A boxed cake mix, a can of chocolate frosting, coconut and food coloring, and a heap of chocolate candy eggs come together to make the cutest batch of birds nest cupcakes.
15.25ouncechocolate cake mixplus the ingredients on the back of the box
Coconut Grass
2cupssweetened coconut flakes
green gel food coloring
Other
32ounceschocolate frostingtwo 16 ounce tubs
72mini candy eggs
Instructions
Prepare and bake the cupcakes according to the directions on the cupcake/cake mix you bought. Let them cool to room temperature.
Add the coconut to a medium bowl. Start with a few drops of green food coloring, and stir it in, adding more as necessary to get the shade of green you want.
Once the cupcakes are cool, frost the tops with a thin layer of chocolate frosting and immediately dip the frosted tops into the green coconut.
After all the cupcakes are decorated with coconut, put the remaining frosting into a piping bag fitted with a “grass” tip (see Notes) to pipe the bird’s nests on top of the cupcakes. Pipe a bird’s nest on top on top of each cupcake by piping swirls of frosting around in a circle, building up the sides of the nest.
Place 3 candy eggs in each bird’s nest.
Notes
Many different brands make their own version of a “grass” piping tip, which is basically a piping tip with multiple holes; for Wilton, it is Tip 233.
Feel free to use whatever flavor of cake mix and frosting you like.
Store the cupcakes in an air-tight container kept at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can easily prepare them a day in advance to save some time.
If you want to omit the coconut flakes, simply dip the frosted cupcakes in green sprinkles. You can also use the same piping tip called for to make the birds nests, to make the grass. Using green frosting, pipe upwards in short vertical spouts on top of the cupcake to create this look.