Bubble Baby Cupcakes are a delightful treat that combine fluffy texture with a burst of sweet, irresistible flavor. These cupcakes are perfect for any occasion, offering a light and airy crumb that melts in your mouth. With just 40 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of baking, you’ll have a batch of these beauties ready to impress in no time.
Each bite is a celebration of soft, pillowy cake paired with a smooth, creamy frosting that’s impossible to resist. The subtle vanilla aroma and delicate sweetness make them a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike. Whether for a party or a cozy afternoon, these cupcakes bring joy with every bite.
Ingredients for Bubble Baby Cupcakes
- Cupcake Batter:
- 3 2/3 cups (19oz/550g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (12oz/360g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (3oz/90g) light brown sugar
- 1 cup (8oz/240g) butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (16floz/480ml) buttermilk (or substitute with milk + 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups (12oz/360g) butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups (12oz/360g) icing sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups (12oz/360g) butter, cubed and cold
- 2 cups (16oz/480g) sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups (1 lb 9oz/750g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Glaze:
- 2 cups (8oz/240g) icing sugar
- Water (add teaspoon by teaspoon as needed)
- Food dye (black and ivory, or yellow/peach/white as desired)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line cupcake tins with wrappers for 16-18 cupcakes.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, both sugars, and salt.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl and set aside.
- In a jug, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Slowly mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir in melted butter at the end. Do not overmix.
- Spoon batter into cupcake wrappers until ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.
- Make the Buttercream Frosting:
- Beat butter with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add sifted powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful on low speed. Beat for 5-6 minutes until light and fluffy. Keep at room temperature for easy piping.
- Prepare the Sugar Cookies:
- In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Whisk eggs and vanilla extract, then add to the food processor. Pulse until dough comes together. Chill for 1 hour.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface and cut out baby faces using a 2.5-inch cutter (or smaller).
- Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.
- Make the Glaze:
- Mix icing sugar with water teaspoon by teaspoon until thick. Divide into two bowls and add food dye (one for skin tone, one for black).
- Spoon skin-colored glaze over cookies for the face. Let set for 30 minutes.
- Transfer black glaze to a piping bag with a tiny hole. Carefully draw baby faces. Let dry for 30 minutes.
- Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Fill two piping bags with buttercream, fitted with different-sized round nozzles.
- Pipe round dots of buttercream around the cupcakes, varying sizes to create bubbles. Pipe some down the cupcake wrappers for an overflowing effect.
- Place a baby face cookie in the center of each cupcake. Add more buttercream bubbles on top of the baby’s head. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Time-Saving Tips for Busy Bakers
To streamline the process, consider preparing the sugar cookie dough a day in advance and chilling it overnight. You can also bake the cupcakes and cookies simultaneously by adjusting the oven racks and monitoring closely. For the buttercream, use a stand mixer to save arm fatigue while achieving that perfect fluffy texture.
Creative Variations to Personalize Your Cupcakes
Experiment with different food dye shades for the glaze to match themes or preferences—pastel pinks, blues, or even ombre effects work beautifully. Swap the vanilla buttercream for cream cheese frosting for a tangy twist. For a fun alternative, use animal-shaped cookie cutters instead of baby faces.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
Store assembled cupcakes at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you need to make them further in advance, freeze the unfrosted cupcakes and cookies separately, then assemble and frost the day of serving. These cupcakes are perfect for baby showers, birthdays, or as a whimsical treat for kids’ parties.
Essential Equipment for Perfect Results
Invest in a good quality piping bag and round nozzles (like Wilton tips #12 and #10) for smooth, consistent bubbles. A food processor makes the cookie dough prep quick and easy, while a silicone baking mat ensures the cookies don’t stick. A small offset spatula can help spread the glaze evenly on the cookies.
Common Questions Answered
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk? Yes, mix 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes. How do I prevent the cookies from spreading? Ensure the dough is well-chilled and work quickly when cutting and transferring. Can I skip the glaze? Absolutely—use edible markers or royal icing for decorating instead.
Bubble Baby Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake recipe
- 3 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 19oz/550g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 12oz/360g
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar 3oz/90g
- 1 cup butter, melted 8oz/240g
- 2 Large egg
- 2 cups buttermilk 16floz/480ml
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups butter, at room temperature 12oz/360g
- 3 cups icing sugar, sifted 12oz/360g
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of Salt
Sugar Cookie recipe
- 1-1/2 cups butter, cubes and cold 12oz/360g
- 2 cups sugar 16oz/480g
- 4 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 lb 9oz/750g
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Glaze
- 2 cups Icing sugar 8oz/240g
- water
- food dye , black and ivory you can also use yellow, peach or leave it white
Instructions
- For the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 35OoF (180oC). Line your cupcake tins with enough for 16-18 cupcakes
- In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, both sugars and salt.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the microwave and set aside.
- In a jug, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
- Slowly mix the wet ingredients into the dry. Towards the end of mixing stir in the melted butter. The batter will be thick. Do not beat or over mix as this will toughen your cake.
- Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake wrappers until ¾ way full.
- Bake for 20-25 or until golden brown. Cupcakes can be made in advance for up to 2 days.
- To make the Buttercream frosting: Using an electric mixer beat the butter for about 4-5 minutes on its own until pale and light and fluffy.
- When pale in color, add the sifted powdered sugar spoonful by spoonful on low speed. This helps make a fluffy frosting too.
- Turn up the speed and beat for 5-6 minutes. It will become very light and fluffy. Keep out at room temperature to make it easy to pipe with.
- For the Sugar Cookie: In a food processor add in the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir a little with a spatula
- Add in the cold butter and blitz for seconds JUST until the mix looks like big bread crumbs
- Whisk together the eggs and vanilla extract. Pour into the food processor and pulse for seconds until the dough comes together, no more. Take care not to over mix. Chill the dough for 1 hour
- Once Chilled roll out some of the dough on a well floured surface
- Cut out the babies faces and transfer them to a baking tray (this is a soft dough so work fast). I used a 21/2 inch cutter but you can use smaller
- Bake at 325oF(160oC) for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- To mix the glaze: add water to the icing sugar teaspoon by teaspoon until you get a thick consistency.
- Divide between 2 bowls and add the food dyes.
- Spoon the skin colour glaze over the cookie for the face. Leave to set for 30 minutes
- Put the black glaze into a piping bag and cut a very tiny hole in the end. Carefully draw on the babies faces. Leave to dry, around 30 minutes.
- To assemble the Bubble Baby Cupcakes: Put the buttercream into 2 piping bags fitter with 2 different size round nozzles.
- Very simply, just pipe normal round dots of the buttercream around the cupcakes. Build them up all over the cupcakes. Go between the 2 different sizes for different sized bubbles. Even pipe them down the cup cake paper to give a look of overflowing bubbles.
- Pop in your babies face in the center. Push it down to make sure it stays still. Top of the baby’s head with some more bubbles. Continue with your other cupcakes. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
