Valentines Day is coming up this week and I have two more Valentines inspired baking projects to share with you today - these cute love bug cupcakes, and in a separate post, some fun 'bee mine' cupcakes too.
Valentines ladybugs, or 'love bugs' as I like to call them, are a recurring theme in the fun Valentines food section here on the blog - they're so cute and easy to create in food form! I've made love bug apples, love bug sandwiches and love bug pizzas, so of course I needed a sweet treat and made these love bug cupcakes to complete the set!
These ladybird cupcakes have heart shaped spots to make them perfect for Valentines Day, but you can make them with round dots too, for a fun ladybug treat for the whole year round! They'd be perfect for a ladybug or garden themed party, with hearts or with circles!
Valentines Love Bug Cupcakes
Ingredients (makes 12):
For the vanilla cupcakes:
- 175g softened butter (or dairy free spread)
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175g self raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk (or dairy free alternative)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the butter icing:
- 100g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 225g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
To decorate:
- red and black fondant icing
- 24 edible candy eyeballs
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 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 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.
Meanwhile, 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. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Whilst the cakes are cooling, cut out your fondant pieces, ready to decorate the cakes.
Roll the red fondant out to around the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a round cookie cutter the same size as the top of your cupcakes, cut out 12 circles for the base of the toppers. Roll out a slightly thinner piece of black fondant. With the round cutter, cut out 4 circles. Use the same cutter to cut 3 oval shapes from the edges of each circle for the ladybug heads.
Using a mini heart shaped cutter, cut out lots of black fondant heart shapes – approx. 5 for each topper.
Once the cakes are cool, pipe a small flat swirl or spread buttercream over each one. Carefully place a red fondant circle on top, pressing gently around the edges to mould it to the top of the cake.
Brush the backs of the oval shaped head pieces with a dab of water, then gently press them onto the red toppers to form the ladybug heads. Push 2 candy eyeballs into each black head piece for the eyes.
Finish the love bug cupcakes by adding the black heart shaped 'spots' to the red wings, sticking them in place with a little water if needed.
Serve and enjoy!
If you enjoyed this cute cupcake design, why not try my 'bee mine' Valentines cupcakes too! They use the same basic cupcake recipe so you can make a batch of each or mix them up to make a few of each design.
I recently gathered all my cake and cupcake recipes together in one collection so that they are easier for you to find. You can see all of them here: Cake & Cupcake Recipes. I’ve also got more fun and easy recipes to add to the collection soon so do pop back again to see what is new!
Looking for more Valentine’s Day food ideas? You’ll find lots of child-friendly easy recipes and fun food tutorials for Valentines Day over in the Valentines Day Food section of the blog.
Happy Baking!
Grace
Valentines Love Bug Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the vanilla cupcakes:
- 175 g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 175 g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self raising flour
- 2 Tbsp milk or dairy free alternative
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the butter icing:
- 100 g softened butter or dairy free spread
- 225 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk or dairy free equivalent
To decorate:
- red and black fondant icing
- 24 edible candy eyeballs
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 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 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.
- Meanwhile, 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. Add the milk in small splashes until the icing is at the correct consistency for piping.
- Once the cakes are cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Whilst the cakes are cooling, cut out your fondant pieces, ready to decorate the cakes.
- Roll the red fondant out to around the thickness of a £1 coin. Using a round cookie cutter the same size as the top of your cupcakes, cut out 12 circles for the base of the toppers. Roll out a slightly thinner piece of black fondant. With the round cutter, cut out 4 circles. Use the same cutter to cut 3 oval shapes from the edges of each circle for the ladybug heads.
- Using a mini heart shaped cutter, cut out lots of black fondant heart shapes – approx. 5 for each topper.
- Once the cakes are cool, pipe a small flat swirl or spread buttercream over each one. Carefully place a red fondant circle on top, pressing gently around the edges to mould it to the top of the cake.
- Brush the backs of the oval shaped head pieces with a dab of water, then gently press them onto the red toppers to form the ladybug heads. Push 2 candy eyeballs into each black head piece for the eyes.
- Finish the love bug cupcakes by adding the black heart shaped 'spots' to the red wings, sticking them in place with a little water if needed.
Love this fun recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
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