Cupcakes That Waddle: Pink Penguin Cupcake Recipe
Are you looking to bake up some fun, frosty charm this winter? This Pink Penguin Cupcake Recipe is the perfect combination of adorable and delicious. Whether planning a Valentine’s Day party, a cozy winter birthday party or wanting to whip up some cute cupcakes for fun, these little creations will steal the show (and everyone’s hearts!).
Let’s dive into why these adorable penguin cupcakes are the ultimate treat for any festive occasion.
For more fun and creative cupcake ideas, this Lego cupcake recipe is simple to make. These camping cupcakes are perfect for a birthday party, and this Mickey Mouse cupcake recipe is fun for kids of all ages.
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Equipment Needed to Make Penguin Cupcakes
- Large and small Mixing Bowls
Ingredients Needed to Make Valentine Penguin Cupcakes:
- Cupcakes (Any Flavor; Mine are Strawberry – Can use Cake Mix)
How to Make Pink Penguin Cupcakes:
Divide the Buttercream:
Grab three bowls and divide the buttercream as follows:
- Place half (5 ounces) in the first bowl.
- Put a quarter (3 ounces) in the second bowl.
- Add the remaining buttercream (2 ounces) to the third bowl.
Color the Buttercream:
- In the first bowl, add 2–3 drops of pink gel color and mix thoroughly until the buttercream is evenly pink.
- In the second bowl, add 1–2 drops of white gel color and mix well.
- In the third bowl, add 1–2 drops of orange gel color and stir until the color is evenly distributed.
Prepare Piping Bags:
Transfer each colored buttercream into its piping bag.
Pipe the Pink Buttercream:
Cut a medium-sized hole in the tip of the pink piping bag. Pipe the pink buttercream over the cupcake tops, ensuring no gaps remain.
Flatten the Cupcakes:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the cupcakes upside down on the parchment and lightly press them to create flat tops. Refrigerate the cupcakes for 10 minutes.
Create the Penguin’s Center:
Remove the cupcakes from the fridge and turn them right side up. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to gently press into the buttercream, outlining the penguin’s center.
Pipe the White Buttercream
Cut a medium-sized hole in the white piping bag. Pipe a thin outline along the heart shape and fill it with white buttercream.
Chill Again
Turn the cupcakes upside down on the parchment paper and refrigerate for another 10 minutes.
Add the Penguin’s Face
Remove the cupcakes from the fridge and place them right side up. Using tweezers or your hands, place two black bead sprinkles at the top of the white buttercream to create the penguin’s eyes.
Pipe the Beak and Feet
Cut a small hole in the orange piping bag. Pipe a triangle shape just below the eyes for the penguin’s beak.
Use the orange buttercream to pipe small heart shapes at the bottom of the cupcake for the penguin’s feet. Smooth the beak and feet with a spatula.
Add the Final Touches
Place a red heart sprinkle between the beak and feet to represent a bow or decoration.
Use the leftover pink buttercream to make pipelines from the heart to the edges of the cupcake, creating the penguin’s wings. Smooth the wings with a clean spatula.
Lightly spray the cupcakes with edible glitter for a frosty finish.
Serve and Enjoy! Your adorable penguin cupcakes are ready to share.
Notes:
Adding a white gel to the buttercream prevents pink or red hues from bleeding into the white areas.
Store cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that after defrosting, the colors may bleed slightly.
What Makes These Cupcakes So Special?
The Penguin Charm: From the penguin’s head to its little feet, these cupcakes are almost too cute to eat! (But let’s be real—you’ll eat them anyway.)
A Burst of Color: 2-3 drops of pink gel color give these cupcakes a cheerful, frosty hue. The pops of orange from the penguin’s beak and feet, created with orange buttercream, add an extra layer of vibrant fun.
Creative Fun: Crafting these cupcakes is as enjoyable as eating them! With tools like a heart cookie cutter, a small piping bag, and some black bead sprinkles for the eyes of the penguin, decorating becomes a full-on creative adventure.
Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a themed party or a cozy weekend project, these cupcakes are guaranteed to impress (and are surprisingly simple to make).
Frosting and Decorating Tips for Success
Buttercream is Key: Whip up a smooth batch of white buttercream and divide it into three bowls. Add 1-2 drops of white food gel color for that snowy effect and a small amount of orange for the penguin’s beak and feet.
Outline with Precision: Use a small hole piping tip for clean edges, especially when outlining the penguin face or the heart shape on the cupcake.
