Baby, Baby Cupcakes
These baby, baby cupcakes are perfect for a new mother or for a baby shower. They are adorable, moist, flavorful and the frosting is divine.
My little sis had her baby shower on Saturday. She lives several hours away but since I used to live over 20 hours away from any family, there was no way I was going to let a measly three hour drive keep me away.
I brought along these baby shower cupcakes to celebrate. Aren’t they adorable?
Of course I can’t take any credit for the design. I originally saw them posted on Deborah’s site, Taste and Tell, so I checked out the original post on Wilton.com and knew I had to try them.
They were a cinch to make and turned out so cute (although not quite as cute as the original from Wilton). I used Erica’s recipe for her Best Buttermilk cupcakes, and oh my, they are definitely the best and may even be my new go-to recipe for from-scratch cupcakes.
They are moist and flavorful and the frosting is divine. Check out Wilton’s site for the how-to on making the baby part of the cupcakes. I’ve included the fantastic buttermilk cupcake recipe below.
Baby, Baby Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) room temperature butter
- 2 cups (424 g) sugar
- 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature, yes, extra-large makes a difference
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure almond extract
- 3 cups (426 g) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
- 2 cups (170 g) sweetened shredded coconut
Frosting:
- 1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (340 g) room temperature butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 ½ pounds powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about five minutes (of course this would work with a handheld mixer, also). With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in one cup of the coconut.
- Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner three-quarters full with batter. Bake for 22-25 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean (don’t overbake or cupcakes will be dry!). Allow to cool in the pan for five minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
- Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut (of course, I didn’t sprinkle the coconut on top of my baby cupcakes, but that would be a delicious alternative to making baby cupcakes).
Notes
Recipe Source: adapted from Favorite Family Recipes
Made these years ago and they were a hit but forgot what I did to make the face. The current links did not work. I will be making these again next weekend for a baby sprinkle and found this link:
https://www.wilton.com/cute-and-contented-cupcakes/WLPROJ-724.html#q=Baby+pacifier+cupcake&prefn1=contentType&sz=30&start=45&prefv1=decorating
Hey Mel,
I’ve tried the links you provided to figure out how to do the decorating, but they no longer link to the cupcakes. Do you happen to have a current link, or could you tell me how to make the pacifier- is it just frosting?
Sorry about the links…it’s a super old post. I’ll try and update them with current links if I can find them. The pacifiers are super simple – melted candy wafers (in the color you choose) spread in circles on parchment and then while still wet, stick an unwrapped circle mint in the center. Does that make sense?
GREAT POST!!! oh my gosh! pretty fondant! easy rolled curly cues for hair..for the blush in the cheeks some pink.Thanks for the post!
Hi Mel! These are just the cutest.
I’m thinking I will make chocolate cupcakes, then make them into these for a shower this weekend (I’ve been waiting for an excuse since I first saw them!). I’m just wondering if you had any issues with the cute little hair curls breaking when traveling with them, or the smiles breaking when you put the pacifier on top?
Kerri – I haven’t made these in years but I don’t remember having issues with the curls or smiles breaking. I would suggest making the curls quite thick and even storing them separately and putting them on right before serving if you have to travel a fair amount. Good luck!
Made these for a baby shower at work, but made them gluten free for the mom-to-be. Baked vanilla gluten free cupcakes and used your frosting recipe- can you say yummy? Especially love what the almond extract added to the taste. Was happy to find out the candy melts, frosting tint, and spearmint lifesavers were gluten free too. Thank you so Mel for providing such incredible recipes! You never cease to amaze me.
Mel, thanks for the inspiration! I made these cupcakes to welcome a very special baby to our extended his family. My cousins, Bob and Mary, are the happiest first-time grandparents you’d ever want to meet! 🙂 http://www.fransfavs.com/2011/11/baby-cupcakes/#more-2206 And a big congrats to you, as well, on your upcoming addition!
Thanks, Fran! I’m so glad these baby cupcakes were a hit. I’m off to check out your post!
Trina Fey – I can’t imagine your comment is serious but at the risk of offending you by deleting your comment, I’ll just respond by saying I believe in moderation when it comes to food – then you don’t have to worry about childhood obesity but can still enjoy cupcakes and frosting. Thanks for your opinion, though.
Those are darling!! I love them.
that’s what i like to call perfect execution of an ingenious idea. they’re too cute for words, melanie, and congrats to your sister!
Erica – I just used normal sized cupcakes for these.
Anonymous – I used the peach color of Wilton gel colorings. If you click on the link in the post above that takes you to the Wilton site, it has the specific color. Let me know if you have other questions!
