These Easter Bunny Cupcakes are the ultimate cute-meets-chocolate Easter treat! Soft, fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with rich cocoa buttercream and finished with a cheeky little mini bunny - they're quick, easy and guaranteed to disappear faster than the Easter eggs.
If you love fun Easter baking, you'll also adore my Easter Egg Brownies and this super popular Chocolate Hedgehog Easter Slice - both perfect for school parties and family gatherings.
Let's be honest - novelty cupcakes sometimes look adorable but taste… average. Not these ones. These Easter Bunny Cupcakes are chocolatey, beautifully soft and topped with a creamy cocoa buttercream that isn't overly sweet.
The mini bunny on top (Maltesers, KitKat or any mini Easter bunny you love) turns a simple chocolate cupcake into a show-stopping Easter treat. They're perfect for classroom celebrations, Easter Sunday lunch, bake sales, or just a fun school holiday activity with the kids.
If you're building an Easter dessert table, pair these with my Creme Egg Cheesecake or classic Easter Chocolate Caramel Tart for a colourful spread.
Amazing cupcakes! Super delicious! My daughter made some tonight and they are the best cupcakes I've ever eaten.
- Hannah
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- 🐰 Adorably festive - They look impressive but are incredibly simple to make.
- 🍫 Perfect chocolate flavour - Not bland or overly sweet.
- ⏱ Ready in just 35 minutes - Using pantry staples these cupcakes are perfect for last-minute Easter baking.
- 👩👧 Kid-friendly decorating - Let the kids press the bunnies on top!
- 🧁 Freezer-friendly - Bake ahead and decorate later.
- ⏱ Conventional and Thermomix - both methods are included in the recipe card.
Jump to:
Easter Bunny Cupcake Ingredients
Chances are you have most of the ingredients to make these chocolate bunny cupcakes in your pantry! Add some chocolate Easter bunnies, and you are good to go!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Eggs - Use large eggs (approx 60g) at room-temperature - they incorporate into the batter more easily.
- Self-raising flour - If you don't have any, you can make your own by adding 2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of plain flour.
- Cocoa powder - Use a good-quality cocoa for the richest chocolate flavour.
- Icing sugar mixture - Be sure to use icing sugar mixture (not pure icing sugar) for smooth, stable buttercream.
- Mini Easter bunnies - Maltesers, KitKat or any similar mini chocolate bunny works perfectly (Malteser bunnies are my fav!).
Variations
- Gluten-Free Option - Substitute the self-raising flour with a gluten-free self-raising flour blend. Check your mini bunnies are GF too.
- Vanilla Bunny Cupcakes - Skip the cocoa in both cupcake and frosting for a classic vanilla version.
- Hidden Egg Centre - Press a mini chocolate egg into the centre of the batter before baking for a surprise middle.
- Colourful Buttercream - Omit the cocoa powder in the buttercream and add a one or two drops of pastel food colouring for a bright Easter finish!
How To Make Easter Bunny Cupcakes
Just mix, bake and decorate for the perfect Easter treats.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Cream butter & sugar: Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs & vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla gradually, beating well between each addition.
- Sift flour & cocoa: Sift together the self-raising flour and cocoa. Add a little of the dry ingredients to the wet mix.
- Add dry with milk: Alternate adding the rest of the dry ingredients and milk, each time mixing until just combined.
- Gently beat: Once all ingredients added, mix until just combined. It's important not to overmix.
- Bake: Divide the mixture evenly between cupcake cases. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- Make buttercream: Beat butter until pale and creamy (4-5 minutes). Gradually add sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable.
- Decorate: Spread or pipe the buttercream over cooled cupcakes. Gently press a mini chocolate bunny into the top and finish with sprinkles (optional).
Expert Tips
- Mini Easter bunnies - mini Kit Kat or Malteser bunnies are perfectly sized (or any other brand of mini bunny you like!)
