Easter Birds Nest Cupcakes
These cute Bird’s Nest Easter Cupcakes are the perfect holiday dessert!
Made with a simple and easy homemade white cupcake batter, creamy buttercream icing and topped with sweet colored coconut and mini chocolate eggs. These Easter cupcakes are just so adorable and will make the perfect decoration on your holiday table this year!
I love to make cupcakes! They are hand held, easy to serve and are super portable. And the best part is you can decorate them for any time of year or any occasion, like my Football Cupcakes which are a huge hit on game day!
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Easter Bird’s Nest Cupcakes
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How Do You Make Egg Nest Cupcakes?
These egg nest cupcakes are super simple to make!
- Prepare cupcakes using either the recipe given below, or you can use a boxed mix. (The boxed mix will make 24 cupcakes so if you choose to do this, you will need to double the icing and coconut to accommodate for more.)
- While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the coconut and allow it to dry. (This can also be done a day or two ahead of time.)
- Once cupcakes are cooled, scoop a hole out of the center of each cupcake using either a spoon or a cookie scoop. I like to freeze my cupcakes at this point so they are easier to frost.
- Prepare the buttercream icing and frost the cupcakes. I piped my frosting onto each cupcake, however you can simply use a knife to frost them.
- Sprinkle and press the prepared coconut ‘grass’ onto each frosted cupcake while the frosting is soft so the coconut will adhere to the icing well.
- Nestle the mini eggs in each hole. These are now ready to serve!
- If you are not serving them immediately, cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tips For Decorating With Colored Coconut
- Prepare your coconut a few days ahead of time and allow it to dry out on the counter. It just helps to have a few jobs done ahead of time to make decorating day a little less hectic.
- If you are tight on time, you can dab the moisture from the coconut using a paper towel, or alternately spread it out on a baking sheet and place it in a very low temp oven for about 30 minutes. Be careful not to scorch it.
- I like to use Wilton Performance Color System when I need to use food coloring. I love the color chart because it helps you determine the exact color match you are looking for. If you don’t have this system, any green food coloring will do.
- Be sure to use a tray or bowl to catch the coconut as it falls off the cupcakes. I love to use my white vintage tray that you see here in these photos!
Can You Freeze Cupcakes?
Yes, these Bird’s Nest Cupcakes can definitely be made ahead of time and frozen. I suggest freezing the nests prior to adding the mini eggs as I fear the eggs may crack if frozen. The mini eggs can always be applied once the cupcakes are removed from the freezer.
Remember to keep your cupcakes covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container to maintain their moisture.
Helpful Hints!
These Bird’s Nest Easter Cupcakes are actually best when made ahead of time! Not only does this make preparation for your event easier because your dessert is ready and waiting, but they taste better too!
Snack on the reserved ‘holes’ or freeze them to use in dessert recipes later on. You could make a quick trifle parfait dessert with them which would be so yummy!
These cute Easter Cupcakes can be used as a delightful table decoration or place holder at your holiday dinner table. No need to hide them away until dessert, when you can show them off for the entire dinner. Be warned, your guests may not wait until after dinner to snack on those tempting mini eggs!
And no need to wait for Easter to make these delicious cupcakes. This would be a delightful way to celebrate a baby shower, a birthday or even a baby reveal party. These are also a fun and peanut free dessert to take to school bake sales or church potlucks.
I hope you are inspired by these Bird’s Nest Cupcakes! Please let me know if you make them and how they turn out!
More Recipes to Try
- Peanut Butter Crunch Bars (with caramel icing)
- Brownie Bottom Peanut Butter Cream Pie
- Football Cupcakes
- Amaretto Lover’s Cheesecake Brownies
- Candy Glass
Easter Birds Nest Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2½ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 egg whites
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 Tablespoons oil
Coconut Grass
- 2 cups shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened - your choice
- 2 Tablespoons water
- food coloring I used Wilton Performance colors - 1 drop blue, 5 drops yellow
Icing
- ½ cup salted butter
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 Tablespoons cream
- 36 chocolate mini eggs
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350ËšF and assemble ingredients. Line muffin tins with parchment or paper cups.
- Combine the flour and baking powder.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg whites till slightly foamy.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add in the sugar till incorporated. Turn to high speed and beat for 2 minutes scraping the side.
- On low speed, add egg whites a small amount at a time, allowing to incorporate after each addition.
- Using low speed, alternate adding the flour and milk until finished and just combined. Add in oil and mix just to incorporate.
- Fill cupcake tins â…” full of batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness every 2 minutes once it reaches the 15 minute mark.
- Cool completely. Once cooled scoop out a hole in the middle of each cupcake. At this point you can freeze the cupcakes to make frosting easier.
Coconut Grass
- Mix the water and food coloring and add to coconut. Mix till combined. Turn out onto a baking sheet to dry. You can dab it with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture, or you can put into a 200ËšF oven for 30 minutes to speed up the drying process.
Icing
- Beat butter and vanilla till creamy.
- Combine powdered sugar and cornstarch.
- Add sugar mixture ½ cup at a time, alternating with cream until light and fluffy.
Assembly!
- Frost each cupcake with icing. Immediately sprinkle the coconut, covering the entire top. Press coconut into icing slightly so it adheres well.
- Nestle 3 mini eggs into each 'nest'. Cover till ready to serve.
Notes
- Make coconut grass a day ahead to allow the coconut to dry.
Nutrition
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