Fun Easter carrot patch cupcakes! Strawberry cupcakes with jam, buttercream, Oreo dirt and chocolate strawberry carrots. A cute, easy Easter dessert!
Easter Baking
Can we all agree that Easter has come around so quickly this year? I swear we blinked and suddenly it’s almost April! I’ve got so many Easter baking recipes ready to share, so it’s officially time to get my Easter bake on.
Now let’s talk about these carrot patch cupcakes, because honestly, they might be some of the cutest Easter cupcakes I’ve ever made. That soft pink strawberry sponge, the crumbly Oreo “dirt,” and that adorable chocolate-dipped strawberry carrot on top… I mean, how cute are they?!
At first, I was going to go with a classic carrot cake cupcake to match the carrot theme. But then it hit me, this isn’t even a real carrot, it’s a strawberry in disguise! So of course, a strawberry cupcake just made way more sense. The fruity sponge pairs perfectly with the sweet buttercream and jam filling, making these cupcakes just as delicious as they are adorable.
If strawberry isn’t your thing, you can absolutely switch up the sponge or buttercream flavours to suit your taste. But one thing is non-negotiable… the chocolate strawberry carrot has to stay! It’s the star of the show and what makes these cupcakes the ultimate cute Easter dessert, perfect for Easter baking, kids’ treats, or a fun spring celebration.
I have more Easter bakes on my blog already so if you want to do some Easter baking this year, check out those too!
Cupcakes
For these carrot patch cupcakes, I went with my classic vanilla cupcake recipe because it’s simple, reliable, and creates the softest, fluffiest sponge every time. I chose to keep the sponge vanilla as the cupcakes are filled with strawberry jam and topped with strawberry buttercream, and I didn’t want the flavours to become too overpowering or overly sweet.
That said, if you’re a true strawberry lover, feel free to add a little strawberry flavouring or essence to the sponge as well. Baking is all about making recipes your own, so adjust the flavours to suit your taste!
Of course, I couldn’t resist adding a pop of colour. I tinted the cupcake batter pink, because honestly… what screams cute more than pink?! It makes the cupcakes even more fun and eye-catching when you cut into them. I used the same food colouring for both the sponge and the buttercream to keep everything cohesive and vibrant, but you can easily switch up the shade or go pastel if you prefer a softer Easter look.
Ingredients
- Butter- When it comes to my vanilla cupcakes, I always use baking spread as I find it creates a lighter and fluffier sponge but feel free to swap it for unsalted butter if that’s your “jam”! For the buttercream, I always stick with block butter- unsalted butter gives me the control of how much salt I add. You can use salted butter in your buttercream if this is what you prefer!
- Sugar- For the perfect vanilla cupcake, using caster sugar or golden caster sugar is key. It adds a delightful flavour and helps achieve that light and fluffy sponge we all dream of!
- Flour- For my cupcakes, I use self raising flour but if you don’t have access to this you could always combine 100 grams of plain flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. So, for this cupcake recipe if you add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to 200g plain flour and combine, then weigh out the 175g of homemade self raising flour!
- Milk- I use semi-skimmed milk for these cupcakes, this is what I usually have in the house but you can use whole milk if you’d prefer! I find adding milk to my cupcake batters, keeps the sponge moist for longer and not dry. No-one wants a dry cupcake right?!
- Eggs- I use 3 large eggs for this recipe, which roughly weigh 175g once cracked out of their shell.
- Flavouring- For my vanilla cupcakes I use Vanilla Mart – Alcohol Free Madagascan Vanilla Paste. For my strawberry flavouring for the buttercream I use Foodie Flavours.
- Jam- I used this strawberry jam for the filling by Fearne and Rosie.
- Double Cream- I love making my buttercream extra smooth and creamy by using double cream! It really elevates the texture and flavour, but if you prefer, feel free to stick with milk or a splash of water instead! Id highly recommend experimenting by adding double cream though as you may find you really love it!
Oreo Dirt
I needed something that looked like “dirt” but was obviously more delicious than dirt. Not that I’ve ever tried dirt so can’t judge the flavour on that (do not try dirt please haha). Anyway swiftly moving on, crushed Oreos give the perfect “dirt” appearance.
To make the Oreo dirt, simply blitz the biscuits in a food processor until you get Oreo crumbs. You could use a rolling pin and whack the Oreos, you will get the same result! I keep the cream in the middle of the Oreos as I can’t be bothered to remove it!
Carrot Strawberries
Finally let’s talk about the best part of these carrot patch cupcakes! Cute strawberry carrots, I loved making these and equally loved eating them. I love chocolate covered strawberries!
These were so easy to make and so effective. You could just make these for yourself or for your kids as an Easter snack! All you need for these is white chocolate, orange food colouring, strawberries and a piping bag!
