Easy & Adorable Easter Bunny Cupcakes: A Fun-Filled Guide for Holiday Baking!
Welcome the warmth of spring and the joy of Easter with a delightful treat that’s as charming as it is easy to make! You don’t need to be a professional cake decorator to create these absolutely adorable Easter bunny cupcakes. This recipe is designed for everyone, from seasoned bakers to beginners, and it’s especially fantastic for getting kids involved in the kitchen. By using a convenient boxed cake mix and canned frosting, we strip away the complexities, leaving only the fun of decorating these whimsical bunnies.
Imagine the smiles these colorful treats will bring to your Easter table! They are not only a feast for the eyes but also incredibly delicious. Pair these charming creations with our Easter Chick Cupcakes, and you’ll undoubtedly be the star of your holiday celebrations. Get ready to bake up some magic and create lasting memories with these simple yet impressive Easter Bunny Cupcakes!
Bringing Easter Magic to Life with Bunny Cupcakes
Aren’t these bunny cupcakes simply irresistible? They embody everything we love about Easter – cuteness, vibrant colors, and a touch of whimsy. These treats are so captivating, it almost makes them hard to eat. Almost! Each cupcake is a miniature work of art, featuring soft, fluffy cake adorned with colorful coconut “fur,” playful gum ears, marshmallow paws, and a sweet jelly bean nose. They’re a fantastic Easter dessert idea that will delight guests of all ages.
Beyond their adorable appearance, these cupcakes are surprisingly simple to assemble, making them a perfect project for a spring afternoon. The process of decorating is a joyful experience, transforming ordinary cupcakes into festive bunny faces ready for any Easter gathering. Whether you’re hosting a big family brunch, attending a potluck, or just looking for a fun activity with the kids, these colorful little bunny cupcakes are guaranteed to be a hit and add a special touch to your holiday.
Gather Your Ingredients for These Charming Bunny Treats:
One of the best things about this recipe is its simplicity, relying on readily available ingredients to create something truly spectacular. Here’s what you’ll need to bring your bunny cupcakes to life:
- 15 ounce box white cake mix: This is your base for 24 fluffy cupcakes. Choose your favorite brand; white cake mix provides a neutral canvas for all the vibrant decorations. Don’t forget the additional ingredients required to prepare the mix, as directed on the box (typically eggs, oil, and water).
- 16 ounce container vanilla or white frosting: Store-bought frosting is your secret weapon for ease! Vanilla or white provides the perfect light color for the coconut to adhere to and for the bunny faces to stand out.
- 48 sticks gum in white or other colors: These will form the adorable bunny ears. Look for brands like “Extra” gum sticks, which come in a variety of vibrant colors (yellow, blue, green) in addition to classic white. This allows for a creative assortment of bunny ears!
- 24 sticks pink gum: Essential for the delicate pink centers of the bunny ears, adding that authentic touch.
- 24 miniature marshmallows (white or colors): Halved, these become the cutest little bunny paws, adding texture and a soft touch.
- 24 pink or red jelly beans: These will serve as the sweet, colorful noses for your bunnies. Pick a vibrant shade to make them pop!
- 0.67 ounce tube black decorating gel and/or black nonpareils: For drawing on those expressive eyes. The gel allows for sleepy eyes, while nonpareils offer a classic dot look.
- 2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut: This creates the fluffy “fur” of your bunnies. Sweetened coconut holds its shape and flavor wonderfully.
- 1 drop each food color: red, green, blue, yellow: To tint your coconut into a rainbow of pastel shades, making each bunny unique and festive. Liquid food coloring works perfectly for this.
Pro Tips for Perfect Easter Bunny Cupcakes:
Even though this recipe is designed to be simple, a few extra tips can ensure your bunny cupcakes turn out perfectly every time, from vibrant colors to stable decorations.
- Choosing Your Gum: The brand of “Extra” gum sticks is highly recommended because they come in a fantastic array of colors, making it easy to create diverse bunny ears. Here’s a quick guide to common “Extra” gum colors:
- Polar Ice – classic white, perfect for a traditional bunny.
- Peppermint – a lovely bright blue.
- Smooth Mint – a lighter, more subtle blue.
- Spearmint – a fresh green hue.
- Cinnamon – a warm red, which can also be used for pink ear centers if pink gum is hard to find.
Alternatively, Juicy Fruit Original gum is a great option if you’re looking for a cheerful yellow! Don’t hesitate to experiment with other brands if they offer suitable stick-shaped gum.
