Winnie The Pooh Cupcakes
These Winnie the Pooh cupcakes combine soft chocolate sponge, chocolate chips, vanilla buttercream and edible Pooh Bear toppers. They’re a lovely choice for a birthday party or baby shower when you want a themed bake without having to make detailed decorations by hand.
If you’re planning Winnie the Pooh cupcakes for a baby shower, you can match the paper cases and table decorations to your colour scheme. The finished cupcakes also work well alongside other Winnie the Pooh themed food as a smaller alternative to a Winnie the Pooh themed cake.
This recipe makes 12 large cupcakes, although the exact yield will depend on the size of your cases. Don’t overfill them; if you have extra batter, bake an additional cupcake or two.
Rachel's Recipe Pantry contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. If you make a purchase using one of these Amazon links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. See our Disclosure Policy for more information.
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 250g self-raising flour
- 70g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150g caster sugar
- 185ml milk
- 4 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 170ml vegetable oil
- 100g chocolate chips
- 100ml brewed coffee, cooled
- 12 edible Winnie the Pooh wafer or rice paper cupcake toppers
For the vanilla buttercream
- 175g butter, softened
- 350g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
How to Make Winnie the Pooh Cupcakes
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional / 350°F / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, caster sugar, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil and cooled coffee to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix until combined and smooth. The batter will be quite runny.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter between the paper cases. An ice cream scoop or ladle can help you portion it evenly. Leave room for the cakes to rise; bake any extra batter separately rather than filling the cases to the top.
- Bake for around 26 minutes, or until the cupcakes are risen and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Try not to test through a melted chocolate chip.
- Leave the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream and decorate
- Beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar gradually, then beat in the vanilla essence until the buttercream is light and pipeable. If it feels too soft, chill it briefly, then stir before piping.
- Fit a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and fill it with buttercream.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a swirl onto each one, starting at the outside and moving inwards and upwards.
- Add a Winnie the Pooh topper to each cupcake shortly before serving. Wafer and rice paper toppers can soften when they sit on buttercream for too long.
Tips for Winnie the Pooh Themed Cupcakes
- Cool the cakes fully before icing. Buttercream will melt on warm cupcakes.
- Use edible toppers intended for food. Check the packet for ingredients and allergen information, particularly if you’re serving the cupcakes at a party.
- Consider decaf coffee for a children’s party. The coffee brings out the chocolate flavour, but regular coffee adds caffeine.
- Decorate close to serving time. You can bake and ice the cupcakes ahead, then add the toppers at the end to help keep them looking their best.
Winnie The Pooh Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the chocolate cupcakes
- 250 g self-raising flour
- 70 g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150 g caster sugar
- 185 ml milk
- 4 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 170 ml vegetable oil
- 100 g chocolate chips (optional)
- 100 ml brewed coffee (cooled)
- 12 edible Winnie the Pooh wafer or rice paper cupcake toppers
For the vanilla buttercream
- 175 g butter (softened)
- 350 g icing sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional / 350°F / Gas 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, caster sugar, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil and cooled coffee to a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix until combined and smooth. The batter will be quite runny.
- Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter between the paper cases. You will find emptying the mixture into a jug to pour into the paper cases a lot easier. Leave room for the cakes to rise; bake any extra batter separately rather than filling the cases to the top.
- Bake for around 26 minutes, or until the cupcakes are risen and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Try not to test through a melted chocolate chip.
- Leave the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream and decorate
- Beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar gradually, then beat in the vanilla essence until the buttercream is light and pipeable. Add more icing sugar if it feels too soft.
- Fit a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle and fill it with buttercream. Keep in the fridge until your ready to serve the cakes.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, pipe a swirl onto each one, starting at the outside and moving inwards and upwards.
- Add a Winnie the Pooh topper to each cupcake shortly before serving.
Digital Recipe Planner For Food Lovers
Organise every recipe you love in one beautifully designed, fully hyperlinked Digital Recipe Planner Download your copy now!Notes
Tips for Winnie the Pooh Themed Cupcakes
- Cool the cakes fully before icing. Buttercream will melt on warm cupcakes.
- Use edible toppers intended for food. Check the packet for ingredients and allergen information, particularly if you’re serving the cupcakes at a party.
- Consider decaf coffee for a children’s party. The coffee brings out the chocolate flavour, but regular coffee adds caffeine.
- Decorate close to serving time. You can bake and ice the cupcakes ahead, then add the toppers at the end to help keep them looking their best.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can bake the chocolate cupcakes in advance and keep them in an airtight container once completely cool. Pipe the buttercream when you’re ready to decorate, and add the wafer or rice paper toppers shortly before serving.
The coffee is there to complement the chocolate, rather than make these coffee-flavoured cupcakes. If you’re baking for children or prefer to avoid regular coffee, use decaf.
Yes. A platter of decorated cupcakes can be easier to serve than a large cake, especially at a baby shower or children’s party. You could arrange them on a tiered stand to make them the centrepiece of your dessert table.
Keep them in an airtight container in a cool place. If you need to refrigerate them because the room is warm, let the cupcakes come back towards room temperature before serving for softer buttercream. Add the paper toppers at the last minute, as moisture can affect them.