Ladybug cupcakes are perfect for your next party. Create these for Valentine's Day or make the most epic bug party of all time!
Creating custom cupcakes for any party is super easy when you have some cake mix on hand and some fondant. I like using a store-bought cake mix because it's easy and less expensive.
Supplies Needed for your Ladybug Cupcakes
- Black Fondant
- Red Fondant
- Candy Eyes
- Pretzel Sticks
- Chocolate Cake Mix
- Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Circle Cookie Cutter
Store-bought cake mix has saved my bacon too many times. There are ways that you can easily adapt the box mix to have your cupcakes more fluffy or taste a little bit more homemade. Good vanilla, as Ina would say, is a perfect ingredient to add to your store-bought cupcake mix.
how to mix the buttercream
Make your buttercream extra smooth by sifting your confectionary sugar beforehand. Getting the butter extra creamy and almost white before you add in your sugar can also drastically affect the taste of your buttercream in a good way.
When mixing your butter, you want to use unsalted butter and have it still be a bit cold. If you can press your finger into the side easily and it's still cold, that's perfect!
How to create your fondant ladybugs
Use a smooth surface to roll out your fondant. I like the taste of Satin Ice Fondant or you can make your very own Marshmallow Fondant that's really easy. Use cornstarch or powdered sugar to prevent sticking and keep it moving so that it doesn't stick in any places on your board.
Roll out your red fondant and cut it into circles large enough that will fit over your cupcakes. Usually, a 3″ biscuit cutter does the trick great. Then you're going to take a knife and cut a straight line off the top of the circle.
Then take a dollop of your buttercream and apply it to the back of the fondant and adhere it onto your cupcake.
Now we're going to create the dots for their back. Roll out your black fondant and then take a piping tip and cut smaller circles. A small amount of water can be used to adhere it to the back or if you have a steamer, steam the fondant and then add the circles to the back.
Use a small amount of buttercream to attach the eyes to the front and then stick in halved pretzel rods for the antenna.
ladybug cupcakes
How easy are these ladybug cupcakes? Every little bug lover will absolutely go crazy for these. If you decide to use the store-bought fondant, the taste will be ok but I recommend taking it off. If you make the marshmallow fondant, it's delicious and can be eaten by the batch.
I understand not everyone has time to make the marshmallow fondant but if you do, I suggest you go that route.
Ladybug Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix + ingredients to make it
Buttercream Ingredients
- ½ stick unsalted butter – softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp. milk
Ladybug Topper Supplies
- 4-5 oz. red rolling fondant
- 1-2 oz. black rolling fondant
- 24 candy googly eyes
- 12 pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Prepare and bake cupcakes according to cake mix’s directions. Allow for them to cool completely before decorating.
- Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, and milk. These ingredients will make up the buttercream frosting.
- The frosting is ready once all ingredients are well-incorporated, smooth and form semi-stiff peaks.
- Roll out red rolling fondant until it’s about ¼ of an inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter about 2 ½ inches in diameter, cut out 12 fondant circles.
- Trim off the top portion of each red fondant circle, about ½ an inch from the top.
- Use an offset spatula to spread buttercream on the back of each red fondant circle. Place one on each cupcake.
- Roll black fondant until it’s about ¼ of an inch thick. Using the tip of Wilton icing tip #12, cut out 48-60 fondant circles.
- Place a dot of buttercream frosting on the back of each black fondant circle. Place 4-5 on each red portion of the cupcake.
- Spread some frosting on the back of the candy googly eyes. Place two on each cupcake, right on the edge of the exposed chocolate portion (in order to leave room for the pretzels).
- Snap pretzels in two and insert the halves in each cupcake. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
other ladybug party food ideas
These Ladybug Pretzels are easily made with candy melts and leftover candy eyes from these ladybug cupcakes. Create the perfect ladybug party with these adorable ladybug foods.
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