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Pioneer Woman bunny cupcakes take 1 hour 7 minutes and vanilla-almond batter, almond buttercream and marshmallow ears to make a light, moist Easter dessert. This kid-friendly Easter cupcake idea fits spring brunch, bunny birthday parties and classroom treat days.
Cut the marshmallows on the diagonal and press the sticky cut sides into sanding sugar before anything else. Skip that and the ears stay bare and sticky, so they won't match the sugared frosting.
Mixing butter with just a little oil gives the cupcakes a rich flavor and keeps the crumb moist. Dipping each frosted cupcake into sanding sugar also gives the bunnies a sparkly, colorful coat without any extra piping.
What you need for this recipe
USA Pan 12-cup muffin pan (set of 2)
The 12-cup tin holds the paper liners so the cupcakes bake with an even, domed top.
Buy on AmazonWilton 9-inch angled spatula
It spreads the frosting to the edges while leaving the mound in the center.
Buy on AmazonRiccle piping bags and tips set
A #2 tip pipes tidy eyes and noses onto each bunny face.
Buy on AmazonPantry pick Nielsen-Massey pure almond extract
A few drops go a long way in cakes and cookies.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Pioneer Woman Bunny Cupcakes
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium12
servings45
minutes22
minutes420
kcalLight vanilla-almond cupcakes get a mound of rich almond buttercream and a coat of colorful sanding sugar. Marshmallow ears on toothpicks and piped eyes and noses turn each one into a bunny face.
Ingredients
- FOR THE CUPCAKES:
1 1/4 c. Cake Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/8 tsp. Fine Sea Salt
6 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/2 c. Milk
- FOR THE FROSTING:
3/4 c. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
1/4 c. Shortening
1 lb. Powdered Sugar
1 pinch Fine Sea Salt
2 tbsp. Milk
1/4 tsp. Almond Extract
- FOR DECORATING:
Sanding Sugars
12 Jumbo Marshmallows
Pink And Black Food Coloring
Directions
- Prep the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Then sift 1 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt together and set it aside.
- Cream the butter: Cream 6 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Then beat in 2 eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flavorings: Beat in 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until combined. This small amount of oil keeps the cakes moist while the butter carries the flavor.
- Finish the batter: On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 1/2 cup milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Bake the cupcakes: Fill each liner with a heaping 1/4 cup of batter and bake for 22 minutes. They're done when they bounce back after a light press in the center.
- Cool the cupcakes: Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before you frost, so the buttercream doesn't melt.
- Beat the frosting: Beat 3/4 cup room temperature unsalted butter and 1/4 cup shortening until smooth. Then sift in 1 pound powdered sugar, add a pinch of fine sea salt and mix for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the frosting: Add 2 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and mix on low until combined. Then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for several minutes until fluffy.
- Make the ears: Pour the sanding sugars into bowls and cut the 12 jumbo marshmallows in half on the diagonal. Press the cut sides into the sugar, then thread each ear onto a toothpick.
- Frost and dip: Dollop frosting on each cupcake with a 2-tablespoon scoop, then spread it to the edges with an offset spatula, leaving it mounded in the center. Dip each cupcake into a bowl of sanding sugar.
- Add the faces: Place the ears onto each cupcake. Then tint the remaining icing black and pink and put it in piping bags with the tip snipped or fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe on the eyes and noses.
Tools for this recipe
- USA Pan 12-cup muffin pan (set of 2), Wilton 9-inch angled spatula, Riccle piping bags and tips set, Nielsen-Massey pure almond extract. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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FAQs
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Yes, you can, but the cupcakes will turn out a little denser. To get closer to cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons from each cup of all-purpose flour and replace them with cornstarch, then sift it all together.
How should I store bunny cupcakes?
Keep them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for a day. In a warm kitchen, the fridge works for a few days. Let them come to room temperature before serving so the buttercream softens.
Can I make these ahead of time?
You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and keep them covered at room temperature. Frost and add the marshmallow ears close to serving, because the sugar-coated ears can get sticky as they sit.
What can I use if I don't have sanding sugar?
Regular sprinkles or colored granulated sugar work as a stand-in for coating the frosting and ears. Sanding sugar has a larger crystal that sparkles more, but the bunny shape still comes through either way.
What's the most common mistake with these cupcakes?
Frosting them before they've cooled all the way is the big one, since warm cupcakes melt the buttercream into a puddle. Give them the full cooling time on the rack so the frosting holds its mound and the sugar sticks.
This week on Amazon
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: USA Pan 12-cup muffin pan (set of 2), Wilton 9-inch angled spatula, Riccle piping bags and tips set.
See the dealsRee's newest cookbook The Essential Recipes.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
