The Cutest Small Batch Easter Egg Cupcakes
If you're hosting a small gathering for Easter this year, then you have to make this half batch of Easter egg cupcakes! They are ridiculously easy, pretty, and look amazing on a dessert table. They'd be so fun to decorate with kids or your friends! And, this recipe makes just 6 cupcakes, so it's amazing for a small group.
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- Standard cupcake pan
- Paper cupcake liners
- Piping bag with swirl tip
Ingredients
Buttermilk Cupcakes
- 80 grams all purpose flour (⅔ cup)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 60 grams unsalted butter, softened (¼ cup)
- 75 grams granulated sugar (6 Tablespoons)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 80 milliliters whole buttermilk (⅓ cup)
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil, I use avocado oil
Frosting & Decoration
- 1 batch small batch chocolate buttercream
- 18 mini egg candies, like Cadbury, more as needed
Instructions
Buttermilk Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a standard cupcake pan with 6 paper cupcake liners. Then, whisk the all purpose flour, baking powder, and Kosher salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer with beaters, cream the butter and sugar until it's very light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula halfway through to ensure everything is well-mixed. Then, mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until the batter is about 75% combined. Then, add the buttermilk and neutral oil. Mix just until the batter comes together. Don't over-mix or the cupcakes will come out dense and dry!
- Using a cupcake scoop, evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners. They should be about ⅔rds full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting & Decoration
- Fit a piping bag with a large swirl tip. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the chocolate buttercream to the piping bag.
- Pipe the cooled cupcakes with the chocolate frosting in a nest shape. Don't pipe the buttercream too high! You want it to be fairly level so the frosting looks like bird's nests.
- Right before serving, gently press 3 mini egg candies in the center of each chocolate buttercream nest. Enjoy!
Notes
With small batch baking, it's important to weigh the ingredients with a scale instead of measuring cups. Even just a little extra flour can completely derail the recipe. But, if you don't have a scale, here's how to measure the flour. First, fluff it with a whisk. Spoon the fluffed flour into the measuring spoon and level it off without packing it in.
I used Diamond Kosher salt when I was testing this recipe. If you use Morton's, halve the amount of salt.
For high-altitude (around 4,500 feet), use half the amount of baking powder.
To make buttermilk at home, simply measure out 80 milliliters (⅓ cup) of whole milk. Remove ½ teaspoon. Add ½ teaspoon of white vinegar and whisk to combine. Let it sit for 10 minutes before using.
You can also use my small batch whipped chocolate ganache for the topping if you like a less sweet frosting.
If you can't find Cadbury mini eggs, use Whoppers eggs, M&M eggs, or any other egg candies you like!
You can also add sprinkles or shredded coconut on top for extra texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcakeCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 131mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin C: 0mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!