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.
Recipe: $7.61 | Per Serving: $0.32 | Yield: 24 cupcakes
You're never too old for a fun dinosaur-themed party, and I'm sure Ross Geller from Friends would agree. These dinosaur 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 Blue Raspberry Lemonade and Air Fryer Dino Nuggets too!
Having fun with themed cupcakes is nothing new here, just check out our Nacho Cupcakes and Seedling Cupcakes and see for yourself. Made with boxed cake mix, these treats don't get much easier than this.
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🍯 Why This Recipe Works
- Not too much food coloring. As a parent, I know there are a lot of us out there who try to avoid unnecessary food coloring for one reason or another, and that's just one more reason to enjoy these dinosaur 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! You can even use homemade Oreo Buttercream Frosting!
🥘 Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
Cake mix- You can use any flavor of cake mix desired. We use cake mix pretty much any chance we get for recipes like Jiffy Cornbread With Cake Mix, Microwave Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes and Cake Mix Blueberry Muffins.
Powdered sugar- This is the base of the buttercream frosting recipe and will give us a smooth sweet finish.
Airhead candies- Use any flavor of Airhead candy desired. These will be the scales on our dinosaur cupcakes.
For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.
📖 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.
🔪 Instructions for Dinosaur Cupcakes
Step 1: Make cupcakes according to the box's instructions. Let cool completely before use (Image 1).
Step 2: Add the butter and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl (Image 2). Mix together until blended.
Step 3: Add in the vanilla extract (Image 3). Mix again until combined.
Step 4: Add in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, blending after each addition until the frosting is to your desired consistency (Image 4).
Step 5: 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. Set aside.
Step 6: Unwrap the airheads and grab a clean pair of kitchen scissors (Image 5).
Step 7: On the back of the airheads, you'll notice a line down the middle. You'll want to cut on that line to make two halves (Image 6).
Step 8: Now turn each half into multiple triangles by cutting at W-shaped angles (Image 7).
Step 9: Have your frosting, cooled cupcakes, and airhead pieces ready to go in front of you like a little workstation (Image 8).
Step 10: Pipe frosting onto the cupcake (Image 9).
Step 11: 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 (Image 10).
Step 12: You can use a solid color per cupcake or alternate colors for a variety (Image 11).
Step 13: If desired, you can add a ring of sprinkles around the edge of the frosting base by spooning sprinkles over the frosting (Image 12). I recommend using a bowl underneath to catch what drops.
Step 14: Continue and repeat until all cupcakes have been decorated.
Serve and enjoy!
🍴 Recipe Tips
Use any flavor! You can use any boxed cake mix for your cupcakes, I like to stick with the classics like chocolate or yellow cake mix but feel free to try red velvet or spice cake. Or you can make your cupcakes from scratch if desired.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
Cupcakes: Prepare the cupcakes in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Frosting: Prepare the frosting separately and store it in an airtight container or covered bowl in the fridge for a day or two.
Tip for Frosting: Before using the frosting, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. This makes it easier to pipe onto the cupcakes as it will have a chance to warm up slightly.
👩🏻🍳 Storage
Refrigeration: Keep your assembled dinosaur cupcakes in a well-covered container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
Note: The airheads may begin to weep or "sweat" when they come to room temperature quickly. This is normal and completely fine.
💭 Recipe 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 Delicious Recipes for Kids
If you tried these dinosaur cupcakes, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Dinosaur Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 box (15.25oz) cake mix (any flavor) ($1.00)
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil ($0.23)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 3 large eggs ($0.45)
Buttercream (can be halved for 12 cupcakes)
- 3 sticks butter, room temp ($2.97)
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar ($1.62)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.06)
- 3-4 Tablespoons milk ($0.04)
- Airhead candies ($1.24)
Instructions
Cupcakes
- 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.
Buttercream 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.
Assembly
- 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!
Notes
- Use plant-based milk (e.g., almond milk) instead of dairy milk.
- Substitute butter with 1.5 cups of shortening.
- Check the cake mix for dairy-containing ingredients; Airheads are dairy-free.
- Choose any cake mix or make cupcakes from scratch.
- Prepare cupcakes and frosting separately in advance.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
- Allow frosting to sit at room temperature briefly for easier piping.
- Keep assembled cupcakes in a well-covered container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Note: Airheads may "weep" when returning to room temperature; this is normal.
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