If you’re looking for easy dinosaur cupcakes for a birthday party or just for fun, try this recipe!
How to Make Dinosaur Cupcakes
- Make the dinosaur: To make the dinosaur head and spikes, cut a piece of fondant. Roll it out into a 1/6-inch layer using a rolling pin. Using a small triangle cookie cutter, cut the spikes. Using a dinosaur cookie cutter, cut the dinosaur. Using a knife, cut the head, as shown in the photo. Place the dinosaur heads and spikes on a cutting board and allow them to dry completely.
- Prepare the flour: Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Make the batter: Whisk the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and sour cream and beat to combine. Finish the batter by adding the flour mixture and beat until smooth.
- Bake: Scoop the cupcake batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the center is set. Remove and allow to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Cream the butter using a stand mixer. Mix the powdered sugar and the vanilla into the creamed butter. Add the milk and beat until creamy. Divide the frosting into three bowls. Tint with food coloring and adjust the color intensity until you have the desired shades of green, blue, and orange.
- Decorate: Pipe the frosting over the cupcakes. Press one dinosaur head into each cupcake frosting and add three spikes. Serve immediately for the best taste, or refrigerate (without the fondant) until ready to serve.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: The fondant dinosaurs can be made up to a month ahead. Store the fondant dinosaur shapes in a cardboard box at room temperature to keep them fresh. The cupcakes can be baked up to a week in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Only decorate with the fondant dinosaurs just before serving.
To Store: Decorated cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for two to five days. Make sure to use a cardboard box to keep the fondant from getting sticky. To refrigerate, put the cupcakes in a cardboard box and make sure the fridge isn’t overly humid. A humid environment will ruin the fondant topping. Refrigerated, decorated cupcakes will last for about a week.
Recipe Variations for Dinosaur Cupcakes
Lemon cupcakes: Add one tablespoon of lemon zest to the cupcake batter for a zesty twist. Mix it into the batter before scooping it into muffin cups.
Chocolate chip cupcakes: Fold half a cup of chocolate chips into the cupcake batter just before scooping into muffin cups.
Strawberry swirl: Swirl a quarter cup of strawberry jam into the cupcake batter using a toothpick before baking. Do not mix the jam in completely.
Coconut cupcakes: Mix half a cup of shredded coconut into the cupcake batter. Fold it in gently before scooping it into muffin cups.
Vanilla bean twist: Substitute one teaspoon of vanilla extract with the seeds from one vanilla bean.
Almond coconut cupcakes: Add a quarter cup of chopped almonds and a quarter cup of shredded coconut to the cupcake batter. Fold in gently before scooping into muffin cups.
Raspberry twist: Fold half a cup of fresh raspberries into the cupcake batter. Alternatively, substitute the raspberries with the classic blueberries.
Orange zest cupcakes: Add one tablespoon of orange zest to the frosting. Mix it in thoroughly after adding the powdered sugar and before adding the milk.
Mint chocolate twist: Mix in half a teaspoon of peppermint extract and a quarter cup of chopped dark chocolate into the frosting. Add them after the powdered sugar and before the milk.
Caramel drizzle: Carefully drizzle two tablespoons of caramel sauce over the frosted cupcakes using a spoon.
Dinosaur Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- Food gel coloring, blue, green and orange
For the dinosaur head and spikes:
- store bought green fondant
- store bought blue fondant
- store bought yellow fondant
Instructions
- To make the dinosaur head and spikes cut a piece of fondant.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the fondant into 1/6 inch layer.
- Using a small triangle cookie cuter cut the spikes.
- Using a dinosaur cookie cutter cut the dinosaur.
- Using a knife, cut the head as shown on the photo.
- Place dinosaur heads and spikes on cutting board and allow them to dry completely.
- To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar.
- Add the eggs, vanilla exstract, milk and sour cream and beat to combine.
- Add in the flour mixture and beat until smooth.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter.
- Add the vanilla extract and powder sugar and beat to combine.
- Add the milk and beat until creamy.
- Divide the frosting into 3 bowls.
- Tint with food coloring and adjust color intensity until you have the desired shades of green, blue and orange.
- Pipe the frosting over the cupcakes.
- Press 1 dinosaur head into each cupcake frosting and add 3 spikes.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Fondant preparation: Make the fondant dinosaurs a day in advance to allow them to dry out properly. Store them in a cardboard box until ready to use.
- Frosting texture: To keep the frosting fluffy, fold in the ingredients instead of just mixing. This traps air in the icing, making it light and creamy.
- Food coloring tip: Start with a few drops of gel coloring and adjust for desired shades. Mix colors thoroughly to avoid streaks in the frosting.
- Decorating: For best results, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Even slightly warm cupcakes will cause the frosting to melt and runoff.
- Storage: If not serving immediately, store iced cupcakes in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding the fondant dinosaurs and serving for the best taste and texture.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the cupcakes and prepare the frosting a week in advance. Store the components separately, assembling them just before serving for freshness.
- Customize: You can personalize your cupcakes with different dinosaur shapes or colors to match your theme or preference.
