Make these adorable Easter Basket Cupcakes this Spring!  Follow the easy video tutorial for a fun project to work on with your kids or grandkids.  Use your favorite cupcakes along with this fabulous American-Style Buttercream, for an unforgettable holiday treat!  

Easter Basket Cupcakes-- So cute and surprisingly simple to make. What a fun spring project to do with kids or grandkids!

Happy Spring, my peeps!  Can you believe it?  We survived the Winter and now here we are on the other side.  It sure feels great!

Here in the Northeast, we had a few weeks of unseasonably warm weather (I’m talking in the 80’s!), and now it’s cold again.  But I can deal!  The sun is shining and the bulbs are peeking up; I know we’re headed for warm weather soon enough!

How is it Easter week already?  Seriously.  It’s been busy lately, for a food blogger!  We had St. Patrick’s Day and Pi Day practically on top of each other, and boom.  Now it’s Easter.  It’s really early this year, right?

It’s all good though, because I’ve got you covered with tons of great recipes.  We had Coconut Cake on Monday, and today I’m sharing this cute treat that’s as fun to make as it is delicious:

Easter Basket Cupcakes-- So cute and surprisingly simple to make. What a fun spring project to do with kids or grandkids!

If you’ve got bored kids on Spring break, this could be a really fun project to do together.  It all starts with your favorite cupcake recipe.  I am all about this White Cupcake recipe right now.  I added a little lemon zest to the batter to make it extra Spring-y.  But you could even use a store-bought cupcake, just make sure it’s unfrosted.

While the cupcake you use doesn’t really matter all that much, the frosting actually does.  As you can see, these cupcakes are frosted on all sides, so you really need to use something that can crust over.  This way your hands won’t get all messy when you pick one up.

Easter Basket Cupcakes-- So cute and surprisingly simple to make. What a fun spring project to do with kids or grandkids!

My all-time favorite frosting is a Swiss meringue buttercream, and I’ve got tons of recipes on this site to prove it.  I’ve actually been accused of being a buttercream snob!  And I can’t deny it- I’m just so in love with the silky, light texture.  I also love how easy it is to frost a cake with it, because it stays workable indefinitely.  In other words, it doesn’t get dry/hard on the surface when it’s exposed to air.  Most of the time, I consider that a good thing, but there are times when you actually want that, and this is one of them.

So, I’m recommending this American-style buttercream for these adorable basketweave cupcakes, and for anything else piped that needs to be a little stronger.  It’s simple as can be, just butter and powdered sugar with a little cream to keep it smooth and spreadable.  You can add any extracts you like, but I’m partial to vanilla, lemon, or almond.

Easter Basket Cupcakes-- So cute and surprisingly simple to make. What a fun spring project to do with kids or grandkids!

Now I’m sure you’re wondering how the heck it’s possible to create this intricate design, right?!  You’ll be shocked at how simple it really is.  I’ve listed and linked to all the supplies you’ll need in the recipe card below, and put together a little video tutorial to show you how it’s done.  Enjoy!

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5 stars (4 ratings)

Easter Basket Cupcakes with American-Style Buttercream

Servings: 24 cupcakes
Prep Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours
Make these adorable Easter Basket Cupcakes this Spring! Follow the easy video tutorial for a fun project to work on with your kids or grandkids. Use your favorite cupcakes along with this fabulous American-Style Buttercream, for an unforgettable holiday treat!

Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Roll about 1 ounce of fondant into a rope, about 10-inches long.  Fold the rope in half and twist.  Drape the twist over a rolling pin to create a curved shape.  Allow to dry/harden for a few hours or overnight.
  • Make the White Cupcakes according to the recipe directions.  Cool completely, and remove cupcake papers.
  • Make the American-Style Buttercream according to the recipe directions below.  Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a coupler and a #48 tip.  Pipe the frosting on the sides of the cupcakes, in a basketweave pattern (see video above).  Remove the tip and pipe a flat layer of frosting over the top of the cupcake.  Add a #22 tip and pipe a shell border around the top edge of the cupcake.  Top the cupcakes with green sprinkles and Easter egg candies.  Set the fondant basket handles into the soft frosting.

To make the American-Style Buttercream:

  • Place the softened butter and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat together until creamy.  Add the powdered sugar, 1 1/2 cups at a time, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated.  When all the powdered sugar has been mixed in, add the almond extract, turn the mixer speed up to medium-high, and whip until fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).  Pour the heavy cream down the side of the mixing bowl, in a slow and steady stream, while whipping.

Notes

It's best to let the frosting dry a bit before serving, so the cupcakes can be more easily handled. ©Baking a Moment
Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 57mg, Potassium: 7mg, Sugar: 39g, Vitamin A: 520IU, Calcium: 7mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
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Easter Basket Cupcakes-- So cute and surprisingly simple to make. What a fun spring project to do with kids or grandkids!