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.
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
Dairy-Free Variation:
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.
Recipe Tips:
Choose any cake mix or make cupcakes from scratch.
Prepare cupcakes and frosting separately in advance.
Make Ahead Instructions:
Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Allow frosting to sit at room temperature briefly for easier piping.
Storage:
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.
~Nutritional information does not include airhead candies.~