21 Cupcake Recipes Good Enough For Your Pinterest Board

I know what you’re thinking…cupcake recipes are basic, right? But hear me out. Cupcakes don’t have to be boring if you know how to dress them up.

With the right flavor combos and toppings, they can go from simple to seriously extra. So yes, these are the cupcakes worth pinning.

Cupcake Recipes Perfect for Kids & Adults

You can forget plain ol’ chocolate or vanilla here. Instead, we have fun spins like churro cupcakes, piña colada cupcakes, and even jelly donut numbers.

And the flavors? They’re all bringing something a little special to the table that both kids and adults will stump hard for.

1. Cupcakes with Maple Frosting and Candied Bacon

These cupcakes are a sweet ‘n’ savory combo made in breakfasty dessert heaven.

Silky maple frosting + crunchy candied bacon FTW. Nutty brown butter and a little mayo ensure fluffiness and moistness for maximum craveage. Utterly irresistible and perfect for those who know what’s up!

2. Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

Cupcakes made with mayo, you say? Yep, and they’re a secret masterpiece.That creamy goodness makes these guys impossibly soft. With just a few cheapo ingredients, they’re attainable for every human with an oven.

Want fluffy chocolate heaven? Try this weirdness and your life shall be transformed.

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cupcakes

Brownie cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and chocolate drizzle? Welcome to Dessert Heaven, population: YOU.

Rich chocolate meets nutty PB in a combo that’s stupidly easy to make. Your friends will be impressed. Or just make them for yourself. You deserve them more than everyone else anyway.

4. Christmas Wreath Cupcakes

Feeling more “Santa panic” than “Santa baby”? Then you gotta bake these fudgy cupcakes topped with cheery green buttercream.

Throw a white chocolate bow on for some class, and sprinkles for the party. Perfect for that Christmas bake, perfect for gatherings. Now you are holiday-ready.

5. Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes

Cupcakes that remind you of some treat you once enjoyed as a child are a must.

Check out this fluffy vanilla number with a light yet rich frosting and strawberry crunch topping. Even if baking is not your skill, they end up looking pretty enough for Instagram and also delicious as heck!

6. Piña Colada Cupcakes

Tropical flavors are a must, and these cupcakes deliver with a punch of pineapple and coconut. And the texture? SO. MOIST.

Creaming the butter and sugar until fluffy is key to creating the most memorable treat. Top with coconut frosting and you’re ready for any celebration.

7. Mocha Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Let’s get one thing straight: these mocha cupcakes are no joke. Sure, we start with a boxed mix (yay, easy!), but the added cocoa and sour cream make them hyped-up bakery cupcakes. And with salted caramel frosting? Ridiculous.

It’s Chocolate + coffee in a way that beats a Starbucks run.

8. Chocolate Christmas Tree Cupcakes

Meet the cupcake to end all holiday flexes. Chocolate cupcakes with fluffy vanilla buttercream topped with Pocky Christmas trees (!!!).

They’re festive and cute and easy to make, and everyone loves the coconut snowy touch. With just enough sweetness, they won’t send you into insulin shock either, just in case that’s a concern.

9. Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

Homemade chocolate cake. Baked in a cone. MIND. BLOWN. Top with vanilla frosting and sprinkles, and you’ve got a cute treat for any birthday shindig.

Layers of cake and frosting make each bite the perfect mix of flavors and textures you didn’t know you were missing.

10. Gluten Free Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Oreo-lovin’ dreamboats, incoming! These chocolatey bombs are hiding a sneaky lil’ cookie at the bottom and have a cloud of buttercream and cookie crumbles on top.

PS: they’re gluten-free but definitely not taste-free.

11. Grinch Cupcakes with a Heart

If green frosting is festive eye-candy delight then these cupcakes make baking feel like an edible art class. Kids can channel their inner cake artist without stressing about kindergarten-level perfection.

Crowning each is a perky red heart to wave around as holiday cheerleaders. Stash any leftovers for future emergencies.

12. Cinnamon Cupcakes

All hail the cinnamon cupcake, a legendary concoction of moist, tender cake and warm spice flavor. It wears a crown of cream cheese frosting, rallying equal adoration from sugar fiends and spice lovers alike.

Cinnamon sugar tops it all off, causing addictions and repeat bakings across Pinterest.

13. Jelly Donut Cupcakes

Donuts or cupcakes? WHY CHOOSE?! Fluffy, moist, and oozing with fruity jam goodness, these frosted little dudes are literally your best dessert selves.

No dry cake mishaps either. Just sweet, soft, deliciousness in every single bite. No, but really, dearest Dunkin’, who even needs you now?

14. Nutella Cupcakes

Warning: Eat these chocolate cupcakes and achieve nirvana.

Sour cream keeps these Nutella cupcakes moist for days. Oh, and did I mention Nutella in the batter. Nutella in the frosting. EVERYWHERE NUTELLA!

No special equipment required. Just a whisk. And your fabulous self.

15. Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes

Lemon and raspberry didn’t just join forces to improve the taste of these cupcakes; they did it to improve my mood, which they did, spectacularly.

Homemade batter, homemade frosting, bakery-perfect, fresh ingredients…at this point, it’s basically my civic duty to share this recipe with you.

16. Apple Pie Cupcakes

Apple pie, but make it cupcakes? I could cry tears of joy. Just halve the cup of apple pie filling, and in no time, you’ve got perfectly-sized bundles of fall heaven.

Bonus: your kitchen will smell like the coziest place in existence while they bake to golden perfection.

17. Churro Cupcakes

These treats are so moist and flavorful, you’ll swoon like a Vermont farmer who just won pie-baking season.

The batter is thick in the best way, and crushed cereal adds the perfect crunch. Resistance is futile. Two unscientific studies confirm that baking these multiple times makes them go over well.

18. Baileys Cupcakes

These little chocolate syrup-stuffed bundles of joy topped with fluffy Baileys buttercream frosting are perfect for grown-up parties.

They’re super easy to make, next-level amazing, and guaranteed to be the most popular guest at pretty much any event you can think of.

19. Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Cupcakes that taste like a sandwich? YAAAS.

These fluffy PBJ mini-babies are the comfiest treat to walk down Nostalgia Lane in years. And, with cake mix, they’re easy, guaranteed to impress, and they freeze like champs, so you can have them all the time.

20. Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

This is your new winter obsession, a hot chocolate turned cupcake.

This fluffy, moist bad boy is packed with actual cocoa powder and screams WARMTH. A frothy marshmallow head makes every bite rich but not too sweet. Perfect for cozy nights and all of your holiday soirées.

21. Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Cue revelation music! These lil’ wonders are moist, soft, and gasp GOOD FOR YOU. Translation: No empty calorie monsters.

Almond flour and shredded carrots combine forces with pecans for a crunchy party. Every bite’s so rich and tender you feel guilty. But no guilt required! They are, like, GOOP-level healthy.

Not So Boring Cupcake Recipes

I told you these cupcake recipes weren’t boring. They come in every unique flavor under the sun. Perfect for kids’ parties, BBQs, holidays, or random weekday moments.

If you’re baking for a crowd, check out our other sweet recipes (but you can keep the credit).

Cupcake Recipes Perfect for Kids & Adults