These Bird's Nest Cupcakes start with your favorite cupcake, topped with a chocolate frosting and toasted coconut nest, and filled with candy coated chocolate eggs. They are the perfect dessert for spring and Easter!
After making these super cute Baby Bluebird Cupcakes many years ago, I knew I wanted to make some with candy coated chocolate eggs. Whether you do the bluebirds or the eggs depends on whether you prefer your birds hatched or not!
These cupcakes are actually easier and faster to make, since you do not have to pipe the birds and their details; you just place the candy eggs into the nest.
I prefer Cadbury brand mini eggs due to my nut allergy. Some other brands have nut contamination.
Cadbury makes matte mini eggs, which I used for these cupcakes, and also a shimmer version, shown below. I applied this concept to our Easter Coconut Cake one year by making a toasted coconut nest and placing Cadbury shimmer eggs inside.
I chose 3 matte blue eggs to represent bluebird eggs, but you can choose to mix the colors. In fact, eggs in the same clutch can be tinted differently, so that wouldn't be completely inaccurate!
Materials
- 12 of your favorite cupcakes, such as Dark Chocolate Cupcakes, Carrot Cupcakes, or Tres Leches Coconut Cupcakes
- Canned chocolate frosting
- 1 disposable pastry bag with medium-sized round tip
- Toasted coconut
- Candy coated chocolate eggs, such as Cadbury brand mini eggs
As stated above, Cadbury sells both regular (matte) mini eggs and shimmer mini eggs. For these cupcakes, I used the matte eggs, but I used the shimmer mini eggs in the nest I made on top of the Easter Coconut Cake.
Cupcake Assembly
Toast the shredded coconut in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often with a small silicone spatula to ensure even heating. After a golden color is achieved, transfer the coconut to a plate and spread it out to cool.
Level the tops of your cupcakes, if necessary, using a small sharp knife.
Lightly frost each cupcake with a thin layer of the chocolate frosting. A small offset spatula works well for this.
Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip (or a gallon-sized resealable bag with the corner snipped off), pipe a ring or two of chocolate frosting around the top edge of each cupcake. This forms the border of the nest.
Sprinkle toasted coconut over each cupcake, gently pressing it into the chocolate frosting. Shake off the excess.
Place 3 candy eggs inside each nest.
Storage
Store the assembled cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator until serving. If storing in the refrigerator, allow cupcakes to come to room temperature before serving.
Gluten Free Option
Use your favorite gluten free cake recipe or cake mix. My favorite homemade gluten free cake is this Chocolate Layer Cake recipe. I also love King Arthur brand gluten free cake mix. The other ingredients are gluten free. Check ingredient packaging for possible allergen contaminants.
📖 Recipe
Bird's Nest Cupcakes
Equipment
- 1 disposable pastry bag with medium-sized round tip
Ingredients
- 12 cupcakes
- 1 can chocolate frosting
- 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 36 candy coated chocolate eggs (such as Cadbury brand)
Instructions
- Toast the shredded coconut in a medium skillet over medium/high heat. Transfer it to a shallow dish or plate, and let cool completely.
- Level the cupcake tops, if necessary, with a small paring knife.
- Lightly frost each cupcake with a thin layer of chocolate frosting.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe a ring or two of chocolate frosting around the top edge of each cupcake to form the border of the nest.
- Sprinkle a large amount of toasted coconut over each cupcake, gently pressing it into the chocolate frosting. Shake off the excess.
- Place 3 candy eggs inside each nest. You may choose to do all 1 color or 3 different colors.
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature until serving.
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