Easter Chocolate Cupcakes
Hi friends! I have a short and sweet post for you today. I think sometimes we all just want a simple and/or easy recipe to make for a holiday. Ditch the layer cakes and complicated recipes for more straightforward ones. I’m sure you busy people agree with me, especially when you have little ones running around. These Easter chocolate cupcakes are just that simple and easy recipe you need!! Even the kids will love helping with these.
There’s nothing complicated here but the cute factor is high with the ‘nested’ eggs and green grass. They are as easy as using your favorite chocolate cupcake recipeย (below), your favorite icing with a special tip and some M&M eggs. The only keyย step is to color your frosting green and use a pastry bag fitted with this Wilton Decorating Tip #233 Multi-Openingย to create the grass effect. That’s it!!
OK friends, that’s it for now! Hope you are thinking of your Easter menu and now have a few (fun) ideas to consider:ย Easter Speckled Egg Cake, Classic Carrot Cake, Baked Carrot Cake Donutsย and these Easter chocolate cupcakes.
Easter Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
For Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- โ cup Cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- ยฝ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ยฝ cup hot water or hot coffee
- ยผ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
For frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
- pinch of salt
- 2-3 drops green gel paste (or food coloring)
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350degrees F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Sift together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients using a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the wet ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Mix for additional minute on medium speed.
- The batter will be thin. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
- Cool cupcakes on wire racks completely. Meanwhile you could start on the frosting.
For frosting:
- Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low-speed for 1minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy. Add in food coloring and whip for an additional minute.
- Using Wilton tip #233 and a pastry bag, frost the cupcakes. Top with Easter egg M&Ms.
Products I Used in this Recipe:
(may includeย affiliate links)
How fun! I have been contemplating buying that tip to do exactly that but I may chicken out and use dyed coconut instead haha.
That will work too ๐
So much fun! I was just looking through my icing tips (I have a million, I swear) and located my multi-opening tip. I want to “grass everything now and these adorable cupcakes aren’t helping with the urge. ๐
ha!!! Perfect!!
These are just so darn cute! I need to really start thinking about what I’m going to make for Easter!
Yes you do! It’s almost here ๐
Such a thoughtful post, Z! It is so mindful of you to think of busy moms and other busy career people to offer a straight up simple but scrumptious recipe with the big payoff of festive cuteness for the Easter holiday. Kids will love helping out with this recipe, too! Thanks ever so much for sharing. Definitely will be pinning to share! xo
Thank you Stacy! I know lots of my readers are busy folks..heck I am too sometimes!
These cupcakes are so pretty, Zainab! And hooray for chocolate and Easter peanut M&Ms!
Thanks Julie!
How fun! I’ve been wanting to make that “grassy” look and feel. Thanks for sharing it, Z! One of my goals this year is to improve my decorating skills.
Thanks Linda! It’s very easy to make the grassy look…just get the tip above!
Z, oh my gawd, I love these cupcakes!!!! Wilton tip #233 . . I need this!!! These are too cute!!
You need it!! It’s so fun!
Girl, you are KILLING ME with this cuteness!!! I can’t hardly take it.
Hahha thanks dear!!
These are super fun and cute Z! I love the grass!
Thanks Jocelyn!
These cupcakes are simply gorgeous! Love the simple Easter recipes – always perfect!
I am loving all of your fun Easter treats! These cupcakes are so so adorable!!! The grass and chocolate eggs are just perfect! ๐
Thanks Kelly!!
Just saw this…how cute! Have seen the grass made using a garlic press. Just spoon green icing into garlic press and squeeze out frosting in short spurts.
Oh now that is a great idea!! Will have to try that!
Beautiful cupcakes Zainab. These are too pretty to eat! Pinning these.
Thanks for sharing!!
I can hardly handle the cuteness! I want the Easter bunny to hide these for me.
Thanks Erin!!
These are so fun! They would be a total hit around here!
Thanks Ashley!
Cute nests!
These cupcakes are adorable Zainab!! I love the “grass” frosting!! Have a wonderful Easter! ๐
Thanks Renee!!
These are too cute for Easter! Love them! The frosting grass looks amazing!
Some times simple is just what is needed! These look great!
How cute are these? I need to get myself one of those wilton piping tips because that ‘grass’ is adorable.
You do!! It’s so fun!
I love these cute nested egg cupcakes. They’re perfect for decorating with kids!
They are!! Thanks Julia!
These are so pretty and so so fun!
Thanks dear!!
Super cute! loved the cupcakes…. who knows, maybe next year I will be baking a batch with Greenlee, my tiny bonus-grandaughter who is just a few days old… ok, maybe in one year it is too soon… make that two? ๐
Hehheh ๐
This is so creative! I love these! ๐
these cupcakes are SOOO cute and pretty and look taaaasty!
Thanks Kayle!!
My easter would have been even better with these so cute ๐
Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
These were absolutely delicious & super cute!! Made these for easter & I normally don’t bake but these were super easy to make! I brought them to the family supper & everyone loved them, there wasn’t any leftover at all!! Thanks so much for such a great recipe! I used espresso for the coffee & it really brings out the cocoa flavour.
So glad to hear you and your family loved it! It’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe. You should keep it in your back pocket ๐