In the Kids' Kitchen

A resource for healthy food kids will love eating and making, along with menu plans for the busy mom, and kitchen tool and cookbook reviews. Welcome, to In the Kids' Kitchen.

  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Baking with Kids
  • Holiday Fun
  • Healthy Family Food
  • Subscribe
  • Disclosure
Posts contain affiliate links for your convenience in recreating recipes/activities. Read our full disclosure policy here.
You are here: Home / Archives for holiday

20+ Absolutely Gorgeous Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

January 8, 2019 4 Comments

Are you planning on making cupcakes for Valentine’s Day? This beautiful and delicious collection of 20+ Valentine’s Day Cupcakes will definitely give you some inspiration for how to treat your sweetheart this year!

The Sweetest collection of Valentine's Day Cupcakes from our favorite food bloggers!

20 Super Sweet Valentine’s Day Cupcakes

We’ve put together a fun collection of Valentine’s Day Cupcakes from our favorite food bloggers!

There are so many clever ideas here that are guaranteed to make your favorite people feel special!

Many of these recipes can be made by and enjoyed by kids of all ages. Don’t write off a recipe because it looks too fancy or complicated to make – you’d be surprised at how easy most of these masterpieces are to recreate!

My daughter, Miss G, made these Natural Strawberry-Vanilla Cupcakes last year for Valentine’s Day and Stacey’s cute strawberry ladybugs would make an adorable cupcake topper, too!

Have fun looking at all of these Valentine’s Day Cupcakes! If you do make any of them, we’d love to hear how they turned out in the comments below!

— Jennifer

Our Favorite Valentine’s Day Cupcake Recipes

This year we’ve added our own favorite Valentine’s Day Cupcakes to the list! Click here to try our XOXO Valentine Cupcakes:

These XOXO Valentine's Day Cupcakes are just gorgeous! They're perfect for a kids Valentine's Day party or a grown-up soirée too!

Clockwise from top left (in image at the top of the post)

A Helicopter Mom – Hidden Heart Cupcakes

Belle of the Kitchen – Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Ganache Frosting

1 Fine Cookie – Valentines Popcorn Sundae Cupcakes

Glitter n Spice – Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

Life Love and Sugar – Strawberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Frugal Mom Eh – Valentines Day Raspberry Buttercream Cupcakes (not pictured)

The Girl Who Ate Everything – Strawberry Puffcakes (not pictured)

20 fun and delicious cupcake recipes for Valentine's Day

Clockwise from top left corner:

Your Cup of Cake – Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse

I Heart Naptime – Pink Velvet Cupcakes

The Cake Blog – DIY Love Bug Cupcakes

Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog – Red Hot Cinnamon Kiss Cupcakes (not pictured)

Tattooed Martha – Pink Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Frosting (not pictured)

My Cake Decorating – Fondant Topped Valentines Day Cupcakes (not pictured)

Your Cup of Cake – Pink Confetti Cupcakes (not pictured)

Cincy Shopper – Valentine Raspberry Cream Filled Cupcakes (not pictured)

Inside Bru Crew Life – Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate Cupcakes (not pictured)

Scattered Thought of a Crafty Mom – Heart-Shaped Cupcakes (not pictured)

Lemon Sugar – Marachino Cherry Cupcakes (not pictured)

Below image, left to right:

Mountain View Vineyard – Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes with Red Wine Frosting

Sprinkle Bakes – Neapolitan Bonbon Cupcakes

A collection of the most gorgeous Valentine's Day Cupcakes from top food bloggers that taste as amazing as they look! Perfect for a romantic date or kids party!

NEW RECIPE: Check out our Teddy Bear Cupcakes!

So cute and so much chocolate! These Valentine Teddy Bear Cupcakes are a sweet treat that will delight your little sweethearts!

Are you in the mood for cupcakes now? Which recipe do you think you’ll be trying this Valentine’s Day?

 

For more delicious Valentine’s Day treats to make with kids, check out:

how-to-make-peppermint-fluff

5-Minute Pink Peppermint Fluff

These pillowy soft strawberry cake mix cookies with creamy white chocolate chips are the perfect EASY Valentine's Day dessert! Only 4 ingredients!Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies

Filed Under: Baking with Kids, Holiday Fun, Recipes Tagged With: baking, cupcakes, dessert, holiday, Valentine's Day

Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes

December 19, 2018 1 Comment

My daughter and I were out grocery shopping when she spotted them – chocolate cupcakes piled high with bright red frosting to resemble Santa Hats.

