Bird Nest Cupcakes for Easter

Remember yesterday when I said come back tomorrow for a cute Easter dessert? Well here it is!

You better believe I wouldn't let Easter come and go without an Easter dessert you could make for your Easter brunch or lunch. I saw this cute cupcake on Pinterest of course and couldn't pass it up. I am using the much-raved about Cadbury mini chocolate eggs from yesterday's post but you could use whatever egg-looking Easter candy you like. These cupcakes are simple, really simple.

First, gather together your ingredients. I don't follow the directions on the back of the funfetti cake mix, I add in different ingredients, which takes away from the cake mix taste. However, do follow the directions for what temperature to set your oven to and the cooking time.

Ok back to the ingredients. 1 box of funfetti cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 cup sour cream and 1/3 oil. For the buttercream, 1/2 cup room temperature butter, 2 cups powdered sugar, 6 teaspoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Also shredded coconut and egg-shaped candy, whether chocolate eggs or even jelly beans.

In your mixing bowl, add in the cake mix, the eggs, milk, sour cream and oil. Mix all the ingredients until they are fully combined.

Put cupcake liners in your cupcake tin and fill the liners 2/3 full of cupcake mix.

Bake the cupcakes for approximately 15-18 minutes. When the cupcakes are cooked, pull them out and let them cool.

Don't turn the oven off when you pull the cupcakes out you need to toast the shredded coconut. Spread a thin layer of shredded coconut on a baking sheet, pop the sheet into the oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to evenly toast the coconut.

When the coconut is a golden tan, take it out of the oven. Now you can turn the oven off. Set the shredded coconut aside until you start decorating the cupcakes.

Make the buttercream frosting.
Cream the butter, then add in the powdered sugar and mix the two ingredients together. Add in the vanilla then the heavy whipping cream.

Whip all the ingredients together then spread a layer of buttercream on the top of the cupcakes.

Flip the cupcake over into a pile of the toasted shredded coconut and coat the top of the buttercream with a layer of shredded coconut.

Put two or three of the chocolate eggs or jelly beans in the middle to represent eggs in a nest.
Then serve, eat and enjoy!

See, I told you a dessert using one of my favorite Easter candies!