Birthday parties can be complicated, but desserts should be simple. With these easy dinosaur cupcakes, you can have a perfectly festive-themed dessert that's cheap, easy, and so much fun for all ages.
You're never too old for a fun dinosaur-themed party, and I'm sure Ross Geller from Friends would agree. These cupcakes serve up the right amount of fun and color without being too over the top.
While these are perfect for setting the scene at your next dessert table, make sure to leave room on the table for some Air Fryer Dinosaur Nuggets to eat too!
Having fun with themed cupcakes is nothing new here, just check out our Nacho Cupcakes, Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes, and Earth Day Cupcakes and see for yourself. Made with boxed cake mix, these treats don't get much easier than this.
Why This Recipe Works
- Not too much food coloring. As a parent, I know there are a lot of us out there that try to avoid unnecessary food coloring for one reason or another, and that's just one more reason to enjoy these simple dino cupcakes. You can add as much or as little food coloring as you want to the frosting, and they'll still look great.
- They're easy. A box of cake mix turned into cupcakes and a simple buttercream frosting are all you'll have to make. After that, we get the fun of assembling it all together!
- They're totally customizable. Use any color of Airheads desired to help fit in with the color scheme or theme of your next party. Add sprinkles or a cool cupcake liner too!
Jump to:
🥘 Ingredients
For the cupcakes, you will need:
Cake mix- You can use any flavor of cake mix desired. I like to stick with the classics like chocolate or yellow cake mix but feel free to try red velvet or spice cake.
Eggs- These are a necessary binder listed in the cake mix ingredients.
Vegetable oil- Adding oil to your cake mix gives the cupcakes moisture so they won't turn out dry.
Water- Most cake mixes request water as an ingredient, but swapping it out for milk can give you a better taste.
For the buttercream frosting, you will need:
Powdered sugar- This is the base of the buttercream frosting recipe and will give us a smooth sweet finish.
Butter- Used to make the frosting rich and creamy.
Vanilla- A flavor enhancer.
Milk- Added to get the frosting to the correct consistency.
Airhead candies- Use any flavor of Airhead candy desired. These will be the scales on our dinosaur frosted cupcakes.
For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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- Kitchen Scissors
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Muffin Pan
- Paper muffin liners
- Piping bags
- Piping Tip
- Electric Mixer
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
🔪 Instructions
Check out how to make easy dinosaur cupcakes with these simple step-by-step instructions:
Add your cake mix, oil, water and eggs to a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together until combined.
Divide into a paper-lined muffin pan.
Bake as directed on the cake mix package. About 18 minutes at 350F. Let cool completely before making the frosting.
Add the butter and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix together until blended.
Add in the vanilla extract. Mix again until combined.
Add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until the frosting is to your desired consistency.
Once ready, you can divide and color or add to a piping bag with a fitted tip. I like to use a Wilton 1M tip for my frosted cupcakes.
Unwrap the airheads and grab a clean pair of kitchen scissors.
On the back of airheads, you'll notice a line down the middle. You'll want to cut on that line to make two halves.
Now turn each half into multiple triangles by cutting at W-shaped angles.
Have your frosting, cooled cupcakes, and airhead pieces ready to go in front of you like a little workstation.
Pipe frosting onto the cupcake.
Stagger the airhead pieces down the center of the cupcake in a straight row with one tip pointed upwards and a base neatly tucked away in the frosting.
You can use a solid color per cupcake or alternate colors for a variety.
If desired, you can add a ring of sprinkles around the edge of the frosting base by spooning sprinkles over the frosting. I recommend using a bowl underneath to catch what drops.
Continue and repeat until all cupcakes have been decorated.
Serve and enjoy!
📖 Variations
Dairy Free. You can make this recipe dairy free by using nondairy plant based milk like Almond milk instead of whole milk or cows milk. Use shortening (like Crisco) in place of the butter. You will need 1.5 cups of shortening). Double check the box of cake mix as some may contain dairy in the ingredients. Airheads are dairy free.
🍴 Recipe Tips
You can use any boxed cake mix for your cupcakes, or you can make your cupcakes from scratch if desired.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
You can prepare the cupcakes in advance and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. Prepare the frosting separately and keep in an airtight container or covered bowl in the fridge for a day or two in advance.
Let the frosting sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using it as it's much easier to pipe when it's had a chance to warm up slightly.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
You can keep your assembled cupcakes in a well covered container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. The airheads may begin to weep or "sweat" when they come to room temperature quickly. This is normal and completely fine.
💭 FAQs
No. Unfortunately, you cannot. I have personally tried this and found that the canned frosting is too soft and will not hold the airhead candies in place as it should. Homemade buttercream is thicker, sturdier, and will harden when chilled, making it a perfect solution.
With this recipe, you should be able to frost about 24-30 cupcakes, but that depends entirely on how much frosting you give each cupcake.
I think that depends entirely on whether or not they were invited to the party.
More great recipes for kids to check out soon
- Peanut Butter Apple Nachos
- Cookie Monster Cookies
- Easy DIY Among Us Sheet Cake
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
📖 Recipe
Easy Dinosaur Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box (15.25oz) Cake mix (any flavor) ($1.58)
- 3 large Eggs ($0.24)
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil ($0.16)
- 1 cup Water (or milk) ($0.00)
Buttercream (can be halved for 12 cupcakes)
- 3 sticks Butter, room temp ($2.25)
- 4 ½ cups Powdered sugar ($1.03)
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract ($0.04)
- 3-4 Tablespoons Milk ($0.07)
- Airhead candies ($1.24)
Instructions
- Add your cake mix, oil, water and eggs to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until combined.
- Divide into a paper-lined muffin pan.
- Bake as directed on the cake mix package. About 18 minutes at 350F. Let cool completely before making the frosting.
- Add the butter and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix together until blended.
- Add in the vanilla extract. Mix again until combined.
- Add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until the frosting is to your desired consistency.
- Once ready, you can divide and color or add to a piping bag with a fitted tip. I like to use a Wilton 1M tip for my frosted cupcakes.
- Unwrap the airheads and grab a clean pair of kitchen scissors.
- On the back of airheads, you'll notice a line down the middle. You'll want to cut on that line to make two halves.
- Now turn each half into multiple triangles by cutting at W-shaped angles.
- Have your frosting, cooled cupcakes, and airhead pieces ready to go in front of you like a little workstation.
- Pipe frosting onto the cupcake.
- Stagger the airhead pieces down the center of the cupcake in a straight row with one tip pointed upwards and a base neatly tucked away in the frosting.
- You can use a solid color per cupcake or alternate colors for a variety.
- If desired, you can add a ring of sprinkles around the edge of the frosting base by spooning sprinkles over the frosting. I recommend using a bowl underneath to catch what drops.
- Continue and repeat until all cupcakes have been decorated.
- Serve and enjoy!
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