Cue: awwwwwwww!
Today, Eric and I are off to my brothers for a family get together! I wanted to make my niece some birthday cupcakes for an early birthday celebration so I searched Martha Stewart for some Spring Cupcake ideas. It wasn’t long before I came across her super cute Spring Chick Cupcakes!
My heart melted when I saw them. 
And then I saw how easy they are to make and I loved them even more. And no chicks were harmed in the process. Well, except when I stuffed one in my mouth!
You won’t BELIEVE how easy these are to make!
What You’ll Need:
- 3-4 cups sweetened shredded coconut (you want the thick shred)
- 1 batch cupcakes
- 1 batch frosting
- Almonds + something black for the eyes (I used cacao nibs). Martha also used red licorice for feet and hair.
Spring Chick Cupcakes
Idea from Martha.
Step 1: Toast about 3-4 cups sweetened coconut at 300F until golden. Remove and set aside. Bake cupcakes (I used my favourite vegan chocolate cupcake recipe) and allow to cool. Once cooled, remove the liner from each.
Step 2: Meanwhile, make the frosting. I used my vegan almond buttercream frosting. Flip cupcake upside down and trim the top so it sits flat on plate. Eat scraps. ;)
Step 3: Frost cupcakes around sides and top. Roll in toasted sweetened coconut and use fingers to cover bare spots.
Step 4: Insert eyes, beak, and feet. I used an almond for the beak and feet and cacao nibs for eyes. See Martha for her suggestions.
These vegan cupcakes always rise so nicely. I had to trim the top a bit so it would lie flat on the plate. I didn’t mind eating the scraps either. :)
Flip the cupcake so the top is on the bottom of plate. Frost sides and top.
Roll in toasted and sweetened coconut (thick shreds) and then garnish with a beak, eyes, and feet.
I can’t handle how cute these are! And I really can’t look at them without laughing. They are a bit homely looking and I love them for that.
They would be really fun to make with kids for Easter too.
Some of you were asking how my back is doing so I thought I would give a little update. My sciatic nerve is feeling about 80-90% better after two massage therapy sessions. I am also keeping up with stretching, ab planks, and yoga. For my cardio, I have been doing the elliptical 5-6 days a week and also light weight lifting a couple times a week. I am hoping to try running sometime this week to see if I have any pain.
My RMT recommended that I pick up a stability ball to use as a deck chair because my posture is so poor and I always get a ton of shoulder pain. Anyone use one at a desk? Hopefully it helps. :)
Have a great Saturday!
{ 133 comments… read them below or add one }
Those are SO going on Cute Food Saturday!!!!!
Thanks mara!
Those are adorable!
My mom used to make ladybugs out of cupcakes that same way. Pink frosting, chocolate chips for spots, a large black gumdrop head, and black licorice for antennae.
These are adorable! I bet they would be super cute with a lemon cupcake recipe too! :) (for the yellow). I’m just a chocolate fan myself though! Yummy!
hi! i am a huge fan, thank you for all that you do and all that you are. i work as a holistic personal coach and am a trained physio therapist, and using the ball as a seat can make it worse if you have instability. i invite you to use it for no more than 20 min a day and focus on lengthening the spine and gently contracting the abdominals (keeping spine long). that trains the supporting core muscles and activates them. they tire out quickly and then wont do their job of stabilizing your back and pelvis and you can end up hurting more. much love, may you heal quickly and may this be an opportunity for rest and growth.
Thanks for your help!
I made your soft pb cookies this morning. Did you know they are on the sidebar of your main page, but not listed on the recipe page?
Also made the salt kissed ones – like those more!
Haha. Those are the cutest things I have ever seen. They may be to cute…i don’t think I could eat them.
Those chicks are adorable!!! I love making food cute like this :)
awwww. so so cute!
How long are you doing the elliptical for? I have a foot injury and can’t run right now, but I don’t know how long to cross train (on my bike trainer) for in order to keep up my endurance. I’d love your advice on it!
It’s best to ask a professional. My doc said I could do the same time as I was running. So about 45 minutes most days I would say.
Those cupcakes are the cutest!! I also laughed so hard when I read your post with the cupcake recipe. I shared that with my husband and he couldn’t stop laughing either. We both agreed we would definitely eat them though!
I also heard stability balls don’t really help that much with posture. I have a lot of shoulder pain because of bad posture and recently switched to a standing workstation. My chair is still nearby (back removed) for the occasional sit down and it’s helping, it did take a week for the pain to noticeably reduce, I hope it continues! And I hope you find some relief too:)
a standing work station sounds right up my alley!!! What do you use for a desK?
It’s makeshift- I just got a spare shelf and raised it with a few boxes- there’s a pic in this blog post http://peskyrunner.blogspot.com/2011/03/helloo-vitality.html
Luckily I am usually in my office on my own (I share an office with a head of lab who is always in and out) so I can stretch, stand feet wide apart and/or shift about from foot to foot without getting funny looks. Initially my colleagues thought it was a bit weird but my overall boss thinks it’s a great idea and is thinking of doing it herself!
thank you! I will have to look into this :)
SOOOO cute :D
Glad to hear your back is doing better !! Injuries are NO FUN. I’m finally working with a PT on mine… only took me a month ;P …but I think I’m finally heading in the right direction. Who knew I’d need to REST it. lol. …and that the definition of resting is to NOT use it. Sometimes I just need a professional to break it all down for me.
