These Mini Chocolate Bird Nest Cupcakes are the perfect Spring dessert. A moist mini chocolate cupcake is topped with a rich creamy buttercream then decorated with crunchy chocolate coated cereal and candy coated almonds to resemble a birds nest with eggs, making them a adorable addition to any brunch table.
The sweet sounds of birds chirping outside is a sure sign that spring is here. What better way to celebrate than with a dessert that resembles what is going on in nature. These Mini Chocolate Bird Nest Cupcakes are an adorable way to celebrate the start of a beautiful Spring season.
Why You Will Love These Cupcakes
- The Perfect Portion: I love a mini dessert because you get all the indulgence of the dessert without committing to a full sized piece. This makes them perfect for parties, brunch tables or just a snack.
- Presentation: Designed to look like tiny nests with candy eggs, these cupcakes are the perfect dessert to welcome Spring.
- Rich Chocolate Flavor: These cupcake are loaded with great chocolate flavor. A moist chocolate cupcake with a rich chocolate buttercream that is topped chocolate coated cereal making these cupcakes a chocolate lovers dream.
- Great Texture Combination: A soft and tender cake with a creamy frosting that is topped with a crunchy nest making for a great texture combination.
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What You Will Need To Make These Cupcakes
Equipment:
- Mini Muffin Tray: I like to use a sturdy tray made of steel that is non stick and PFA free.
- Mini Muffin Paper Liners: These will prevent your cupcakes from sticking and allow for easy clean up.
- Glass Mixing Bowls: Having mixing bowls in a variety of sizes helps in the preparation of this recipe. I prefer glass due to easy clean up and glass also does not react with acidic ingredients which could change the flavors in your recipes.
- Parchment Paper: Perfect for preparing the chocolate nest, allowing them not to stick while they set.
Ingredients:
- Bittersweet Chocolate: Melted with a little Coconut Oil to create a smooth consistency.
- Fiber One Cereal: This is the perfect cereal to use because its strands resembles the sticks of a nest.
- Flour: A good All Purpose Flour works perfect for this recipe.
- Cocoa Powder: This will add deep rich chocolate flavor.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are the leavening agents allowing your cupcakes to rise and giving them that soft fluffy texture.
- Salt: Used to enhance the flavors in this recipe,
- Espresso Powder: Adding espresso powder helps bring out the chocolate flavor
- Butter: I prefer unsalted so that I can control the salt content in my recipes.
- Sugar: This recipe contains three different sugars, Dark Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar and Powder Sugar all for added sweetness and texture.
- Eggs: Not only add moisture but also structure and stability to these cupcakes.
- Vanilla Extract: I always opt for a Pure Vanilla Extract due to its intense vanilla flavor.
- Buttermilk: Added to create a more tender cupcake.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Added to the buttercream to create a more silky smooth texture.
Tips For Making These Cupcakes
- Make Ahead Of Time: It is important to make the components of this recipe a head of time. The birds nest that sit on top of these cupcakes should be made a day in advance, giving them ample time to set. The cupcake can also be made a day in advance which will allow them to cool completely before the frosting is applied.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Having your ingredients at room temperature will allow them to blend into each other smoothly. This will make for a more consistent batter.
- Cooling:It is very important that these cupcakes are completely cooled before they are topped with the frosting. If you pipe the frosting on while they are still warm, it will cause the frosting to melt which will result in a visually unappealing cupcake.
- Paper Cupcake Liners: I always use cupcake liners for my cupcakes. This will prevent sticking and allow for an easy clean up.
Other Mini Cupcake Recipes:
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting
Mini Banana Cream Pie Cupcakes
Mini Chocolate Bird Nest Cupcakes
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy24
servings30
minutes12
minutesThese Mini Chocolate Birds Nest Cupcakes are the perfect addition to any brunch table. With a super moist chocolate cupcake the is topped with a silky chocolate buttercream and chocolate coated cereal with some chocolate coated almonds to resemble a cute little birds nest, they are sure to be a real crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- For The Nest
1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
3/4 Cup Fiber One Cereal
- For The Cupcakes
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon Espresso Powder
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup buttermilk
- For The Chocolate Buttercream
1 Cup unsalted butter softened
3 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Cup heavy whipping cream
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
- To Make The Nest
- Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium sized microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. Pour in the cereal and gently toss to coat. Place small scoops of the chocolate coated cereal onto a parchment lined baking sheet and shape to form a small nest. Allow to set until firm.
- To Make The Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a mini muffin baking tray with mini paper liners and set to the side.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt until combined. Set to the side.
- In a separate bowl, beat together, the softened butter, and both sugars until combined. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
- Fill each cupcake liner to 3/4 full. Place the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until toothpick inserted in one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- To Make The Chocolate Buttercream
- Beat the softened butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment on slow speed until combined add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and continue mixing on medium speed until smooth. Place buttercream in a large piping bag with a star tip.
- To Assemble The Cupcakes
- Pipe a small amount of buttercream on top of each cooled cupcake. Place a chocolate nest on top and press down slightly. Pipe a small dot of buttercream inside the chocolate nest and press, two chocolate covered almonds into the buttercream to secure.
- Enjoy.
