emmakitchen It’s Easter! Easter’s one of my favorite holidays simply because there’s so much to look forward to: pastel colors, flowers in bloom, Easter basket hunts, and (in non-covid times) family gatherings. I love how cheery and refreshing it feels after a long winter! However, if for some reason that’s not your thing, you’re actually in luck, because today’s recipe is a cause for celebration all on its own. These Robin’s Egg Cupcakes are elegant, delicately flavored, and incredibly moist and fluffy. I swear you’ve never had vanilla cupcakes this good. Springy, in both texture and season!
Glossy whipped batter. Freshly-baked, airy white cake with a hint of almond. Top that with a thick swoop of Tiffany-blue vanilla bean buttercream, and you’re in velvety, luscious dessert heaven. Just look at how inviting they are! However, it’s the addition of festive Cadbury Mini Eggs that take these cupcakes from ‘delicious’ to ‘Easter perfection’. You’ll love these celebratory treats, and so will your guests. Let’s talk more about how they were made.
inspiration for robin’s egg cupcakes
I’m going to keep this post short for now, because though I really wanted to bring you this recipe today, I’ve got Easter festivities to tend to. Plus, it’s so tasty, I know you’ll want to get to it fast! ;-)) Things like inspiration, ingredients & techniques, and process will be updated later when I have time to go into more detail. But, my inspiration for these was simply: Easter! They’re the perfect combination of all things cheerful, festive, and springtime. And they’re absolutely amazing.
recipe for robin’s egg cupcakes
Robin’s Egg Cupcakes
Equipment
- Oven
- Cupcake tin
- Cupcake liners or nonstick spray
- Sifter or fine-mesh strainer
- Hand or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
cupcakes
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour (326g)
- 1 2/3 cup granulated sugar (333g)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter (170g) softened, I recommend one with 82% butterfat, such as Kerrygold
- 2 large egg whites at room temp
- 3 large eggs at room temp
- 1 cup milk (227g) at room temp
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
robin's egg frosting
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter (85g) softened
- 1/3 cup shortening (60g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar I halved this recipe and used around 300g (2 2/5 cups) of sugar⏤ for 24 cupcakes, 600g (4 3/4 cups) should suffice
- 1/2 fresh vanilla bean
- 1/3 cup milk at room temp
- 1 tbsp cream at room temp
- 1-2 drops blue gel food coloring
- 1 9oz bag Cadbury Mini Eggs I use the shimmer ones!
Instructions
cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cupcake liners in the tin or spray generously with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add in the softened butter and blend until the mixture is evenly crumbly, like fine, damp sand.
- Pour the egg whites in one at a time and beat at high speed for 30 seconds after each addition. Repeat the process with the whole eggs, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula frequently. The batter will become more voluminous and lighter in color.
- In a separate container, whisk together the milk and extracts. Add into the batter 1/3 at a time, again whipping for 30 seconds after each batch. After all of the milk has been incorporated, scrape the bowl and beat for 30 seconds one last time.
- Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tins using a cookie scoop or large spoon. Swirl the tops with the back of a spoon. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 16 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centercomes out clean.
- Take the cupcakes out of the oven and remove them from the pans. Set on a wire rack until completely cool, about 40 minutes.
frosting
- To start the buttercream, put the butter, shortening, and salt in a large bowl. Beat until well-combined using a hand or stand mixer.
- Sift the powdered sugar (I use a fine-mesh strainer) and add about half of it into the butter mixture. Slowly begin blending until it's fully incorporated.
- Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and, using the tip of a small paring knife, scrape all of the beans into the frosting. Be careful not to let any fibers from the casing fall in. Mix until the beans are fully studded throughout the buttercream. This will give it that robin's egg effect naturally.
- Pour in the cream and half of the milk and beat well. Add the remaining sugar and milk in alternating batches and continue to whip the frosting until it's thick, fluffy, and glossy. Stir in 1 drop of blue food coloring, making sure to mix well so there are no streaks and you see the full extent of the color. If it seems too pale, add another drop, but be cautious⏤ robin's egg blue is meant to be delicate.
decoration
- Scrape the vanilla bean frosting into a piping bag with a large, round tip or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off. Starting on the outside and moving towards the center, pipe a broad swirl of robin's egg blue buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes. The recipe yields a little extra, so you can be heavy-handed. 😉
- Gently press 3 Cadbury Mini Eggs into the center of each cupcake. Push the tops inward so they are all facing each other. Serve, enjoy, and have a happy Easter!
Notes
- Recipe from www.SoCosmopoliteen.com
- Whole milk works best for this recipe, but any variety will do! If you don’t have it on hand, substitute by adding 1 tbsp. heavy cream to a scant cup of skim milk.
- Originally adapted from King Arthur Flour’s “Vanilla Birthday Cake” & “Easy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting”
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That’s all I’ve got for these Robin’s Egg Cupcakes right now! I hope everyone is having an amazing easter and that it’s filled with tons of chocolate and good times (and these cupcakes, of course).
As always, I seriously hope you love this post and all of the other springtime content I’ve been putting out! It’s so fun for me to create jovial recipes like this one, so expect many, many more. Spring is probably the most vibrant time of the year, so I’m taking full advantage. Starting with these adorable Easter cupakes!
Let me know if you make these, and have a hoppy Easter! :))) See you soon,
