Best Marthas Sunflower Cupcakes Recipes

SUNFLOWER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy - about 2 minutes. Add 5 cups confectioners' sugar, the heavy cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I like 1/8 tsp salt.)
• Spoon 3/4 cup of frosting into a separate bowl. Stir in green food coloring. This will be for the leaves.
• Tint the remaining frosting with yellow and orange food coloring to obtain desired sunflower color. See my note below for what I used.
• Fill piping bag with leaf tip + yellow frosting. If you have a second leaf tip, fill a 2nd bag with leaf tip + green frosting.
• Pipe or spread a circle of frosting in the center of the cupcake. My cupcake centers are about 1.25 inches in diameter. Dip into chocolate sprinkles.
• See video above for a visual of this step. (It's hard to explain perfectly!) Start on the outer edge of the cupcake. Pipe yellow petals all the way around, lifting the piping tip in an upwards direction. Pipe a second layer closer to the center/on top of the first layer. Pipe a third layer of petals right against the center of the sunflower. Pipe any additional petals to fill any gaps, then pipe a couple green leafs on the edges.
• Refrigerate cupcakes until ready to serve. Cupcakes are fine at room temperature for a few hours, as long as they have been refrigerated for a couple hours after frosting/assembling. (The time in the refrigerator helps the petals hold their shape before serving.)
• Cover leftover cupcakes and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

SUNFLOWER CUPCAKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flours, baking powder, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt into a bowl.
• Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat in vanilla.
• Butter a 5-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, dust with all-purpose flour, and tap out excess. Line mini-muffin tins with mini baking cups (you'll need 75 cupcakes total).
• Fill tart pan halfway with batter (about 1/2 cup), then fill each baking cup halfway with batter (a generous tablespoon each). Bake until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 12 minutes for the cupcakes and 14 minutes for the cake. Transfer pans to wire racks, and let cake and cupcakes cool completely.
• Transfer 1/4 cup buttercream to a bowl, and stir in cocoa powder. Divide remaining buttercream among 3 bowls, and tint each batch a different shade of yellow or orange with gel-paste food coloring. Frost tops of cupcakes using the 3 colors. Frost top of cake with chocolate buttercream. Arrange berries over top of cake to cover and create "seeds." Arrange cupcakes around cake to create "petals," forming a sunflower shape.

SUNFLOWER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Starting at edge of an unfrosted cupcake, pipe 3 to 4 circles of petals with buttercream, working inward and overlapping, leaving center empty. Fill center with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds.

GREEN TEA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a small bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and matcha.
• In an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add egg and mix on medium until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and then milk, mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway. Bake, rotating halfway through, until cupcakes spring back to touch and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Let cool in tin 5 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (Ateco #801) with green tea ganache. Pipe about 1 tablespoon ganache into center of each cupcake. (Reserve leftover ganache to decorate cupcakes.) Fill another pastry bag fitted with a large plain-round tip (Ateco #809) with green tea buttercream. Pipe a dollop of buttercream onto top of each cupcake. Sift a small amount of matcha onto half of each cake. Pipe a squiggle on each cupcake using reserved ganache. Store cupcakes overnight in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

HEDGEHOG CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Frost tops of cupcakes with a thin layer of buttercream. Fit pastry bag with small multi-opening tip, and fill with buttercream. Pipe "hair" all over the top of each cupcake, placing the tip on the frosting, squeezing gently, and pulling bag upward. Insert almonds around perimeter of each cupcake, into the sides of frosting to create spikes. Use jelly bean for nose and sunflower seeds for eyes on top of each. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

MUMMY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 standard muffin tins with paper liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to combine. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and the water; beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months.
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.
• Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until the mixture is fluffy, glossy, and completely cool, about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and beat on low speed until air bubbles are eliminated and the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with paddle attachment on low speed until smooth again.
• Spread each cupcake with a thin layer of buttercream. Add jelly beans dotted with melted chocolate for eyes and red gummy candy for mouth. Using a pastry bag fitted with a ribbon tip (such as #44), pipe crisscrossing bands of buttercream.

SNOWMAN CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour and beating until combined after each addition.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins 10 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to wire racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored in airtight containers in freezer up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Buttercream: Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of a mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from heat and transfer bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until stiff (but not dry) peaks form and mixture is cool to the touch, about 6 minutes. Whisk in vanilla.
• Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low, add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until smooth, about 3 minutes. Buttercream can be stored, covered, in refrigerator up to 5 days or in freezer up to 2 months. Before using, bring to room temperature (if frozen, thaw overnight in refrigerator first) and beat on low speed until smooth.
• Assembly: Frost each cupcake with about 1/4 cup buttercream, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Transfer remaining buttercream to a resealable plastic bag. Snip a very small hole in one corner of bag.
• Using kitchen shears, cut a 1/4-inch slice off the top of 24 marshmallows. Using your fingers, press down on each to condense and make slightly smaller in size. Pipe a small dot of buttercream on the tops of 24 whole marshmallows. Place a cut marshmallow on top of each to create heads. Pipe another small dot of buttercream on top of each head, then add mint candies to create hats (reserve remaining buttercream for another use). Repeat with remaining marshmallows.
• Using a wet toothpick, poke two parallel holes in each head and insert sprinkles to create eyes. Poke another hole below the eyes and insert a sunflower seed to create nose. Repeat with remaining snowmen. Top frosted cupcakes with snowmen. Decorated cupcakes can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 day.

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is until incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in zest and vanilla. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk and lemon juice, and beating until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
• To finish, spread 1 tablespoon lemon curd onto middle of each cupcake. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #828 or Wilton #8B) with frosting. Pipe frosting onto each cupcake, swirling tip slightly and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Hold a small kitchen torch 3 to 4 inches from surface of frosting, and wave it back and forth until frosting is lightly browned all over. Serve immediately.

FLOWER CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line regular or miniature cupcake pans with liners; set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down bowl, and beat in vanilla.
• Alternating, add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is thoroughly mixed.
• Divide batter evenly among liners; fill regular pans three-quarters full and miniature pans to just below the top. Bake until golden and tops spring back when lightly pressed, about 20 minutes for regular and 15 minutes for miniature. Rotate pans once while baking. Turn out, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
• Fill pastry bags fitted with couplers with buttercream. To shape the petals: Use an Ateco #104 flat-petal tip. With the wide edge of the tip in the center of the cupcake, pipe the petal by making a halfmoon motion with the outer, thinner edge of the tip. Repeat until you have 5 or 6 petals forming a flower. Garnish the center with a candy. To shape the leaves: Use an Ateco #68 leaf tip with green icing to make the leaves by piping from the flower towards the edge of the cupcake, lifting off as you reach the end. Place iced cupcakes in refrigerator until ready to serve.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY VANILLA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners; set aside. In a small bowl, combine flours; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, and scraping down sides of bowl in between each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about three-quarters full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool in tins for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tins, and cool completely on rack. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Serve at room temperature.

CHOCOLATE-STOUT CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla and salt. Frosting can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together flour, 2 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in cocoa powder, then stout. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat; stir into flour mixture just until combined. Stir in eggs and sour cream.
• Divide batter evenly among cups, filling each two-thirds of the way. Bake, rotating once, until cupcakes spring back and a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, peel wide strips of lime zest with a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice zest into 1/8-inch-wide strips. Coat strips in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar; cut into 1/2-inch-long pieces.
• Spread cupcakes with 2 cups frosting (reserve remaining for another use). Top each with 4 gold hearts (to form a shamrock) and 1 piece of sugared lime zest (to make a stem). Serve.