Easy Cupcake Recipes

Satisfying, individually sized and perfectly portable, these crowd-pleasing cupcakes come to the rescue for any bake sale or daily dessert need.

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Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

Speedy cupcakes are a cinch with the aid of boxed white cake mix. Amp up the batter with almond and vanilla extracts, and cut off the cupcake tops and fold fruit-studded whipped cream between the layers like a sandwich. 

Get the Recipe: Raspberry Cream Cupcakes

Lemon Cupcakes

Top light lemon cupcakes with a sweet-tart lemon butter icing for a refreshingly simple dessert that's twice as tangy.

Get the Recipe: Lemon Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip and Mascarpone Cupcakes

A rich mascarpone and chocolate cupcake with chunks of semisweet chocolate shouldn't be topped with mere icing, but a velvety chocolate ganache instead.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Chip and Mascarpone Cupcakes

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

Yes, you CAN "has cheezburger." These sweet takes on sliders might possibly be even cuter than cat memes. They're definitely more delicious.

Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Instead of using a cream cheese icing, Chuck Hughes tops his red velvet cupcakes with a mixture of mascarpone and whipped cream, which is rich and tangy but a lot lighter.

Get the Recipe: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cookie Dough-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

A chocolate cupcake is good. A chocolate cupcake topped with cookie dough buttercream is even better. But a chocolate cupcake stuffed with chocolate chip cookie dough and topped with cookie dough buttercream? That's perfection.

Get the Recipe: Cookie Dough-Stuffed Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

3-Minute Chocolate "Cup" Cake

Baked in individual ramekins and topped with a scoop of ice cream and a cherry, this cake is so rich that no one will know your microwave did all the heavy lifting.

Get the Recipe: 3 Minute Chocolate "Cup" Cake

Low-Fat Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Nadia G. slims down classic carrot cake by using yogurt and applesauce in her batter but adds hefty texture with pumpkin seeds and raisins in this filling yet guilt-free palm-size snack.

Get the Recipe: Low-Fat Carrot Cupcakes with Homemade Low-Fat Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes

No food coloring required here: The naturally pink frosting for these cupcakes is speckled with blended strawberries. The surprise? Extra frosting fills the cupcake's center, delivering even more strawberry sweetness.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes

Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Bits of applewood bacon are the perfect savory complement to the maple-flavored cake batter in this cupcake recipe. You'll be in hog heaven.

Get the Recipe: Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

Creamy mascarpone cheese keeps Giada's bite-size cupcakes moist and fluffy, and it serves as a tangy complement to her sweet strawberry glaze topping.

Get the Recipe: Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Black Licorice Frosting

A nicely spiced gingerbread cupcake is refreshingly different on its own, but topped with black licorice frosting and a tower of licorice slices, it has an extra bite — perfect for making a statement.

Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Cupcakes with Black Licorice Frosting

Cupcakes with Mexican Hot Chocolate Frosting

Chili powder and cinnamon add seductive spiciness and a hint of heat to milk chocolate cake. 

Get the Recipe: Double Feature Cupcakes with Mexican Hot Chocolate Frosting

Vegan Banana Bread French Toast Cupcakes

These moist soy milk cupcakes represent the best of breakfast in hand-held form with the comforting flavors of banana and cinnamon. A maple buttercream frosting –– made with both maple syrup and maple extract –– adds stealthy sweetness to the mix.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Banana Bread French Toast Cupcakes

Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

Part breakfast, part dessert, this quick and healthy muffin cheat relies on just three ingredients: devil's food cake mix, canned pumpkin and a berry garnish.

Get the Recipe: Yum Yum Brownie Muffins

Tomato Soup Cupcakes

Your guests will never guess the secret ingredient inside these thrifty Unique Sweets cupcakes, as all traces of tomato soup melt away after baking. Scented with cinnamon and cloves, these richly hued treats taste just like spice cake when they emerge from the oven.

Get the Recipe: Tomato Soup Cupcakes

Orange Cream Dream Cupcakes

Cupcakes mirror the familiar flavor of a Creamsicle in this citrus-spiked, creme-filled star. Fragrant orange extract enhances both the buttermilk batter and frosting –– perfect for pairing with a fluffy marshmallow filling.

Get the Recipe: Orange Cream Dream Cupcakes

Deluxe Cone Cupcakes

These ice cream-impersonating cupcakes are completely no-cook, and perfect if you have leftover cake sitting around. Just layer the inside of a wafer cone with your favorite flavors of frosting and cake rounds, top it off with sprinkles and you've got a sneaky treat that won't melt in the summer heat.

Get the Recipe: Deluxe Cone Cupcakes

Hostess with the Mostess Cupcakes

Give the classic packaged chocolate cupcakes a sophisticated update with a dark chocolate ganache and an artful white chocolate drizzle rather than a squiggly line.

Get the Recipe: Hostess with the Most-ess Cupcakes

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