These Seedling Cupcakes are completely edible and look adorable. Made to look like a little plant growing in the dirt, what better way to celebrate the Earth?
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Making these gardening cupcakes is super simple and fun. It only takes a few ingredients and the kids can help along the way. Or you can simply make a plate of Seedling Cupcakes and tell them to dig in (dirt pun intended).
We love cupcakes of all types. From Microwave Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes to Nacho Cupcakes, Dinosaur Cupcakes, and Honey Bee Cupcakes, they always find a way into our homes. These cookie crumb cupcakes are just one of the latest fun variations to get thought up.
Oreo dirt cupcakes are a great Earth Day cupcake recipe to share with the kiddos because what better way to celebrate the planet than by getting the little ones interested in nature? For a similar recipe, make sure to check out my Earth Day Parfaits.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They're easy to make. Made with boxed cake mix cupcakes, chocolate frosting, Oreo cookies, and sprigs of fresh mint, these Seedling Cupcakes are almost too cute to eat!
- The kids can help make them. Assemble the ingredients and let everyone decorate their own gardening themed cupcakes.
- It can be educational for the kids. You can easily turn this snack into a full-on teaching moment with the kids explaining how plants grow and survive. The chocolate will help to hold their attention longer.
🛒 Ingredients
Chocolate cake mix- You will need a box of chocolate cake mix made according to the package directions for cupcakes including the eggs, oil, and water. If you have more cake mix to use up check out our Rainbow Heart Cake!
Chocolate frosting- You will want to use a can of chocolate frosting but you can use a homemade chocolate buttercream instead if desired.
Oreo cookies- Use chocolate cookies and cream Oreos for a "dirt" look once crumbled.
Fresh mint leaves- You'll need fresh mint leaves for the little plant on top of the Seedling Cupcakes. These are edible, but kids may prefer picking them off and eating chocolate cupcakes.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Cake Mix Options. Any boxed cake mix works, chocolate looks the most like "dirt," but yellow, spice, or even red velvet give fun twists.
Homemade or Store-Bought. Swap boxed mix and canned frosting for homemade cupcakes or buttercream if you prefer baking from scratch.
Plant Toppers.
- Mint leaves are the easiest and most realistic.
- Rosemary or parsley give different "plant" looks (rosemary even resembles tiny pine trees).
- Fondant or green taffy can be shaped into edible little sprouts, though they require extra effort.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use store brands. Generic cake mix, frosting, and cookies work exactly the same but cost much less.
Stretch the crumbs. Mix half Oreo crumbs with half crushed chocolate graham crackers to make "dirt" go further.
Grow your own mint. Mint is inexpensive to grow and spreads like crazy, one plant can supply unlimited cupcake toppers.
Skip specialty tools. Crush cookies in a bag with a rolling pin, and use a butter knife to frost, no piping bags needed.
🥄 Instructions for Seedling Cupcakes
Step 1: Prepare cake batter according to the package directions.
Step 2: Divide batter into paper lined muffin pan.
Step 3: Bake according to the package directions and let cool completely.
Step 4: Crush Oreo cookies in a food processor until fine crumbs. Pour crumbs into a large shallow dish or cereal bowl. Set aside.
Step 5: Frost the top of the cupcakes with chocolate frosting.
Step 6: Roll the frosted cupcakes in the Oreo crumbs, making sure to evenly coat the top of the frosting so that as much frosting is covered as possible.
Step 7: Repeat the frosting and crumbs for all cupcakes.
Step 8: Take a fresh mint leaf and place the stem into the cupcake's center so that it stands upright.
See the tips below on how to secure the leaves if you find this to be more difficult than anticipated.
Step 9: Repeat for all cupcakes.
Serve and enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- No food processor? Place Oreos in a sealed bag and crush with a rolling pin until fine and sandy.
- Secure the mint. Use a toothpick to gently create a small starter hole so the stem slides in easily and stays upright.
- Choose thicker sprigs. The top cluster of a mint stem (where several small leaves grow together) gives the most realistic seedling effect.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
These Seedling Cupcakes pair great with other fun kid-friendly treats like Earth Day Parfaits, Microwave Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes, or Honey Bee Cupcakes. For a full themed table, serve alongside fresh fruit, veggie sticks with dip, or a simple snack tray for balance.
- Earth Day ParfaitsRecipe $5.25 / Serving $0.66
- Microwave Ice Cream Cone CupcakesRecipe $0.17
- Honey Bee CupcakesRecipe $6.57 / Cupcakes $0.55
- No Bake Apple DonutsRecipe $2.66 / Serving $1.33
❓ Seedling Cupcakes FAQs
These Seedling Cupcakes are good for up to 3-5 days if kept stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I do not recommend adding the mint leaves until closer to serving time if these are made for an event. This is because the mint leaves will wilt within a few hours and should look dried by the next day.
Yes, you can eat the mint leaves from these Seedling Cupcakes if you want to. They are totally safe and edible to consume. Almost all of us pulled our mint leaves off after admiring them but feel free to eat them or remove them as you please. They are safe to consume.
Yes, when you pulse or crush the Oreo cookies into a dirt-like crumb mixture you will be using the chocolate cookies and the white cream filling. Once blended the two will look practically indistinguishable.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Blueberry Cream Cheese SconesRecipe $4.07 / Serving $0.51
- Chocolate Covered Cheesecake StrawberriesRecipe $5.53 / Serving $1.38
- Oreo Cinnamon RollsRecipe $6.44 / Serving $0.54
- Pink Chocolate Covered StrawberriesRecipe $2.33 / Serving $0.47
🐝 If you tried these Seedling Cupcakes, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Seedling Cupcakes
Equipment
- Food Processor *optional
Ingredients
- 1 box (15.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix, prepared according to package directions - ($1.80)
- ½ package Oreo cookies - ($1.99)
- 1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting - ($1.58)
- 1 pack fresh mint leaves - ($1.78)
Instructions
- Bake. Prepare the cake batter according to the package directions and bake as cupcakes. Allow to cool completely.
- Crush Cookies. Add the Oreo cookies to a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow bowl.
- Frost. Spread a generous layer of chocolate frosting over the top of each cupcake.
- Coat. Roll the frosted tops in the Oreo crumbs, pressing gently so the crumbs fully cover the frosting.
- Decorate. Insert one mint leaf into the center of each cupcake so it stands upright.
- Serve. Serve immediately or store until ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Mint Leaves. Mint leaves are edible but can be removed before eating. Insert deeper with a toothpick if needed.
- Oreos. The cream filling does not need to be removed. Once crushed, the cookies resemble dirt.
- Storage. Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Add mint leaves close to serving time to prevent wilting.
Nutritional Information
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