- Optimal Serving & Storage: These festive cupcakes are at their absolute best when served immediately after decorating. However, if you need to prepare them ahead of time, it’s crucial to store them properly. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. This is especially important because gum, being sugar-based, can soften and even melt in warm or excessively moist conditions. Covering the cupcakes at room temperature, for instance, could trap humidity and cause your carefully crafted gum ears to droop or fall. For best results, add the gum ears and other delicate decorations closer to serving time if possible.
- Cooling is Key: Ensure your cupcakes are completely cool before you even think about frosting them. Warm cupcakes will melt your frosting, leading to a runny mess and making it impossible for the coconut to adhere properly. Patience here will pay off!
- Coconut Application Technique: The “upside down dip” method for applying coconut isn’t just a suggestion—it’s a game-changer! Frosting one cupcake at a time and immediately dipping it ensures the frosting remains tacky enough for the coconut to stick uniformly and generously. This creates that wonderfully fluffy “fur” effect without any bare spots.
- Smooth Eyes: Before piping the eyes, gently pat down the coconut in the eye areas. This creates a slightly smoother surface, making it much easier to pipe neat eyes with your decorating gel or to place nonpareils precisely. For playful “sleeping” eyes, simply use your black decorating gel to create small half-circles.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for Your Cupcake Adventure:
Having the right tools can make your baking and decorating experience even smoother and more enjoyable. Here are a few essentials:
- Muffin pan: For baking your perfect cupcakes.
- Hand mixer: To quickly and efficiently prepare your cake batter.
- Food coloring: To create your vibrant, colorful coconut.
- Wire cooling racks: Essential for allowing your cupcakes to cool completely and evenly.
- Kitchen Shears: While not linked, sharp kitchen shears are invaluable for neatly trimming the gum sticks into ear shapes.
- Toothpicks: Simple but effective for creating the slits for the ears and for applying small dots of frosting.
How to Make These Irresistible Easter Bunny Cupcakes: Step-by-Step
Let’s dive into the fun part! Follow these detailed steps to create your charming batch of Easter Bunny Cupcakes.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. Prepare your 15-ounce box of white cake mix according to the package directions for cupcakes. This usually involves adding eggs, oil, and water. Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. Bake as directed, typically for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once baked, let them cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to wire cooling racks to cool completely. This crucial step ensures your frosting won’t melt! Allow about 30 minutes for them to reach room temperature.
Prepare Your Festive Decorations:
While your cupcakes are cooling, you can start preparing the colorful elements that will transform them into bunnies.
- Color the Coconut: Divide your 2 1/2 cups of sweetened flaked coconut evenly among five small bowls, placing approximately 1/2 cup in each. Add one drop of red food color to the first bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon. For the best, most even color, finish mixing using your fingers to gently lift and rub the coconut. This ensures the color distributes beautifully without crushing the flakes. Repeat this process for each of the other colors (yellow, blue, and green) in separate bowls. Leave one bowl of coconut white to provide variety and contrast.
- Craft the Gum Ears: To create the sturdy bunny ears, take two sticks of the same color gum (e.g., two white sticks) and stack them directly on top of each other. Using clean, sharp kitchen shears, carefully trim the stacked gum into the desired bunny ear shape. You’ll need 24 pairs of these.
- Add Pink Ear Centers: For the adorable pink inner ear, take a stick of pink (or red) gum and cut it in half lengthwise. Then, trim about half an inch off one end of each half to create a smaller, slightly rounded ear shape that will fit inside the larger gum ear.
- Assemble the Ears: Apply a tiny dab of frosting to the back of each pink gum center. Gently press these pink centers onto the larger white or colored gum ear pieces, using the frosting as edible “glue.” Set these aside to firm up slightly.
The Grand Finale: Decorating the Cupcakes!
Now comes the most exciting part – bringing your bunnies to life with frosting and features!
- Frost and Dip in Coconut: To ensure that the beautiful flaked coconut adheres perfectly and generously, frost one cupcake completely with your vanilla or white frosting. Immediately after frosting, turn the cupcake upside down and gently dip the frosted top directly into one of your colored coconut bowls. This technique ensures the frosting doesn’t have a chance to dry, allowing for maximum coconut coverage and a wonderfully fluffy “fur” texture. Repeat this frosting and dipping process for all 24 cupcakes, alternating between the different coconut colors for a vibrant assortment.
