Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones by baking these super cute love emoji cupcakes! They’re really easy to make and the kids (and adults!) will love making and eating them.
Valentines Day is only a couple of weeks away and I’ve been busy over the last few weeks creating lots of yummy new treats to celebrate, so there are lots of new recipes coming your way this week!
Valentines Day is a lovely opportunity to get baking with your kids, and if you fancy a treat, cupcakes are always fun to make and decorate together. These cute love emoji cupcakes are really easy to decorate, and you could easily try out some other emoji designs for other occasions too.
Valentines Love Emoji 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:
- yellow and red fondant icing
- black edible marker pen
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 yellow 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 smaller and thinner piece of red fondant. Using a mini heart shaped cutter, cut out 24 hears – 2 for each topper.
Once the cakes are cool, pipe small flat swirl or spread buttercream over each one. Carefully place a yellow fondant circle on top, pressing gently around the edges to mould it to the top of the cake.
Brush the backs of the hearts with a dab of water, then gently press them onto the yellow circles for the heart eyes. Draw on the mouths with the black edible marker pen and fill them in.
Enjoy!
I noticed recently that I now have quite a few cake and cupcake recipes here on the blog so I’ve gathered them all together in one collection so that they are easier to find. I’ve got more fun and easy recipes to add to the collection too so do pop back again to see what is new! You can find all of them here: Cake & Cupcake Recipes.
You’ll also 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 Emoji 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:
- yellow and red fondant icing
- black edible marker pen
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 yellow 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 smaller and thinner piece of red fondant. Using a mini heart shaped cutter, cut out 24 hears - 2 for each topper.
- Once the cakes are cool, pipe small flat swirl or spread buttercream over each one. Carefully place a yellow fondant circle on top, pressing gently around the edges to mould it to the top of the cake.
- Brush the backs of the hearts with a dab of water, then gently press them onto the yellow circles for the heart eyes. Draw on the mouths with the black edible marker pen and fill them in.
Love this fun recipe? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!
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