Springtime is the perfect time to learn about caterpillars and butterflies. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is the sweetest story of hope. We created a cupcake caterpillar using his book and art as inspiration. The vanilla cupcake recipe below is doubled. It will make about 30 cupcakes and one small mini-cake for the caterpillar’s head.
| The Very Hungry Caterpillar Cupcakes | Print |
Ingredients
- 3½ cups cake flour
- 1½ tsp. baking powder
- 1½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 egg whites
- 6 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- Frosting-6 cups powdered sugar
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 4 tsp. vanilla
- Milk
- Black and green fondant
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a larger bowl, beat butter until creamy, add sugar and beat well.
- Add egg whites, then vanilla.
- Add sour cream, beating until combined.
- Add dry ingredients, ⅓ at a time, alternating with milk.
- Mix well, scraping sides of bowl.
- Fill cupcake liners ⅔ way full.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Makes about 30 cupcakes.
- Frosting- Cream butter (softened but not melted), and 3 cups powdered sugar.
- Add vanilla, beat well.
- Alternate adding rest of powdered sugar with a little milk, beating until consistency to frost.
- Spoon about ¼ of the frosting in a small bowl and mix with red food coloring for the head.
- Add green food coloring to the rest of the frosting for the body of the caterpillar.
- Using a 1M tip frost the cupcakes and add sprinkles if desired.
- Frost the smaller cake for the caterpillar head.
- Roll out green fondant and cut to make eyes and nose, black fondant for antennae and feet.
- Squeeze a small amount of yellow Decorators frosting for the eyes and add the green fondant eyes.
- Add antennae and feet!
Notes
Optional- For the sun, frost a pancake with orange and yellow Decorating Icing. Use a pastry brush to paint the sun.
They are adorable. You had me at two sticks of butter!
Everything you bake is so creative…love it!
Delightful as always! Thanks for sharing your talent. God bless!
OMG – Everything you do is so cute and creative! Those children are lucky to have you teaching them!
Thank you!