Easter Chick Cupcakes
These fun Easter Chick Cupcakes are as easy to make as they are effective. They’re bright and cheerful perfect for a bake sale or Easter party.
Servings: 10 cupcakes
Calories: 525kcal
Equipment
- 10 Muffin sized cupcake cases
- muffin tin
- 78mm (3in) plain round cookie cutter (or one that is a little larger than the diameter of your cupcakes)
- Rolling Pin (ideally a plastic one suitable for fondant work)
- Small brush used for food preparation only
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 175 g (6oz) butter softened
- 175 g (6oz) golden caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 Medium eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 175 g (6oz) self raising flour
For the Buttercream Frosting
- 100 g (3½oz) butter softened
- 225 g (8oz) icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- milk
For the Fondant Easter Chick
- 250 g (9oz) yellow Fondant icing
- cornflour (cornstarch) to dust
- 100 g (3½oz) white fondant icing
- a little blue fondant icing
- a little orange fondant icing
- a little black fondant icing
Instructions
To make the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan) / 375℉ / gas mark 5. Place the muffin sized cases into the muffin tray.
- Beat together 175g (6oz) butter and 175g (6oz) until very pale and fluffy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat again to combine. Gradually add 3beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in 1 tablespoon milk.
- Using a spatula or large metal spoon fold in 175g (6oz) flour. You’re aiming for a nice dropping consistency. Add a little more milk if required.
- Divide the mixture equally between the muffin cases so that they are about half to two-thirds full. Bake in the centre of the oven and bake for 20 – 24 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream:
- Beat 100g (3½oz) butter until soft and creamy. Sieve half of the 225g (8oz) icing sugar into the butter and beat until combined. Then sieve in the remaining icing sugar and beat combine. Finally, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a little milk and beat until you have a soft creamy frosting.
To complete:
- Place a teaspoon amount of the buttercream frosting on top of the cupcake and spread it out either with a knife or the back of the teaspoon. There’s no need to take the buttercream all the way to the edge of the cupcakes.
- Dust the work surface with a little cornflour (cornstarch). Roll out the yellow fondant until 2-3mm (a little under ¼ in) thick. Cut out discs of the fondant using the plain round cookie cutter. Place one of the discs onto the cupcake. Use the plump area at the base of your thumb to gently press and neaten the edges of the disc into the cupcake.
- To make the chick's shell, marble most of the white fondant. – Knead some white fondant. Place onto the dusted work surface. Flatten it with your hand a little to make a thick disc. Add very small pieces of blue fondant to the white disc. Roll it out. Fold it into quarters and roll again. Add a little more blue fondant and repeat until you have a marbled effect.
- Roll it out the marbled fondant– a little thinner than the yellow fondant. Use the cutter to cut a disc of fondant. Cut it in half with a knife. Use the knife to cut away triangles from the half circle to resemble a cracked egg. Apply a small amount of water with a small brush to the area of the cupcake where the shell will be positioned. Place the prepared fondant shell onto the cupcake. Use the plump area at the base of your thumb to gently secure the fondant in place.
- Make the chick’s beak. Roll out a small piece of orange fondant. Use a knife to cut it into a neat square. Use the knife to score a diagonal line across the orange square so that it resembles two triangles. Avoid cutting all the way through the fondant. Place it on the cupcake to check for size. Trim a little away if it is too large. Affix in place with a little water.
- Make fondant eyes for the Easter chick. Roll a small piece of white fondant (about the size of a small pea) between your hands to create a ball. Gently flatten it to create a white disc. Repeat to create another white disc of similar size. Affix the two white discs to the Chick’s face with a little water. Make two discs with black fondant in the same way, but these need to be smaller. Using a tiny amount of water affix them onto the white discs. Affix a tiny piece of white fondant to the edge of the black fondant to give a little ‘life’ to the eye.
- Shape the wings and feather tufts. Take a small piece of yellow fondant. Roll it into a ball in your hands. Continuing to roll, apply a little extra pressure to one side of the ball to create a tear-drop shape. Set aside. Shape some more teardrops. You will need a total of 9 (3 for each wing and 3 for the top of the Easter chick’s head). Apply a small amount of water onto the cupcake where the wings will be positioned. Gently place the teardrop shapes onto the cupcake giving them a very gentle press as you do so. Repeat with the pieces for the chicks head.
Video
Notes
Store
The cupcakes will keep for about a week if stored in an airtight container in a cool place.
Freeze undecorated cupcakes for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating
Nutrition
Serving: 1cupcake | Calories: 525kcal