To make these strawberry carrots, melt your white chocolate, add orange food colouring and dip in your strawberries! Place on a lined baking tray and place in the fridge to set. Once set, drizzle on some more orange chocolate which gives the carrot effect!
These carrot patch cupcakes are so easy to make, and they’re so cute. The whole family will love these and you could get your kids involved in baking these so they’re extra fun! I hope you love these cupcakes as much as me, Happy Baking! x
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different sponge flavour?
Absolutely! Vanilla or chocolate would both work beautifully, just don’t skip the cute strawberry carrot on top!
How do I make the chocolate stick to the strawberries?
Make sure your strawberries are dry before dipping. Any moisture will stop the chocolate from sticking properly!
Can I make these with kids?
Yes, they’re super fun for little ones to decorate! Just pre-dip the strawberries and let them sprinkle the Oreo “dirt” on top and even maybe eat the “dirt”…
Pin It
These Carrot Patch Cupcakes are the ultimate Easter baking treat, combining soft vanilla sponge, sweet strawberry jam, and creamy strawberry buttercream. Topped with a fun chocolate-dipped strawberry carrot and Oreo “dirt,” they’re as adorable as they are delicious. Perfect for Easter desserts, kids’ parties, or springtime baking, these cupcakes are sure to impress both little ones and adults alike. Easy to make, customizable, and full of festive fun, they’re a must-try for anyone looking for cute, creative, and delicious Easter treats this season!
If you try this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment below and tag me in your bakes on Instagram @biteofthebakes #biteofthebakes – I love seeing your creations!
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Carrot Patch Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 175g Baking Spread
- 175g Caster Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 175g Self-Raising Flour
- 1 Tsp Vanilla
- 3 Tbsp Milk
- Pink Food Colouring
- Strawberry Jam (For The Filling).
Buttercream
- 125g Unsalted Butter (Softened).
- 250g Icing Sugar
- 50ml Double Cream
- 1 Tsp Strawberry Flavouring (You can use freeze dried strawberry powder if you'd prefer).
- Pink Food Colouring
Decoration
- 6 Crushed Oreos
- 12 Strawberries
- 200-300g Melted White Chocolate
- Orange Food Colouring
Instructions
Carrot Strawberries
- In a long shape cup (You want to be able to dip the whole strawberry in so I like to use a small but long shaped cup) melt your white chocolate until fully melted! Melt in short-bursts so you don't burn the chocolate.
- Add in your orange food colouring and mix until fully combined. Holding the stem of your strawberries, dip the strawberry into the orange chocolate and tap off the excess. Place the strawberry carefully onto a lined baking tray and place in the fridge for the chocolate to set.
- Once set, add some orange chocolate into a piping bag and drizzle on some orange chocolate. This makes them look more like carrots! They are so cute. Allow to fully set in the fridge before using them to decorate your cupcakes.
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 180C (Gas mark 4) and line your muffin tray with 12 cupcakes/muffin cases.
- Cream together your caster sugar and baking spread/butter with a hand whisk or stand mixer (using the paddle attachment) until combined and smooth.
- Add in your eggs, self raising flour and vanilla and beat for around 30 seconds, you don't want to over mix your batter as this will make your cupcakes heavy and dense.
- Scoop the mixture evenly into 12 cupcake/muffin cases. I like to use a medium ice-cream scoop to do this as I find it gives me 12 even cupcakes perfectly but you can use a spoon to scoop out your mixture. Each cupcake will roughly be around 55g if you'd prefer to weigh them.
- Bake your cupcakes in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Once baked, I like to poke a little toothpick into one of the cupcakes to check they are baked. If the toothpick comes out clean, this means they are done!
- Once baked, remove your cupcakes from the muffin tin and place onto a cooling rack to let cool fully before decorating.
- Once cooled, core out the middle of each cupcake and add a spoonful of strawberry jam.
- While your cupcakes are cooling, make your buttercream. Beat your softened butter for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add in your icing sugar, food colouring and strawberry flavouring and beat together with a paddle attachment for 2 minutes.
- Once your cupcakes have cooled, transfer your buttercream into a piping bag and using your favourite piping nozzle, pipe on a buttercream swirl!
- Crush up some oreos and sprinkle onto the middle of your cupcakes (this creates the carrot patch dirt).
- Place one strawberry carrot on top of each cupcake.
- Finally, eat!
Notes
- These cupcakes will last in an air tight container for 4-5 days.
- I use a 5 cm ice-cream scoop to evenly portion my batter.
- I use Dr. Oetker white muffin cases for these Easter chick cupcakes.
- I use this food colouring for my buttercream.
- This is the Vanilla I use.
- If you find the batter becomes curdled, add 1tsp of self raising flour at a time until it is no longer curdled.
Ps. Are we friends over on Instagram?
If you try this recipe, share it with me on Instagram @biteofthebakes or use the hashtag #biteofthebakes so I can see all your creations!