Fancy doing some baking with the kids? With spring in the air and Easter on the way, these super cute lamb cupcakes might be just the recipe you are looking for!
As well as the Live Cook-Along Sessions that I've been busy planning and preparing for over the last week or so, I've also been getting back into the swing of things with another fun and creative recipe for Easter, including these cute and easy lamb cupcakes!
These fun lamb themed cupcakes are perfect for celebrating the fact that spring has arrived, even if many of us can't leave the house to enjoy it right now! They may look impressive but they are super easy to make and decorate - a perfect springtime baking project for the kids.
Like my Easy Shortbread Sheep Cookies recipe, these cupcakes are decorated with a simple coconut topping and chocolate button faces - the hardest bit will be making sure the buttons make it onto the cakes without being eaten first!
Easy Lamb Cupcakes
Ingredients (makes 12):
For the cupcakes:
- 175g softened butter
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175g self raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the butter icing:
- 100g softened butter
- 225g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
- 100g desiccated coconut
- 12 chocolate buttons
- 12 giant chocolate buttons
- candy eyes
- tube of writing icing
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.
Place the butter in 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 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 cupcake cases and smooth over the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen, golden and springy to the touch.
Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Whilst the cakes finish cooling, make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again.
Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of buttercream icing over the top of each one.
Pour the desiccated coconut onto a small bowl, then dip each cupcake, icing side down, into the coconut to coat.
Make the lamb faces – ‘glue’ 2 candy eyes to each giant chocolate button using the writing icing.
Cut each smaller chocolate button in half for the ears.
These will be assembled with the ear pieces behind the giant chocolate button face.
Spread a little leftover buttercream on the back of a giant chocolate button. Press it into the top of a cupcake for the head.
Push a chocolate ‘ear’ into the buttercream on each side to finish.
Repeat with the remaining cupcakes to turn them all into lambs.
Enjoy!
Note: If you can't find writing icing, try making your own by mixing a little water with icing sugar.
For more delicious and fun food ideas for Easter like this one, check out 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; Healthy Easter Food and Easter. Or for more fun and easy cupcake ideas, head over to our recipe collection of Cakes & Cupcakes for Kids.
Grace
Easy Lamb Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 175 g butter
- 175 g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the butter icing:
- 100 g butter
- 225 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To decorate:
- 100 g desiccated coconut
- 12 chocolate buttons
- 12 giant chocolate buttons
- candy eyes
- tube of writing icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas mark 4/350°F). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.
- Place the butter in 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 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 cupcake cases and smooth over the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen, golden and springy to the touch.
- Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whilst the cakes finish cooling, make the buttercream icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, until completely combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, spread a generous layer of buttercream icing over the top of each one.
- Pour the desiccated coconut onto a small bowl, then dip each cupcake, icing side down, into the coconut to coat.
- Make the lamb faces – ‘glue’ 2 candy eyes to each giant chocolate button using the writing icing.
- Cut each smaller chocolate button in half for the ears - these will be assembled with the ear pieces behind the giant chocolate button face.
- Spread a little leftover buttercream on the back of a giant chocolate button. Press it into the top of a cupcake for the head, then push a chocolate ‘ear’ into the buttercream on each side to finish.
- Repeat with the remaining cupcakes to turn them all into lambs.
Love this fun cupcake recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
Dannii says
We made these as one of our Easter activities and they turned out super cute, and delicious too.