Print

Sea Turtle Cupcakes

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Ingredients

Scale

For the cupcakes

  • 1 (15.25-ounce) vanilla or French vanilla cake mix
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
  • ½ cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the buttercream

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 3½ cups powdered sugar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • Blue gel food coloring

For decorating

  • 24 Nilla Wafers
  • 96 green M&M’s (4 per cupcake)
  • 24 Peanut M&M’s (light green if available)
  • Melted dark chocolate, for the eyes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two standard muffin pans with 24 cupcake liners.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, pudding mix, and salt.
  3. Add the milk, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes until smooth.
  4. Fill each cupcake liner about two-thirds full.
  5. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  6. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. For the buttercream, beat the softened butter for 3 to 4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the heavy cream and vanilla bean paste, then continue beating for another 3 to 5 minutes until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and almost whipped. Tint with blue food coloring until it resembles bright ocean water.
  8. Spread or pipe a generous dollop of frosting onto each cupcake.
  9. Place a Nilla Wafer in the center of each cupcake to create the turtle’s shell. Press four green M&M’s into the frosting around the cookie for the flippers. Add one Peanut M&M at the front for the head. Using a toothpick, dot two tiny eyes with melted dark chocolate.

Find it online: https://lifeandsprinkles.com/sea-turtle-cupcakes/