Description
These Easter Cupcakes are soft, fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with pastel buttercream swirls and simple spring decorations like mini eggs, coconut nests, and sprinkles. Perfect for Easter brunch, classroom parties, and family baking days, they bake up tender and moist every time with an easy buttermilk batter that’s beginner-friendly. Make them ahead, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes, and decorate right before serving for the prettiest holiday treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups (195g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- For the pastel vanilla buttercream:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
- 2–4 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Pastel gel food coloring (pink, blue, yellow, lavender)
- Decorations (optional):
- Mini chocolate eggs
- Shredded coconut (plain or tinted green)
- Pastel sprinkles
- Marshmallow bunnies/peeps
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla (and optional almond extract or lemon zest).
- With mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions. Mix just until combined.
- Fill liners about 2/3 full (about 3 tbsp batter each).
- Bake 18–22 minutes, until tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Make buttercream: beat butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar gradually. Add vanilla and salt. Add cream/milk 1 tbsp at a time until fluffy and pipeable.
- Tint frosting into pastel shades with gel coloring. Pipe swirls onto cooled cupcakes.
- Decorate with mini eggs, coconut “nests,” sprinkles, or candy toppers. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients help the batter mix smoothly and bake evenly.
- Avoid overmixing once flour is added to keep cupcakes tender.
- For a quick buttermilk substitute: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, rest 5 minutes.
- To make coconut “grass,” add coconut + a tiny drop of green gel coloring to a zip-top bag with a few drops of water, then shake.
- Store frosted cupcakes 1–2 days at room temp (cool room) or 4–5 days refrigerated; bring to room temp before serving.
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 2 months; thaw, then frost and decorate.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Easter Cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, pastel cupcakes, Easter dessert, spring cupcakes