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- To tell the cupcakes are cooked - press gently on the top. If they spring back, they are cooked.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating with the buttercream.
- For a fancy finish, use a piping bag to pipe the buttercream frosting on the top of the cupcakes.
- Store cupcakes at room temperature - if you place them in the refrigerator, they will dry out.
- These cute bunny cupcakes are best eaten within 2 days.
Variations & Substitutions
Make your own version of this easy Easter cupcake recipe.
- Vanilla Cupcakes - If you'd prefer vanilla cupcakes, simply use this recipe instead or a white cake mix instead.
- Vanilla Frosting - Omit the cocoa in the buttercream if you'd prefer white frosting.
- Cream Cheese Frosting - Substitute the chocolate buttercream with cream cheese frosting.
- Decorating Ideas - Instead of the chocolate bunny, use slices of large marshmallows to make marshmallow bunny ears then add jelly beans (or candy eyes), and they'll look just like a bunny face! Alternatively, decorate with sprinkles, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows etc.
FAQs
You can freeze the un-iced cupcake for up to 3 months. However, once iced, these cupcakes are not suitable for freezing.
Mini chocolate Easter eggs, Cadbury's mini eggs, fondant bunnies, or chocolate carrots would all make fun Easter cupcake decorations!
Related Recipes
For more super cute Easter recipes, check out these fun favourites:
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Easter Bunny Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 125 g butter softened
- 165 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 2 eggs lightly beaten, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 190 g (1 ¼ cups) self raising flour
- 35 g (⅓ cup) cocoa
- 160 g (⅔ cup) milk
For the buttercream
- 300 g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
- 2 tbs cocoa powder
- 115 g butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbs milk
- 12 mini Easter bunnies see notes
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
To Make The Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius. Line 12 muffin holes with cupcake liners.
- Using hand-held beaters or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.If using a Thermomix: Insert the butterfly into the Thermomix bowl and mix the butter and sugar for 30 seconds on Speed 5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 20 seconds or until pale and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined.If using a Thermomix: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 4, or until combined. Remove the butterfly.
- Alternate folding through the sifted flour and cocoa with the milk until combined.If using a Thermomix: With the blades turning on Speed 2, slowly alternate adding the sifted flour, cocoa and the milk. Increase to Speed 4 for 5 seconds.
- Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked when tested.
- Leave in the pan to cool for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make The Frosting
- Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Set aside.If using a Thermomix: To make the icing, place the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 9.
- Beat the butter and vanilla extract in a bowl until pale and fluffy (approximately 5 minutes). Slowly add the icing sugar/cocoa powder mixture, beating until smooth and creamy.If using a Thermomix: Add the butter, 1 tablespoon of milk and vanilla extract. Mix for 30 seconds on Speed 4. If needed, mix through an extra tablespoon of milk.
- Add 1 tablespoon of milk and beat through.If needed, beat through an extra tablespoon of milk.If using a Thermomix: Add an extra tbs of milk and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 4, if needed.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cupcakes.
- Gently press a mini Easter bunny into the top of the buttercream and cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles (optional).
Notes
- Mini Easter bunnies - mini Kit Kat or Maltesers bunnies work perfectly (or any other brand of mini bunny you like!)
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- To tell the cupcakes are cooked - press gently on the top. If they spring back, they are cooked.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before decorating with the buttercream.
- Store cupcakes at room temperature - if you place them in the refrigerator they will dry out.
- These Easter chocolate cupcakes are best eaten within 2 days.
- You can freeze undecorated cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Hannah Verghese says
Amazing cupcakes! Super delicious! My daughter made some tonight and they are the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten.
Lucy says
I'm so happy to hear that!
Amy @ Thoroughly Nourished Life says
Malteser Bunnies are my brother-in-law's favourite too! I just know he is going to love these super cute cupcakes. Sending the recipe to my little sister right now!
Bake Play Smile says
Oh thank you! I hope he enjoys them!