Marshmallow ears and candy eyes make these Bunny Cupcakes so adorable. This chocolate cupcake recipe is so easy to make with vanilla frosting, coconut, marshmallows, and sprinkles. Perfect treat for Easter or a cupcake decorating party.
Do you remember getting those giant chocolate bunnies in your Easter basket as a child? I swear they were at least 2 feet tall and were made of solid milk chocolate.
They were so big, that you were chewing on that chocolate bunny all the way until July!! Ok, ok, so maybe I'm stretching that part of it.
One of the running jokes in our house around Easter is all about the chocolate bunnies in the store. My husband says that over the years my mind has forgotten what those bunnies really looked like.
He also says there is no way that a 2 foot bunny would be solid because it would have cost a small fortune. I still say those chocolate bunnies were that huge!!!
One of my favorite things to use on holiday desserts are googly eyes because they make me smile so much. I love finding ways to use those fun candy eyes, so I couldn't wait to make a cute bunny cupcakes with marshmallow ears!
If you are looking for other bunny treats to make for Easter, check out these Oreo bunnies, bunny butt rice krispies, and marshmallow bunnies.
Ingredients Needed
- Cake Mix - use a chocolate or vanilla box mix
- Vanilla Frosting - homemade or canned frosting works
- Shredded Coconut - unsweetened or sweetened for bunny fur
- Stacker Marshmallows & Bunny Cookie Cutter - cut out ears
- Corn Syrup & Pink Sanding Sugar - syrup and sugar makes the inside of the ear pink
- Candy Eyes & Black Sparkle Gel - fun bunny face
How to make Bunny Cupcakes
These chocolate bunny cupcakes really are quite easy to make and decorate. Let's hop into the kitchen and get started.
Step One: Make Cupcakes.
- Mix together the cupcake ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Fill 24 cupcake liners and bake.
Step Two: Frost Cupcakes.
- Spread vanilla frosting on the cooled cupcakes.
- Roll the top in shredded coconut.
Step Three: Make Bunny Ears.
- Use a bunny cookie cutter to cut ears out of flat marshmallows.
- Cut a hole in the bottom of each ear and press a short lollipop stick into it.
- Spread a thin layer of corn syrup with a candy paintbrush in the middle of each ear and sprinkle with pink sanding sugar.
Step Four: Decorate Cupcakes.
- Press the ears, candy eyes, and pink candy into the cupcakes.
- Pipe whiskers on with black gel frosting.
CLICK HERE TO PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!
FAQ'S
Do you have to use a box cake mix?
Not at all. Feel free to make and bake your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe from scratch instead of using a box mix.
How do you store these Easter cupcakes?
Keep the decorated cupcakes in a sealed container on the counter. They will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
How do you make colored sugar?
Place granulated sugar in a plastic bag or a glass jar with lid along with a few drops of food coloring. Mix or shake until the color is distributed and even. Spread evenly on a sheet pan and let dry.
How many bunny cupcakes does this make?
This recipe makes 24 cupcakes. You can decorate those cupcakes in a few different ways if you do not want that many bunnies. See more ideas in the next section.
Topping Ideas for Easter Cupcakes
- Coconut - vanilla frosting & shredded coconut
- Nests - coconut (white or tinted green) & candy eggs
- Bunny - marshmallow ears & candy eyes
- Lamb - vanilla frosting, mini marshmallows, peanut butter cup decorated with a face
- Chicks - yellow frosting, yellow tinted coconut, orange candy beak, eyes
- Carrots - orange frosting & green string candies
- Carrot Patch - chocolate frosting, Oreo cookie crumbs, orange chocolate covered strawberries
- Peeps - colored frosting & marshmallow Peeps
- Flowers - green frosting, large marshmallows cut in half diagonally, colored sanding sugar
More easy Easter desserts
Other Easter Recipes
- Deviled Eggs with dill
- Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
- Strawberry Salad
- Broccoli Salad with raisins
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe
Recipe
Chocolate Bunny Cupcakes Recipe
Marshmallow ears and candy eyes make these Chocolate Bunny Cupcakes so adorable. This cute cupcake recipe is so easy to make with vanilla frosting, coconut, marshmallows, and sprinkles. Perfect treat for Easter or a cupcake decorating party.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 - 15.25 ounce chocolate cake mix
- 1 - 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate pudding
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk or water
- ½ cup oil
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 - 7 ounce jar marshmallow cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup shredded coconut
For the Bunny Ears
- 48 Stacker Mallows
- 48 short lollipop sticks
- 48 candy eyes
- 24 pink pearl candies
- black gel frosting
- corn syrup
- pink sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 24 cupcake liners in 2 muffin tins.
- Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, and oil in a mixing bowl. Beat on low for 1 minute, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.
- Divide the batter evenly into the liners. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let cool completely.
- Beat the butter, marshmallow cream, vanilla, and salt until light and creamy. Slowly add the powdered sugar until it is all mixed in.