Layer for the Frosty Look: Start with a dab of buttercream to hold the cupcake in place if you’re working on a cookie sheet or acetate sheet—this helps keep things steady during the decorating process.
Shape the Penguin’s Wings: Smooth and spread leftover pink buttercream with a clean spatula to create soft, rounded wings on each cupcake.
Pro Tips for Perfect Penguin Cupcakes
- Chill the Buttercream: Cold buttercream holds its shape better during the decorating process, especially for small details like the eyes of the penguin or the penguin’s wings.
- Use Fondant for Details: If you want an extra polished look, opt for white fondant to create smooth accents, like the top of the penguin or its round belly.
- Add a Little Sparkle: Dust the finished cupcakes with edible glitter for that magical wintery feel (because who doesn’t love a little sparkle?).
- Store Them Right: Keep your cupcakes in an airtight container to maintain freshness. They’ll stay moist and picture-perfect for days!
Why These Cupcakes Are Perfect for a Winter-Themed Party
From a winter wonderland gathering to a fun ice cream social, these cupcakes are the centerpiece your dessert table deserves. The frosty look and red colors make them as fitting for the holiday season as they are for a mid-year celebration. Bonus? Kids and adults alike will have a blast decorating their cute penguin cupcakes.
These cupcakes are Instagram-ready right out of the gate. Their whimsical design and pops of color will have everyone snapping photos before they dig in. Serve them on a platter lined with parchment paper or a cookie sheet for a rustic, cozy vibe.
So, if you’re ready to level up your cupcake game and add a bit of frosty fun to your day, these Pink Penguin Heart Cupcakes are the perfect choice. Gather your ingredients, grab your piping bags, and let the decorating magic begin! Adorable cupcakes that taste as good as they look? That’s a win in our book.
Pink Penguin Cupcake Recipe
These red heart penguin cupcakes are easy to make and are perfect for Valentine's day parties.
Ingredients
- 6 Cupcakes (Any Flavor, Mine are Strawberry)
- 10 Ounce of Buttercream
- Pink Food Gel Color
- Orange Food Gel Color
- White Food Gel Color
- Red Heart Sprinkles
- Black Sprinkles
- Edible Glitter
Instructions
- Grab 3 bowls. Put half the buttercream in one bowl (5 ounces) and a little over a quarter in the second bowl (3 ounces). Place the remaining buttercream in the third bowl (2 ounces).
- In the first bowl, add 2-3 drops of pink gel color and mix to make the buttercream pink. Add 1-2 drops of white food gel color in the second bowl, and in the third bowl, add 1-2 drops of orange food gel color. Then, mix the buttercream in each bowl until they match the color of the food coloring.
- Put each color of buttercream into its own piping bag.
- Cut a medium-sized hole into the tip of the pink bag of buttercream.
- Pipe the pink buttercream on top of the cupcake. Be sure not to leave any gaps.
- Get a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper.
- Place the cupcakes upside down on the parchment paper. Lightly smash the cupcakes down so the tops will be flat.
- Put the cupcakes in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- When you take the cupcakes out of the fridge, place them right side up, then take the heart cookie cutter and lightly press it into the buttercream to create the penguin’s center.
- Cut a medium-sized hole in the tip of the white icing. Pipe a thin layer of the white buttercream along the outline of the heart shape and fill it in.
- Place the cupcakes upside down on the parchment and put them back in the fridge for 10 mins.
- Take the cupcakes out of the fridge and turn them upside down.
- Using your hand or tweezers, place two black bead sprinkles at the top of the white area to represent the eyes of the penguin.
- Cut a small hole in the orange bag of the buttercream. Use it to pipe a triangle below the eyes for the penguin’s beak.
- Using the same orange buttercream, pipe mini heart shapes at the bottom of the cupcake to be the penguin’s feet.
- Use a spatula to smooth out the beak and feet.
- Put one red heart sprinkle between the penguin's beak and feet.
- With the leftover pink buttercream, pipe a line of icing from the heart to the end of the cupcake to create the penguin’s wings. Do the same on the other side. Use a clean spatula to smooth out the wings.
- Spray the penguins with edible glitter for a frosty look.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
-The white gel color is important because it help stops the pink and red colors from bleeding into the white buttercream.
-These cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. After defrosting, the colors may bleed into each other.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 522Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 265mgCarbohydrates: 73gFiber: 2gSugar: 61gProtein: 3g
