Bird's Nest Easter Cupcakes topped with edible grass and candy eggs are super easy to make and perfect for a cute spring or Easter dessert!
If you're looking for an easy, but adorable Easter dessert idea, I've got you covered. These bird nest cupcakes start out with cake mix and are super simple to make!
This is kind of a cheater recipe because it uses a cake mix and canned frosting. Honestly, if I'm baking cupcakes and topping them with candy and edible Easter grass, I know the kids will focus on the topping more than the cupcake!
Plus, you're probably making the rest of the meal from scratch, right? So an easy Easter dessert is exactly what you need!
How to Make Bird's Nest Cupcakes
You only need a few ingredients for this easy cupcake recipe:
- Cake mix
- Milk
- Eggs
- Coconut oil, vegetable oil or butter
- Vanilla extract
- Frosting
- Food dye
- Edible Easter Grass
- Mini candy eggs
I did make a few a changes, just to make these cupcakes-from-a-mix taste even better. I used milk instead of water, and I used coconut oil and added some vanilla extract.
The family definitely approved! Now, if you happen to have favorite cupcake recipe, you can definitely use that.
Bake the cupcakes, and allow them to cool. I like to use parchment paper cups for baking and put the cupcakes into fancier liners for presentation!
I tinted some vanilla frosting with green food coloring and spread a thin layer on each cupcake. The kids helped with this part.
Next, take some of the edible Easter grass, and form a nest shape on each cupcake. They won't be perfect looking, but that's part of the cuteness!
What is Edible Easter Grass
Edible Easter grass is made from potato starch and usually artificial coloring and sweeteners. You can find it in stores like Walmart or Target or online.
I found it easier to chop the grass up into smaller pieces and then place them in different directions on the frosting. You can use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife for this.
Then, I the kids and I placed different candy eggs into the little nests. Not all of the eggs made it onto the cupcakes, but we had enough to go around.
Use Tinted Coconut or Frosting
If you can't find edible Easter grass or don't want to use it, try tinting shredded coconut and using that, instead. You can also pipe green frosting for the nests.
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Bird's Nest Easter Cupcakes Recipe
Bird's Nest Easter Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 box of white cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ⅓ cup coconut oil or vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 can vanilla frosting
- 3 drops green food coloring
- Edible Easter grass
- Miniature candy eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine the cake mix, milk, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla in a large bowl, and mix well.
- Pour batter into lined muffin tin
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cupcake is clean
- Let cool completely
- Add food coloring to frosting, and mix well
- Spread a thin layer of frosting on each cupcake
- Top with Easter grass and candy eggs
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Easter Desserts
Barbara Karr says
Foul! Call in the referees. You are not really going to show us something as great as Easter grass and then leave us hanging are you? Only one store that carries it? At least give us the manufacturers name so we can track it down. If you are doing this project with kids the grass is a MUST. This is the cutest thing IĀ“ve seen in forever. Excellent job! Can you imagine taking these to a nursing home? WOW. We are waiting. I said they were cute, but the more I look at them the more I think they are small works of art. Beautiful work.
Hoppy Easter! Barb
Sara | Life's Little Sweets says
These are too cute! Pinning and sharing, they are perfect for Spring!
Dee says
Thank you so much, Sara! The kids made another batch the other day, and they're almost gone! š
Christie says
Edible easter grass?? I have to look for this!! These are so adorable and fun. Sounds you had a good time with the kids making these.
Dee says
Thanks so much, Christie! They were fun to make and even more fun to eat! š
Jess says
Oh these are just too cute!
I would LOVE for you join and share this at my DIY and Recipes FB Group
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Dee says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Jess! š
Beverly @ My Sew Sweet Studio says
I used to make these all the time with coconut. They were so cute but the kids wouldn't eat them. Edible grass is the perfect solution. Thanks for the idea and inspiration.
Dee says
Thanks, Beverly. I don't know why my kids hate coconut so much, but the edible grass worked!
Mary says
Your Bird's Nest Cupcakes are so adorable, Dee! Thank you so much for sharing them at Weekend Potluck! Hope to see you at the party tomorrow!
Dee says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Mary. I'm glad you liked them! š
Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says
These are absolutely adorable, Dee! What a fun idea for Easter and spring! My daughter loves to bake with her little cousins when they visit...this would be a great project!
Debra Pugh says
Oh DEE these are too pretty to eat, lol!
Dee says
Thanks, Deb! My kids had no problem scarfing them down, LOL! š
Julie says
I love your cute cupcakes Dee. These are just perfect for Easter! I co-host a blog party on Monday's called Cooking and Crafting with J & J at Julie's Lifestyle. I would love to have you come and share this with us. Thanks.
Julie xo
Dee says
Thanks so much, Julie. I would love to stop by the party! š
Miz Helen says
I love your Birds Nest Cupcakes! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Stacey says
Well blow me down! I've never even heard of edible Easter grass. Where do you get it? Michaels maybe? I've seen something similar using flaked coconut before but that Easter grass would make anyone smile. š
Dee says
I found the grass in Target with the Easter baking things. I just had to try it! š
Stacey says
Featured on Poofing the Pillows today. š
Lisa says
These are so precious! Can you believe I've never seen edible Easter grass? How cute is that?
Dee says
Thanks, Lisa! I've never used it before, but I'm glad I gave it a try. š
Marie says
These are absolutely adorable! I would have never thought to use edible Easter grass in such a way (though I'm totally having a "DUH" moment now, lol). These will be a great addition to our family Easter gathering.
Dee says
Thanks! I had never used it either, but when I saw it in the store, it made sense! š
Pamela-FromMyFrontPorchToYours says
These are darling Dee!
Dee says
Thanks, Pamela. It was almost a little hard to eat them! š
carol says
These are so cute, Dee, and remind me of some I use to make when my kiddos were little! I haven't heard of or seen the Edible Grass (I didn't know to look for it), but I use to make my nests out of chocolate & shredded wheat. I may have to resurrect that recipe and make some for the neighbor kids! I just love hearing how you get your children involved in the kitchen. I always did that, too; and did it with the Grands until they all either moved away or got too old and busy. Anyway, keep on doing what you are doing, because it sounds wonderful.
Are you on Spring Break? It starts today here in Gilbert. I love having the windows open and hearing children voices having fun outside!
Hugs,
Carol
Dee says
Thanks, Carol! My kids are usually happy to help in the kitchen, especially if we're making dessert! š