Filled Easter Chick Cupcakes
Prep Time: 1 Hour
20 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours
15 Minutes
Servings: 24
These chirpy chicks have a delicious fruity surprise inside!
All You Need Is ...
Cake
- 1 box (500g) Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Vanilla Cake Mix
- 230ml water
- 80ml vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
For the filling and decoration
- 1 1/4 tubs (500g) Betty Crocker™ Vanilla Frosting
- 70g desiccated coconut
- 10 ready-to-eat dried apricots
- Yellow food colouring paste or gel
- 48 dark chocolate chips
Betty's Easy Steps
- Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line two (12-cup) muffin trays with paper cupcake cases.
- Beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut out and set aside the centre of each cupcake. Put 170g of the frosting in a small bowl and stir in 15g of the coconut. Finely chop 6 of the apricots and stir into the frosting mixture. Drop a little of the coconut and apricot frosting mixture into each of the cupcake hollows. Slice some of the cake off the underside of the reserved pieces, then place on top of the frosting, pressing down gently to give a level surface to each cupcake.
- Put the remaining coconut and a small amount of the yellow food colouring into a tightly covered jar and shake until the coconut is coloured bright yellow. Spread the remaining frosting over the cupcakes, leaving a thin border, then sprinkle with the yellow coconut.
- Dot each cupcake with 2 chocolate chips, flat-side up, for eyes. Use scissors to cut about 30 tiny triangles from the remaining dried apricots. Place 1 on each cupcake for the chick’s mouth. Cut up and use the remaining apricot pieces to add to the top of the cupcakes to resemble tufts of feathers. Serve immediately and store any leftover cupcakes in an airtight container, in a cool place, for 1-2 days.
Betty's Tips
- You may also use a resealable plastic food storage bag to tint the coconut. Simply, add the coconut and food colouring to the bag, seal and rub with your fingers until the coconut is a bright yellow.
- If you prefer, leave out the coconut topping and just colour the frosting yellow with food colouring paste or gel instead.
- Add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon to the cake mix and fold 2 tablespoons lemon curd into the frosting for a lovely tangy lemon flavour.