- Add the whipping cream and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting on the cupcakes and roll the top each frosted cupcake in the shredded coconut.
- Use a bunny cookie cutter to cut 48 ears out of the flat marshmallows.
- Use a knife to cut a small hole in the bottom of the marshmallow and stick a lollipop stick into the hole. (Make sure your sticks will be short enough to press into the cupcake without showing.)
- Spread a thin layer of corn syrup with a knife or small candy paintbrush on the inside of each ear and sprinkle with pink sanding sugar.
- Add 2 ears to each cupcake. Press 2 eyes and a pink candy into the front of the cupcake. Use the black gel to make whiskers, if desired.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 2226Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 429mgCarbohydrates: 517gFiber: 1gSugar: 336gProtein: 3g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Chocolate Coconut Bunny Cupcakes was first published March 25, 2015. The photos and post were updated and republished March 19, 2021.
jessica knott (Swanky Recipes)
Wow, these are the cutest thing ever! Not sure if i could eat it because it's just too darling. Chocolate and coconut sound really good right about now!
Jocelyn
Hahaha! I didn't have any trouble munching on some bunny ears!!! And chocolate and coconut sounds good all the time to me!!!
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion
These are so cute little bunnies! Definitely pinning them!
Nancy
Those chocolate bunnies WERE really that tall! 🙂
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
They are SUPER adorable! And I remember solid bunnies too!! Seriously!!
Jocelyn
Thank you 🙂
Elle @ Only Taste Matters
These are so adorable! What a great Easter idea. Thanks for sharing.
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats
OH MY GOODNESSS!!!! Seriously the cutest thing ever! You are so creative Jocelyn and i love the coconut frosting on top!
Jocelyn
Awe, thank you so much girl!!!
Cyndi @ My Kitchen Craze
These have to be the cutest cupcakes ever! I heart these!! That coconut frosting looks to die for! Yum!! Pinned! I also remember solid chocolate easter bunnies too. And you're right they would last until July! 😉
Jocelyn
Woo hoo! I am so glad you remember those big chocolate bunnies too!!!
Johlene@FlavoursandFrosting
These are so cute Jocelyn! I adore the bunny cutter! I made something similar this week.. (great "Easter" minds think alike or perhaps we were thinking of our kids!)
Jocelyn
Oh, I can't wait to go check out what you made too! Gotta love all the bunnies this time of year!!!
Alexandra
These are super cute! Pinned.
Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt
Awww! How adorable. I love that cutter that you used. I can see my son going crazy for these cupcakes!
Jocelyn
Thank you Miranda. I'm not sure if you can still get that same cookie cutter, but there are so many cute bunny cutters you could use!
Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen
AH-Dorable!!! Perfect for an Easter get together!
Tiffany
These are soo fun! They don't look too difficult either! 🙂
Jocelyn
They really are pretty simple to make...and to eat 😉
marcie
These are so flipping adorable, Jocelyn, and I love the chocolate coconut combination!
Jocelyn
Thank you 🙂
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter
These are seriously the cutest Easter cupcakes, Jocelyn! These would be a such a big hit with kids and adults! I love the chocolate and coconut frosting combo!
Jocelyn
Thank you Kelly! Something about chocolate and coconut gets me every time too!!!
Joanie @ ZagLeft
These cupcakes are adorable and fun! I love the eyes too. I seem to remember tall and solid chocolate Easter bunnies too. In fact, I remember my mom looking all over town for them for my younger sister when I got older.
Jocelyn
Thank you Joanie. And I'm glad someone else remembers the big bunnies 🙂
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
These are the cutest Easter cupcakes I've ever seen!!!! Love the use of the coconut frosting!!! So pretty 🙂
Jocelyn
Thank you 🙂
Melanie @ Carmel Moments
Totally irresistible to me so I can't imagine what these would do for kids. 🙂
Can't believe Easter is just around the corner.
Have a great Wednesday!
Lori
Wonderful, my daughter is going to love this!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
Have you ever seen the SNL skit "Indoor Gardening Tips from a Man Who is Very Scared of Plants"? Christopher Walken puts googley eyes on all of his plants. It's hilarious. These cupcakes are so precious. They're the perfect Easter treat. 🙂
Jocelyn
I haven't seen that one, but now I need to find it because that sounds hilarious!
Mir
Oh, my goodness. The adorable factor here has been ratcheted up soooo high. Love the bunnies! LOVE.
And bunnies were huge when we were little, but you know, we were smaller. I do buy the huge Peter Rabbit bunnies at the drugstore that they sell that are huge. But they take me about a day to eat. Bad me.
Jocelyn
Thank you so much 🙂 Yes, maybe because I was smaller the bunnies seemed bigger...but I'm stilling holding onto the illusion that they were "huge" 🙂 Just to bug my hubby! LOL!