In need of activities to do at home with the kids? Our team at Winik’s Kid’s Club is here to share our signature cupcake recipe so you can easily make them at home.

These kid-friendly cupcake recipe will not only be fun for you and your little ones to eat, but allow creativity and imagination during the decorating process. With garnishes of cookies, candy, and frosting, just make sure you’re prepared for the inevitable sugar rush.

Here the vanilla cupcakes with butter cream frosting to make some Cookie Monsters, which are perfect to do at home.

for the buttercream frosting:

• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• icing color(s), preferably in gel/paste format, of choice (optional)

Décor

• Chocolate Chips
• Cookies of your preference

for the cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or place 16 cupcake liners in muffin tin(s). I used one 12-cup muffin tin and one 6-cup muffin tin (using only 4 of the 6 cups) .
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar.
3. Add oil and vanilla to bowl and beat to combine.
4. In a medium bowl, wisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed to combine. Add half of the buttermilk and beat on low speed to combine, scraping down sides as necessary.
6. Repeat step 5 with remaining half of flour and half of buttermilk.
7. Divide batter evenly among 16 prepared cups of muffin tins. Each cup should be about 2/3 full.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Place muffin tin(s) on racks and cool for 10 minutes.
10. Remove cupcakes from tins and cool on racks until ready to frost.

for the frosting:

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat shortening and butter until well combined.
2. Add vanilla to bowl and beat to combine.
3. Add confectioners’ sugar one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add milk and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
5. Add small amount of icing color to bowl (using a toothpick), beat well until color is incorporated. Add additional coloring if needed to reach desired color. (optional)
6. Frost cupcakes using a pastry bag fitted with tip of choice.

• To make the eyes, pipe out two balls of white butter icing (use a baggie with the corner snipped off if you don’t have a pastry bag)
• Add a chocolate chip, with the flat surface facing upwards, to each ball of white butter frosting
• Use a knife to make a cut for the mouth and wedge in your favorite cookie