Easy Easter Basket Cupcakes Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.
• Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Frost with frosting. Use candy strips for handle on each. Decorate with candy as desired. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 24 cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Using star tip, pipe cupcake icing on top of each cupcake; spread evenly. Sprinkle with green sugar.
• To make nest on top of each cupcake, pipe icing in circle, 2 layers high. Fill each nest with about 1/2 teaspoon pastel sequins; sprinkle additional sequins around nest.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line 30 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger and nutmeg; add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in carrots, walnuts, pineapple and coconut., Fill prepared cups three-fourths full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until blended. Beat in orange zest and vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes., In a large resealable plastic bag, mix water and food coloring; add coconut. Seal bag and shake until coconut is evenly tinted. Sprinkle over cupcakes. Decorate with candies, as desired. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg and orange zest. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. , Fill 18 paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar; spread over cupcakes. Combine water and food coloring in a large bowl; add coconut. Stir to coat. Sprinkle over cupcakes., Using a metal or wooden skewer, poke 2 holes in the top of each cupcake, 1 hole on each side. Cut licorice into 6-in. strips for handles; insert each end of a licorice piece into a hole. Decorate with candy eggs.

Steps:

• MAKE CUPCAKES: Place rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Cut ten 8-inch squares of aluminum foil. Place each waffle bowl in center of each foil square. Wrap the outside of of the bowl with the foil, tucking the edges of the foil just inside the top of the bowl. Place bowls on baking sheet and set aside.
• In large bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, egg whites, and coconut flavoring (if using).
• Blend 30 seconds with electric mixer on low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat 2 more minutes on medium speed, scraping sides if needed.
• Fill each waffle bowl with a heaping 1/2 cup batter.
• Bake the cupcakes approximately 24-27 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and spring back when lightly pressed with finger.
• Place pan on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
• Gently peel off aluminum foil. Allow the bowls to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• MAKE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING: In large mixing bowl, add butter and mix with electric mixer on low speed until fluffy (about 30 seconds).
• Add confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. Blend on low speed until sugar is incorporated (about 1 minute). Beat 1 minute more on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add up to 1 tablespoon milk if the frosting seems too stiff.
• Note: If you want a slightly lighter color of frosting, beat the butter several extra minutes with the electric mixer before adding sugar. You can also flavor the buttercream frosting with other extracts in place of the vanilla extract. Use almond extract for almond buttercream, coconut flavoring for coconut buttercream, etc.
• MAKE BASKETS: Place the coconut in a plastic bag. Add 2 drops of green food coloring. Seal the bag and shake well until the coconut turns green.
• Add more food coloring if needed.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Place 2 heaping tablespoons of frosting on each cupcake and spread it out smoothly with a short metal spatula or spoon, until the tops are completely covered.
• Sprinkle on coconut to resemble grass. Place a pile of jelly beans on the coconut to resemble eggs.
• Create a basket handle by inserting one end of a licorice or Twizzler stick in one side of the cupcake near the edge. Bend the Twizzler over the cupcake and insert the other end in the opposite side of the cupcake.