While I’m not anti-food dye, I still could not stomach the thought of that much red food dye working it’s way through either of our systems, so I decided to tempt her with a healthier alternative – Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes. 

These bright red strawberry cupcakes also make the perfect Valentine’s Day treat!

Gorgeous Strawberry cupcakes make a festive kids holiday treat! Perfect for Valentine's Day or Christmas!

Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcake Recipe

Okay, so “healthier” is a relative term when we’re talking cupcakes, but I still feel a lot better about serving my daughter and our daycare kids these delicious cupcakes versus those store-bought ones that were bound to dye their teeth bright red (and guarantee an all-day sugar high).

Sugar causes strawberries to macerate (let out their juices) so if at all possible, try to add the strawberries close to the time of serving. It’s not a big deal if you can’t, just expect a bit of strawberry juice on the frosting (which I personally didn’t mind).

We brought a batch of these into my daughter’s classroom for her Christmas party and they were a huge hit, and it was hilarious getting to watch the kids try to stretch their mouths out big enough to get the strawberry, frosting and cake all in one bite.

How to Make Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes, a delicious cupcake recipe kids can help make for Christmas

Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3-4 cups icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • Strawberries, hulled

Tip: letting the kids hull the strawberries is a great practical life and fine motor activity. Read Jennifer’s how-to here.

 

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful:

  • Cupcake pan
  • Reusable non-stick silicon cupcake liners 
  • Non-slip mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Strawberry huller or knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wilton cupcake decorating kit

 

How to Make Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a muffin pan with themed cupcake liners.

Tip: Reusable silicon cupcake liners are a breeze to use (cupcakes pop right out!) but they save money and are less waste in the long run!

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.

Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

how-to-make-santa-hat-cupcakes-1

Place softened butter into a bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add 2 Tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla.

Add remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

how-to-make-santa-hat-cupcakes-2

Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip, or other preferred large piping tip.

Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center – moving outwards and then back in and up, being careful not to give the frosting too much height.

how-to-make-santa-hat-cupcakes-3

While the frosting is soft, press a hulled strawberry on top so that the cut edge is against the frosting.

Add a small dot of frosting to the tip of the strawberry and let set.

Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Pin this Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes recipe:

Kids will love getting to help make these delicious Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes for Christmas, a healthier alternative to red food dye

Grab your free copy of our Santa Hat Cupcakes recipe here:

 

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes

Gorgeous Strawberry cupcakes make a festive kids holiday treat! Perfect for Valentine's Day or Christmas!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3-4 cups icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Additional Ingredients

  • Strawberries (can use red frosting instead), green trimmed

Instructions

For the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Line a muffin pan with themed cupcake liners.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
  6. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk; beat well. Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
  7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

For the frosting:

  1. Place softened butter into a bowl and beat in 2 cups of icing sugar. Add 2 Tablespoons heavy cream and vanilla.
  2. Add remaining icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

  3. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip, or other preferred large piping tip.
  4. Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes, starting in the center - moving outwards and then back in and up, being careful not to give the frosting too much height.
  5. While the frosting is soft, press a hulled strawberry on top so that the cut edge is against the frosting.
  6. Add a small dot of frosting to the tip of the strawberry and let set.
  7. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.
© Jennifer Tammy
Cuisine: American / Category: Baking with Kids
Easy Santa Hat Cupcakes that kids can help decorate! A festive holiday treat perfect for a Christmas party! Rich chocolate cake & luscious vanilla frosting.

 

Would your kids go crazy for these delicious Strawberry Santa Hat Cupcakes?

For more delicious ideas for holiday baking with kids, check out:

oreo-snowmen

mini-gingerbread-house-cakes-square-j

untitled-design-59

 

Filed Under: Baking with Kids, Holiday Fun, Recipes Tagged With: chocolate, cupcakes, holiday

Connect with us!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Hi there & welcome!

We're Stacey and Jennifer, and we're so glad you stopped by to visit! In the Kids Kitchen is our place to share inspiration to cook, play, and learn with your kids. From tips for teaching kitchen skills, to family-friendly recipes, kitchen crafts & sensory play, cookbook reviews, and more!

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis