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These Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcakes are moist chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting “nests” and pastel colored Easter eggs! They’re cute Easter cupcakes that are also easy to decorate!
I’m pretty excited for Easter this year. Last year the twins were so tiny they obviously had no idea what was going on. They still won’t really know what’s happening, but they will be able to participate. 🙂
They’ve been walking for a little more than a month now and they are strong walkers (even kind of running a bit), so we will definitely hide eggs and then help them find them. They may lose interest in like 5 minutes, but hopefully we can make it fun.
The one thing I really don’t know what to do with is the Easter baskets. Should I just not do them yet? That doesn’t seem fun at all. But if I make baskets, what do I put in them at this age? They certainly don’t eat candy yet. I could give them some blueberries and raspberries – they love those. Ha!
Perhaps I should bestow them with some cute bunny ears that they have to wear for a picture and then show them how cute they were one day? A little torture is good for a kid, you know?
Sadly, they aren’t really old enough to enjoy one of these cupcakes. Although I wouldn’t be opposed to letting them try a bite, they just haven’t shown much interest in baked goods. Clearly I’ll need to fix that one day.
Anyhow, these cupcakes are awesome for those old enough to enjoy them. They are moist, soft and oh-so-yummy! I often go with my trusty Moist Chocolate Cupcakes for something like this, but this time I decided to shake things up. These are a chocolate cupcake version of my Moist Vanilla Cake.
EASTER EGG CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
I’m pretty in love with these chocolate cupcakes. As opposed to my classic one, these use both butter and oil, rather than just oil. You get the nice flavor of butter, with the moisture of oil. I’m definitely a fan.
As for how to decorate these easter nest cupcakes, they really are quite easy. I wanted to use primarily chocolate buttercream, but have a little bit of vanilla to use for the green grass. You could totally go without the grass (which is even easier to decorate), but the grass is kind of fun.
So to make the frosting, combine the butter and shortening, then add the powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, the vanilla extract and some water or milk to thin it out a bit. Next, set aside about half a cup of the frosting, which you’ll use for the green grass (just add a little green gel icing color). Add the cocoa powder to the remainder of the frosting. You can add a little more water or milk to thin it out a little more, but then you’re ready to decorate!
HOW TO DECORATE EASTER EGG NEST CUPCAKES
To make the grass, you’ll use the grass icing tip. It makes it really easy. Pipe the frosting around the outer edge of the cupcake. I piped about 2 rows. Fill in the center of the cupcake with a swirl of chocolate frosting. You want to pipe two swirls/circles – one directly on top of the other, sort of stacked – with a opening in the middle. In the opening, you’ll add the eggs.
If you’re just making the nest and leaving off the grass, you’ll use the same motion of piping with the chocolate frosting, but it’ll be a larger circle/swirl. I actually piped a little dallop right the in the middle of the cupcake and then added the swirl. The dallop kind of keeps things in place, so the frosting doesn’t collapse into the center. You can see a picture of what I mean about the dallop in my tutorial for how to frost cupcakes. The first method I show uses the dallop.
Just fill in the nest with your favorite Easter egg candy and you’re all done! I used mini Cadbury eggs, but Whoppers Robins Eggs are awesome too. And I’m not gonna lie, jelly beans are a weakness. They’d be great on top as well. Whichever candy you use, these Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcakes are sure to be a hit!
More Easter desserts for you to enjoy:
Best Carrot Cake Recipe
Easter Coconut Blondie Cheesecake
Bunny Peeps in a Blanket Brownies
No Bake Coconut Caramel Nest Cookies
Toasted Coconut Bunny Tails
Malted Easter Egg Chocolate Cheesecake
Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes, plus cooling
- Yield: 12-14 cupcakes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Easter Egg Chocolate Cupcakes are moist chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate frosting “nests” and pastel colored Easter eggs!