Homely looking, LMAO!! Cuuuuuuuuutest cupcakes everrrr!! Your niece will love them! Those are the most perfect looking vegan cupcakes I’ve ever seen. I remember the last time you posted them and was astonished at how well they rose. I need to check that recipe out and make a vanilla version. With cake, I’m all about the vanilla! :) Have a lovely weekend!! xo
thanks!
I tried this recipe making vanilla…I took out the cocoa powder…and it was a flop. then I tried replacing the cocoa powder with more flour and it was a flop too. very dense result. Boo! I’m working on it…I’ll maybe do a hybrid of the VCTOTW and this one perhaps!
Those cupcakes are too cute for words! “Aw…” was the first thought that popped into my head :-)
Here’s link to stability ball chairs – they actually are used as office chairs, but maybe something like this would be helpful. I’ve heard they’re great for core strength and posture, but I’ve never used one myself. http://swissballstore.com/exerciseballofficechair/
omg. that is just the most adorable cupcake ever!
Awwwwwww!
sooo incredibly cute! I have to make this next week for sure. :)
Thanks!
Good luck with the stability ball, I think it would help in my opinion. :)
OH NO! These are the cutest cupcakes ever…..and I’ve given up desserts for Lent! Easter can’t come soon enough for me. What was I thinking?
These are awesome! I just made cupcakes today with my sister and we were talking about how we have to make cupcakes in a few weeks for easter – now we have our idea!!!
These are Soooo flippin’ adorable and I love the little plates you served them on!! So cute!! :)
These are soooo cute, Angela!
I love them and cute ideas like this…these would be a major hit with my 4 year old :)
Stability ball…yes, get one! When I was pregnant and had the worst back pain, sciatica, pelvis and bones shifting, hurt to even think straight…the stability ball and sitting on it was the best. It can’t hurt and you may find tremendous relief…I say try it, for sure! I use it now to do all kinds of crunches, curls, pilates/yoga/weightlifting moves, too.
I featured your Back On Track Salad today, too :)
thanks Averie! :)
Oh my gosh that is SO cute!! I actually did the “aww” before you even cued it! Haha.
I made cupcakes today too but they were nowhere near as adorable as yours!
oh wow. these are so adorable I almost wouldn’t want to eat one. Almost.
These are way too cute!!!
These are adorable!!!!!!!! About the stability ball – I’ll email you about one my co-worker has. I was thinking about getting one too and might make the switch as I’ve had a lot of back pain lately and I figure it can only help! :)
I have used a stability ball before as a chair…partially because I have bad posture and partially because…..its FUN! I definitely think it would help you out! And those cupcakes are adorable btw! I once made cupcakes with dog faces on them….they turned out so cute!
OMG these are so cute. I don’t know why, but I’m just obsessed with the last picture! Its like the little chick looks sad or something lol
So cute!!! <3 <3
Love the cupcakes! I’ll definitely be making these for the kids.
My hubby has had a lot of similar back issues as you. He tried the stability ball, and that helped a little, but what made a much bigger difference was getting a standing desk. We just got one from Ikea and that helped him a ton. Good luck!
Yuppp. Literally just “awwwwed”
Definitely making these with my niece one day!
Awwww! Those are the cutest things ever!!
Hope your back is ok! I have a little lower back problems myself. I stand all day at work and I probably slouch without knowing it.
These are SO adorable.
I bet you could make little sheep ones too! SHeep are my favourite animals.
OMG those are so cute they make me want to cry! Haha. Gotta make these for my friends for Easter :)
OH my. Those are beyond cute!
These are so cute and creative. I got dragged into Lowe’s with my boyfriend today, but saw a cupcake book while I was there. It had the cutest cupcake ideas ever! Some of them were so involved though, I like ideas like yours that are very simple…but cute!
These are just too much! They make me giggle when I look at them! :)
These are so cute! I love that you used cacao nibs for eyes–very creative!
A stability ball is an amazing change to sitting on a chair. I have one in my classroom and my students and I both use them. It is a great way to eliminate low back pain by strengthening the core area. Highly recommended :)
those are sooo cute!! What a creative idea. I have a cupcake decorating book and the ideas in there are all so awesome…I’m not sure who can make up all of the creations, but they are super talented. Your cupcakes came out adorable…Im definietly going to have to try out this cupcake recipe too!
I’m actually just starting to get used to using a stability ball at my desk. It does take some time to get used to and it depends upon the height of the desk too – but it’s an excellent way to strengthen your core and spine (it’s like sneaking in a workout!) while you check your email and update your blog. My advice (from one massage therapist to another therapist’s wise words): Doooooo it! :)
Thanks for the cupcake recipe. Do you think the shredded coconut will taste great with banana cupcakes?
Of course, take your time and advise caution when you ease yourself into using a stability ball.