the butter cool before you mix it with eggs if you don’t want scrambled eggs in your cake.
- Add one more egg than whatever your cake mix calls for. For example, mine said to use 3 eggs, so I used 4.
3. Prepare your cupcakes
Mix together your cake mix, melted butter, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla (if using)
Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for the amount of time your cake mix says to for cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding frosting.
4. Whip Up the Chocolate Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium. Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a good consistency. Mix in the vanilla extract for a rich, smooth finish.
Step 4: Assemble the Nest Cupcakes
Using a piping bag fitted with a star tip (I like the Wilton 1M tip), frost each cupcake with a swirl of chocolate frosting. Gently press a few mini chocolate eggs into the center of each cupcake, creating the perfect little nest.
And just like that, your yellow cake with chocolate frosting cupcakes have been transformed into charming Easter nest cupcakes. Time to share the joy of these treats with your loved ones!
Pro Tips
1. Let the Butter Cool: Make sure your butter isn’t piping hot when you add it to your cake mix. If your butter is too hot, it could end up cooking some of the eggs and you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in your cake.
2. Frosting Consistency: If your frosting feels too thick, add an extra splash of milk. If it’s too thin, sift in more powdered sugar until you reach the perfect texture. Sometimes, I don’t know what that texture is until after I try to pipe it onto the cupcakes. If you find your frosting isn’t the right texture, you can always squirt it all out of the piping bag, adjust, and then put some back in the piping bag.
3. Candy Choices: While mini chocolate eggs are classic, you can also use jelly beans, chocolate-covered almonds, or even gummy chicks to decorate the nests.
4. Fresh and Fluffy Cupcakes: Be sure to measure your liquids accurately and avoid overmixing the batter. This will help your cupcakes stay light and fluffy.
FAQs
1. Can I make these cupcakes ahead of time? Absolutely! You can bake the cupcakes up to two days in advance. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. You can even freeze them if you want to, but make sure they’re in an airtight container. Frost and decorate them on the day you plan to serve for the freshest look and taste.
2. What if I don’t have buttermilk? Totally fine! I rarely have actual buttermilk in my kitchen. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can take 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and mix them together. Then, let them sit for about 5 minutes or so on the counter before you add them to your cake mix.
3. What if I don’t like chocolate frosting? No problem whatsoever! You could just as easily use some regular buttercream frosting for this (2 sticks of butter, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk).
4. Can I use homemade yellow cake instead of a box mix? Of course! If you have a favorite homemade yellow cake recipe, feel free to use it. The boxed mix is just a time-saving option for busy bakers.
5. How do I store leftover Easter nest cupcakes? Keep your nest cupcakes in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for 2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Bring them to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
6. Can I make a larger batch? Definitely! If you’re hosting a big Easter gathering, simply double the ingredients. Bake in batches, as most ovens can’t accommodate 4 cupcake trays at once without uneven baking.
Easter is all about celebrating Jesus and new life, and these Easter nest cupcakes are the perfect sweet addition to the occasion. The combination of moist yellow cake with chocolate frosting and playful candy nests brings smiles to kids and adults alike. Happy baking!
Easter Nest Cupcakes
Equipment
- electric mixer Either a hand mixer or a stand mixer
- 1 piping bag
- 1 Star frosting tip I like the Wilton 1M tip.
Ingredients
Cupcake Base
- 1 box yellow cake mix Any brand you like is fine
- 1 cup buttermilk Use buttermilk in place of the water your cake mix calls for. It might not be 1 cup, but most are. See note about buttermilk below.
- 1/2 cup melted butter Use melted butter in place of any oil your cake mix calls for. It might not be 1/2 cup, so check your box mix.
- 4 eggs Take however many eggs your cake mix calls for and add 1 more. My cake mix said to use 3 eggs, so I used 4 instead.
- 1 tsp vanilla optional
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4/6 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Prepare Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Prepare your yellow cake mix according to the box instructions but substitute these ingredients: Swap out water for buttermilk (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Swap out any oil for melted butter. Add 1 egg to however many eggs your box mix says to use.
- Mix your cake mix , buttermilk, melted butter and eggs together. Try not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for the amount of time your cake mix says to for cupcakes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool completely before adding frosting.
Make Frosting and Assemble Nest Cupcakes
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium.
- Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a good consistency.
- Add in the vanilla extract for a rich, smooth finish.
- Using a piping bag fitted with a star tip, frost each cupcake with a swirl of chocolate frosting.
- Gently press a few mini chocolate eggs into the center of each cupcake, creating a little nest.
