Easy Easter Basket Cupcakes Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Published on March 13, 2022

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Easter is just around the corner and I have the cutest Easter Basket Cupcakes Recipe for you! These cupcakes are so adorable and taste delicious too.

Easy Easter Cupcakes Recipe

We love making fun, festive desserts during the holiday. These Easter Cupcakes are so fun to make. If you want to make them with a boxed mix you can. But this recipe is going to show you how to make them from scratch.

There are so many different and fun ways to make these. We usually get out all the sprinkles, jelly beans, licorice and more. This has become a new tradition when we are preparing for the Easter holiday.

These cupcakes make the perfect party favor or invite your friends and family over and have a cupcake decorating party.

Easy Cupcake Easter Baskets:

When it is our family night to make these Easter Basket Cupcakes, I prepare the day before and make the cupcakes. Sometimes, I do just use a box cake mix but there is something about making the cupcakes from scratch.

Then we make the coconut grass and use food dye to make it green. I top each cupcake with icing and the kids decorate the rest.

I love to see their creations and then they get to enjoy them later after egg hunting.

Easy Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:

Sugar
Unsalted Butter
Eggs
Milk
Water
Pure Vanilla Extract
All-Purpose Flour
Cake Flour
Baking Powder
Salt

Frosting Ingredients:

Butter
Cream Cheese
Vanilla Extract
Confectioners’ Sugar
Water
Purple food coloring or whatever color you want your “grass to be”
Flaked Coconut
Red Shoestring Licorice
Jelly Beans

How to Make Easter Basket Cupcakes:

Prepare Oven and Muffin Pans – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 12-cup cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
Mix Sugar and Butter – Mix sugar and butter in a mixer until very creamy, scraping sides as needed, 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix in Other Ingredients – Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time. Add the milk, water, and vanilla and blend.
Stir together Dry Ingredients – In separate bowl mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Slowly add to Wet Ingredients – Add the dry ingredients, in 3 batches to the wet mixture.
Pour into Muffin Pan – Evenly pour the batter into the prepared cups, filling them ¾ of the way full.

Bake Cupcakes – Bake until the cakes are just firm and spring back when gently pressed 18 to 25 minutes. Let cool
Prepare Frosting – In a small bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar; spread over cupcakes.
Make Coconut Grass – Combine water and food coloring in a large resealable plastic bag; add coconut. Seal bag and shake to tint. Sprinkle over cupcakes.

Poke Holes – Using a metal or wooden skewer, poke a hole in the top on opposite sides of each cupcake.
Decorate Cupcakes – Cut licorice into 6-in. strips for handles; insert each end into a hole. Decorate with jelly beans.

Can you make them ahead of time?

Yes, these are the perfect dessert to make ahead of time. I usually will prepare the cupcakes ahead of time and either freeze them or store them in airtight container. It all depends on when I will be serving them.

You can even make your frosting up to 3 days ahead of when you are making them. We then get the toppings ready and frost the cupcakes.

The kids then get to decorate and eat them.

Use Easter Cupcake Holders:

When we make these Easter Basket Cupcakes, I make sure to get some Easter Cupcake holders. I think it just really makes it look very festive and adorable especially being displayed before they are eaten.

Holiday baking is one of my favorite things to do with my kids.

Easter Cupcake Variation Ideas:

Add Easter Egg Candy – Instead of Jelly Beans, add the chocolate Easter Egg candy.
Peeps Candy – My kids love getting the Peeps candy. They love adding them to their Easter Cupcake Basket.
Change the Frosting – Instead of using coconut for the grass, use a piping bag to make the grass.
Use different cake flavors – Try a strawberry or a funfetti cake mix to change up the flavoring of your cake. Any flavors will work for this cupcake recipe.
Add Sprinkles – We like adding in pastel sprinkles to bring all the colors together.

Make Easter Bird’s Nest Cupcakes:

Another easy Easter Cupcake idea is to make a bird’s nest. It is easy to do with the supplies for the Easter Basket Cupcake. You can use the coconut to make the nest part and top with your favorite egg candy or jelly beans.

Then don’t add the licorice basket holder and you have yourself an easy Bird’s Nest Cupcakes.

How to store:

These Easter Cupcakes are easily store in an airtight container. I would place in the refrigerator and they are good for about 3-4 days. You can also place them on the counter, but they might dry out faster.

A Fun Activity for the Whole Family:

We love gathering for Easter Sunday dinner with our friends and family. I love to gather the supplies needed to make these cupcakes. The kids look forward to it every year and it has become a family tradition.

This is an easy and fun activity to spend time with the family. The options are endless and everyone can make it their own.