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp (43g) natural unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cups (155g) sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (150ml) milk
Chocolate and Vanilla Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 3 3/4 cups (431g) powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3–4 tbsp water or milk
- 1/4 cup (29g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- Green gel icing color
- Cadbury Mini Eggs (or other Easter egg candy)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. To make the cupcakes, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
3. Add the butter, oil, sugar and vanilla extract to a large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until mostly combined after each. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
6. Slowly add the milk and mix until well combined.
7. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
8. Fill the cupcake liners about three quarters full. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
8. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
9. To make the frosting, beat the butter and shortening until well combined.
10. Add about half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
11. Add the salt, vanilla extract and about 2 1/2 tablespoons of water or milk and mix until well combined and smooth.
12. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
13. Remove about a 1/2 cup of frosting and set aside.
14. Add the cocoa powder to the remainder of the frosting and beat until well combined and smooth.
15. Add additional water or milk, as needed, to get a good consistency frosting.
16. Add the green gel icing color to the vanilla frosting that was set aside.
17. To decorate the cupcakes with the grass and nest, use Wilton tip 233 to add two rows of grass around the outer edge of the cupcake. Fill in the center of the cupcake with the chocolate nest. To make the chocolate nest, use a large closed star tip. I used Ateco tip 844, but Wilton tip 1M or 2D would work as well. Pipe a small swirl/circle of chocolate buttercream and do two rotations, making one right on top of the other and leaving the center open. Add candy eggs to the center of the nest.
18. To decorate the cupcakes with just the nest, use a large closed star tip, such as the ones mentioned in the step above. Pipe a small dallop of frosting right in the center of the cupcake. This is fill in the center of the swirl you will pipe in a minute and keep it from sinking. Start at the outer edge of the cupcake and pipe a swirl/circle around the outer edge. You’ll want to do two rotations/swirls right on top of each other, leaving the center open. Add the candy eggs to the center of the swirl.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cupcake
- Calories: 386
- Sugar: 37.5 g
- Sodium: 103.4 mg
- Fat: 22.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.3 g
- Protein: 3.4 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
Can I make these ahead of time and freeze them ?
Can I also make the icing ahead of time and freeze as well ?
I am so busy cooking Easter dinner and organizing my house to be able to make these the day before. Do you have any tips or tricks for freezing the cupcakes and the icing?
It would be really helpful. I would have time to ice them the day before would that work ?? Please let me know as I am so excited I found this recipe and am looking forward to making these cupcakes for Easter.
Thank you
Yes, the cupcakes and buttercream freeze really well. Just store them in an air tight container (separately) and then thaw in the fridge before using them. You’ll need to stir the frosting back up, but otherwise, proceed to decorate from there.
Made these tonight with my 6 year old granddaughter. She did about 90% of it. They are amazing! She loved making them and eating them. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Hi Lindsay!! Whenever I have to do something for a party I come to your page as it never fail 😁. I wanted to do a mocha cupcake with this receipt or with your moist chocolate cupcakes. I was wondering if I want to add some coffe would you take off some milk or in the moist cupcakes some water? What do you think? Hope you can help me with this 😁. Thank you for all your help!! Big hug!! Ruth
Yes, just replace some of the milk or water. So glad you’ve enjoyed everything! Thanks Ruth!
Lindsay I made these with my 7 year old yesterday – we had so much fun making them and they turned out absolutely delish!!! Total lockdown Easter hit 🙂 thank you so much!!!! You saved Easter!!! Xxx love from Mumbai, India to you and your boys
These look amazing! I love baking family little treats, never thought of the grass idea so will be giving it a go! Could you tell me please what is shortening (I’m in the UK)?
It’s a butter replacement (crisco). If you don’t have it there or aren’t a fan, you can replace it with additional butter.
Thank you so much for sharing!! My twin boys are just about 7 months now and I’m just barely getting into the kitchen to do some baking😊 I love reading your posts and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks Barbi! I hope you enjoy them! My goodness – 7 months! It sure is a ride, isn’t it? 🙂
Such wonderful cupcakes, Lindsay! The chocolate icing looks very delicious and Cadbury mini eggs are my favourite Easter treat.
Thanks Cyna!