I finally made your cupcake recipe–these are so delicious! I realized after I made these that I have the exact same recipe in my Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa” cookbook, but I’ve only made them once before. I’m glad I stumbled upon your post about these because it gave me a reason to make them again,since I didn’t realize it was the same recipe until I ate one. I’m glad that you reduced the icing because I remember having WAY too much frosting, too. In fact, I halved your halved recipe for the icing and still had just a bit extra. I think your baby cupcakes are so adorable and, if I’m ever feeling super ambitious, I may try them. I agree with one of your commenters that yours are way cuter than the one on the Wilton site (I think someone said that, anyway–if not, I’ll say it). You are so talented! Thanks, as always, for sharing your recipes with us. I have so much fun checking your blog every couple of days for new recipes. It’s like having my own little cooking magazine online. Thanks for saving me the price of a subscription!
I have a question. Did you use the regular sized cupcake tins or did you use a bigger size?
These are so flipping CUTE!!!
These are so cute – great job!
HOW CUTE! I love the little pacifiers.
Olivia and Morgan think these are the coolest things they have ever seen. Livy and I decided that when Lana has her baby (due in less than 3 weeks) we will try to make some of these for her. I’m nervous, I really suck at stuff like this. Mine will never be as cute as yours…but I’m gonna try. We decided yours are WAY cuter than the ones on the Wilton site. Nice job Mel!
Thank goodness for talented people that I can copy! These are so cute and I am jealous of your creativity!
Thanks for visiting our site, we are glad you found us too. Now, let me say, I’m glad you found use because I found you! These cupcakes are DEVINE!!
What did you use to make the curly hair? I have got to make this for a future baby shower that I know I’ll be invited to.
Let me know!
Jenifer
jeniferragan1999@cox.net
OMG…How darn cute of these!!! Please come by my blog and enter my new cookbook giveaway!
Blakeley – how sweet are you? Thanks for your comment. This very well may be that same Ina Garten recipe – I snagged it from another food blog and they may have gotten it from Ina’s book. Anyhow, I’m glad you like them – they are delicious cupcakes. And if you ever want to make the baby cupcakes, just know they are a lot more simple than they look, I promise! Thanks for checking in!
These are darling! I love them. My daughter is setting beside me telling me we have to make these. What an awesome idea for a baby shower!
Adorable!
Very cute! Did the iced cupcakes last the drive to your sister’s? We’re on a seemingly never-endng search for the perfect cupcake. I’ll have to send this recipe to my mom.
Such cute cuppycakes! It looks like you used white lifesavers for the top of the pacifiers, what is the blue part? I could easily see myself making these the next time I go to a shower, which is often.
These are sooo cute! You should have just taken all the credit for them because I’ve never seen them! Such a great idea!
oh! These are ADORABLE!! The cupcake recipe sounds incredible too!
Anonymous – if you want to halve the recipe and don’t want to buy extra-large eggs, I would use 3 large eggs for a halved recipe. I haven’t tried it personally but that would seem to make the most sense. Good luck!
These are absolutely adorable,I wish I knew someone to make them for!!
Hey Mel! I saw these on utahlovescupcakes.com! That’s so awesome! Soo cute!
Sooo cute!!! Great work!!
These are fantastic and very novel… I love them. I bet they went down a treat also.
those are sooooo cute!! i’m frantically trying to think of who i know that i can throw a baby shower for soon, because i HAVE to try them. thanks for sharing!
Those are really cute.
Oh, and I’m excited about the new baby!
Seriously, I feel like I gain 5 lbs every time I just look at your blog! Every thing looks so yummy!
Those are adorable, Melanie! And they sound delicious. PS I’m glad Trina Fey isn’t my mom. 🙂 Soy spread?!
Aw, those are just adorable! I’ve got buttermilk that needs to be used, so I think I might need to try these this weekend. They sound fabulous with the cream cheese frosting!
I’m so glad you made these – yours look ADORABLE!! I need to try this cupcake recipe now!
Natalie – the hair is done by piping melted chocolate wafers onto wax paper. The wilton.com web address in the post has a lot of great information and how-to’s. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! Would I be able to halve the recipe for the cupcakes? If so, how many eggs should I use? Actually, I never buy extra large eggs and would hate to buy them just for this…although I do that a lot!
Thank you.
Those are absolutely adorable!
I am hosting a baby shower at the end of the month and would love to make these. How did you do the hair? Did you just use a stiffer chocolate frosting?
I think these are adorable. However, I think it is dangerous to make baby-cupcakes because childhood obesity is a major problem. Maybe instead of cupcakes, one could use a healthy muffin recipe? I think there are some good soy spreads that would work nicely instead of frosting.
Oh my gosh, too cute!
My sister is having a shower this next week and I’m really excited to make these. I have a question… how did you color the frosting to get a peachy skin color?
This Best buttermilk cupcakes looks so beautiful with the colors, I’m sure it’ll be a big hit with the kids! Nice colors! Although I’m to a big fan of cupcake, this sure looks yummy! I’m normally the one that will say no to cupcake. thank you for shearing your post.