- Insert the Bunny Ears: With the coconut “fur” in place, it’s time for the ears. Using a toothpick, create two small, parallel slits in the top of each cupcake where you want the ears to sit. Gently insert the prepared gum ears into these slits. The gum should stand upright easily.
- Create the Paws: Take a miniature marshmallow and cut it in half crosswise. Add a tiny dot of frosting to the cut side of each marshmallow half. Press two halves onto the front of each cupcake, just below where the ears are, to create adorable little bunny paws.
- Add the Nose: Gently press a pink or red jelly bean onto the center of each cupcake face to form the bunny’s nose. A little pressure is all it takes to secure it into the frosting and coconut.
- Draw the Eyes: Before adding the eyes, lightly pat down the coconut in the designated eye areas. This creates a smoother surface, making it easier to apply the details. Now, use your black decorator gel to pipe small dots for classic open eyes, or create cute half-circles for “sleeping” eyes. Alternatively, you can use black nonpareils for a simple, dotted eye effect.
And there you have it! These darling little Easter bunny cupcakes are not only incredibly fun to make but will undoubtedly be the highlight of your Easter celebrations. They are perfect for family gatherings, school parties, or even bringing a smile to colleagues at an office party. Their charming appearance and delightful taste make them a memorable treat that everyone will love. Get ready for compliments and requests for the recipe!
More Fun Easter Ideas to Explore:
If you’ve enjoyed making these bunny cupcakes, you might love these other festive Easter recipes:
- Bunny Butt Cupcakes
- Rice Krispie Nests
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Rainbow Deviled Eggs
- Cracked Colored Eggs
- Bunny Butt Pancakes
- Bird Nest Cookies
Easter Bunny Cupcakes
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Ingredients
- 15 ounce box white cake mix, PREPARED as 24 cupcakes
- 16 ounce container vanilla or white frosting
- 48 sticks gum in white or other colors such as yellow blue, green (Extra gum comes in colors, see the tip section!)
- 24 sticks pink or red gum
- 24 miniature marshmallows white or colors
- 24 pink or red jelly beans
- 0.67 ounce tube black decorating gel and/or black nonpareils
- 2 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 drop each food color: red green, blue, yellow
Things You’ll Need
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Muffin pan
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Hand mixer
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Food coloring
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Wire cooling racks
Before You Begin
- The brand of “Extra” gum sticks come in multiple colors. Here’s a list:
- Polar Ice – white.
- Peppermint – blue.
- Smooth Mint – light blue.
- Spearmint – green.
- Cinnamon – red.
- Juicy Fruit Original gum is yellow.
- It’s best to serve these immediately, however if they must be made ahead, store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Gum will melt in warm or moist conditions, so covering the cupcakes at room temperature could cause your gum ears to fall.
- Before adding the eyes, gently pat down the coconut in the eye areas to give you a smooth surface to pipe onto. For “sleeping” eyes, use gel to create half circles.
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Place a paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Prepare cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Prepare Decorations
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Meanwhile, divide coconut among five small bowls, about 1/2 cup each. Add 1 drop of red food color to one bowl and mix with a spoon. Finish mixing using your fingers to lift and gently rub coconut. Repeat for each color. You should have a bowl of yellow, blue, pink, and green. Keep one of the bowls of coconut white.
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Prepare ears by stacking two of the same color gum sticks on top of each other; trim into bunny ears using kitchen shears.
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For the center of each ear, cut a red/pink stick of gum in half lengthwise, trim about half an inch off of the end to trim into ear shape.
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Use a little frosting to “glue” the pink centers to the white gum ears.
Decorating the Cupcakes
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To ensure that the coconut sticks to your frosting, frost one cupcake then immediately turn upside down, dipping top of the frosted cupcake into coconut. This ensures that the frosting does not have a chance to dry. Repeat frosting and dipping for all cupcakes.
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To add the bunny features, use a toothpick to create two slits in the top of the cupcake, then insert the ears into the slits.
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Cut a miniature marshmallow in half. Add a dot of frosting to the cut side of the marshmallows; press onto the front of the cupcake to create the paws.
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Gently press a jelly beans on for nose.
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Before adding the eyes, gently pat down the coconut in the eye areas to give you a smooth surface to pipe onto. Use black decorator gel and/or black nonpareils to add the eyes. For “sleeping” eyes, use gel to create half circles.
Nutrition
The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.
I originally made these cute cupcakes for Betty Crocker in 2012.