How To Make Sunflower Cupcakes
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This fun Sunflower Cupcakes Recipe turns an ordinary cupcake into a work of art. It’s an eye catching and delicious treat that’s perfect for a spring party or any other festive occasion!
How cute are these? You’ll look like a professional pastry chef when you serve these gorgeous and easy sunflower cupcakes at your next party or event.
Homemade classic buttercream is piped into a sunflower design, complete with vibrant yellow petals and chocolate sprinkle sunflower seeds. It’s a delicious spring treat that’s ideal for parties and gift giving.
A leaf decorating tip is all you need to create the beautiful buttercream sunflowers. If you’ve never used one before, don’t be intimidated. It just takes a little practice, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be making cupcakes that will steal the show at any party. Give these pretty sunflower cupcakes a try the next time you need a fun treat that looks as good as it tastes.
Why We Love This Recipe
It’s Impressive – These pretty homemade treats look like they came from a fancy bakery, but you can make your own sunflower cupcakes that will have everyone impressed with your cake decorating skills.
Great for Spring – Flower cupcakes would be perfect for spring birthday parties, wedding or baby showers, or any kind of gathering.
It’s Versatile – You can make vanilla or chocolate cupcakes or use any flavor of cake mix. You can also vary the frosting flavors and colors.
Ingredients
- Boxed cake mix (any flavor, plus the ingredients from the back (water, vegetable oil, eggs)
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Yellow and orange gel food coloring
- Chocolate sprinkles (also called chocolate jimmies)
How to Make Sunflower Cupcakes
Step 1: Place cupcake liners in pan. Prepare the cupcakes according to the box directions, then place them on a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
Step 2: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix for 2-3 minutes, until frosting has formed.
Step 4: Add several drops of yellow food coloring, and just one drop of orange coloring to make a golden yellow icing. Mix well to combine.
Step 5: Add a thin layer of the yellow frosting to the top of each cupcake. Then, add another thicker layer, just to the outer edge of the cupcakes. Leave a small circle (about a 1½ inches) in the middle of each cupcake to hold the sprinkles.
Step 6: Fit a piping bag with a #352 Wilton leaf tip and fill it with frosting. The best way to pipe the sunflower petals is to squeeze the frosting for 1-2 seconds to make the wider end of the petal, then let go and lift upward. Start with the outside of the cupcake and pipe petals around the cupcake.
Step 7: Repeat the process, working inwards to make a second row of petals and then a third, still leaving the center of the sunflower empty.
Step 8: After you finish the petals, drop about ½ tbsp of chocolate sprinkles into the center of the cupcake. If needed, you can add more to cover the open spot.
Step 9: Repeat for the remaining cupcakes and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Feel free to adjust the food coloring amounts to get your desired color. Just be careful not to add too much orange because a little goes a long way.
- You can use this decorating technique with different colors of frosting and sprinkles to make a variety of different colored flowers.
- If you’d like, you can set aside a little of the white frosting, then add green food coloring to make green leaves.
- For the best buttercream frosting consistency, be sure to start with room temperature butter.
- If your frosting is too thick, add a little more cream until you get the consistency you like.
- If you don’t have chocolate sprinkles for the center of the sunflowers, you can use mini chocolate chips, a mini Oreo or chocolate buttercream in the center instead.
Just take your time and don’t worry if they don’t come out perfectly at first. It may take a few tries to get the hang of it, and if you mess up, you can always scrape off the frosting and try again.
You can store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Cupcake Recipes
- Cotton Candy Cupcakes
- Banana Pudding Cupcakes
- White Cupcakes
- Peach Cupcakes
- Oreo Cupcakes
- Unicorn Cupcakes
Sunflower Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 1 box cake mix we used chocolate
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups butter unsalted, softened
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 9 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- yellow gel food coloring
- orange gel food coloring
- brown sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare the cupcakes according to the box directions (usually with water, vegetable oil and eggs). Bake and place them on a wire rack to cool.1 box cake mix, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 3 eggs
- Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.2 cups butter
- Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix for 2-3 minutes, until frosting has formed.1/2 cup heavy cream, 9 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Add several drops of yellow food coloring, and just one drop of orange coloring. Mix well to combine.yellow gel food coloring, orange gel food coloring
- Add a thin layer of the yellow frosting to the top of each cupcake. Then, add another thicker layer, just to the outer edge of the cupcakes. Leave a small circle (about a 1½ inches) in the middle of each cupcake to hold the sprinkles.
- Fit a piping bag with a #352 Wilton leaf piping tip and fill it with frosting. The best way to pipe the sunflower petals is to squeeze the frosting for 1-2 seconds to make the wider end of the petal, then let go and lift upward. Start with the outside of the cupcake and pipe petals all the way around the cupcake.
- Repeat the process, working inwards to make a second row of petals and then a third, still leaving the center of the sunflower empty.
- After you finish the petals, drop about ½ tbsp of chocolate sprinkles into the center of the cupcake. If needed, you can add more to cover the open spot.brown sprinkles
- Repeat for the remaining cupcakes and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to use room temperature butter for the best results.
- Don’t have chocolate sprinkles? Use mini chocolate chips or place a mini Oreo in the center instead.
Nutrition
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