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!