This cute and easy chocolate Easter nest cupcakes recipe with chocolate buttercream nests and mini egg chicks is perfect for Easter baking with kids!
This is the second of two cute Easter cupcake recipes I'm sharing with you today - the first was my Easy Easter Cupcakes recipe, and this one is for yummy chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream nests, yum!
I decorated these fun Easter nest cupcakes with homemade mini egg chicks. These are super easy to make - I shared a tutorial for them a few days ago which you can find here: Mini Egg Chicks. If you don't have the time or the inclination to make mini egg chicks - just decorate the cakes with plain mini eggs instead, they'll taste just as good!
I used a grass piping tip to create the nests on the top of my chocolate cupcakes, but if you don't have one you can use a small round 'writing' tip and just whizz round a few times extra, or failing that, make a nest pattern in your buttercream with the tip of a fork.
Easter Nest Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients (makes 12):
- 175g softened butter (or dairy free spread)
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175g self raising flour
- 50g cocoa powder
- 3 Tbsp milk (or dairy free alternative)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
- 100g softened butter (or dairy free spread)
- 200g icing sugar
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
- 36 Chick Mini Eggs
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
Place the butter or dairy free spread into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time to the butter and sugar mix, whisking in between.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder on top, and using an electric whisk on a low speed, gently blend the ingredients together. Add the milk and vanilla extract and blend again. Increase the mixer speed and whisk for a few more seconds until well mixed.
Divide the cake mixture between the 12 cupcake cases and smooth over the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.
Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the chocolate buttercream icing:
Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder, a little at a time, until completely combined.
Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
Using a palette knife, spread a layer of buttercream icing over the top of each cupcake.
Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag with a grass piping nozzle. Pipe a nest shape around the edge of each cupcake.
Finish off each cupcake by adding 3 mini egg chicks to each nest.
Enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, you might enjoy these other Easter cupcake ideas too:
Quick and Easy Easter Nest Cupcakes
For more fun Easter recipes and ideas, head over to the Fun Easter Food section here on the Eats Amazing blog or pop over and follow my Easter Pinterest boards for lots more fun ideas from around the web; Fun Easter Food for Kids, Healthy Easter Food and Easter Fun.
Grace
Easter Nest Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes:
- 175 g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 175 g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self raising flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 3 Tbsp milk or dairy free alternative
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
- 100 g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 200 g icing sugar
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
- 36 Chick Mini Eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
- Place the butter or dairy free spread into a mixing bowl and whisk together with the caster sugar until light and fluffy. Break the eggs into a bowl and lightly whisk with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time to the butter and sugar mix, whisking in between.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder on top, and using an electric whisk on a low speed, gently blend the ingredients together. Add the milk and vanilla extract and blend again. Increase the mixer speed and whisk for a few more seconds until well mixed.
- Divide the cake mixture between the 12 cupcake cases and smooth over the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.
- Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the chocolate buttercream icing:
- Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder, a little at a time, until completely combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
- Using a palette knife, spread a layer of buttercream icing over the top of each cupcake.
- Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag with a grass piping nozzle. Pipe a nest shape around the edge of each cupcake.
- Finish off each cupcake by adding 3 mini egg chicks to each nest.
Love this fun Easter recipe? Why not save this post to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
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