Preheat your oven to 350°. This temperature is perfect for allowing the cupcakes to rise beautifully and bake evenly. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and set aside, making sure they’re ready for the delicious batter!
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together ½ Cup Vegetable Oil, 1/2 Cup Warm Coffee, 1 Large Egg, and 1 ½ Teaspoon Vanilla until the mixture is well combined. The warm coffee will help the flavors meld together beautifully!
In a separate medium bowl, sift together 1 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 6 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda, and ½ Teaspoon Salt. This ensures that the dry ingredients are well mixed, preventing lumps in your batter.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, gently whisking until fully combined. Be careful not to overmix; you want to keep that light and airy texture!
Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling each cupcake liner about 2/3 of the way full. This gives them enough room to rise without overflowing. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed. The aroma that fills your kitchen will be heavenly!
Once baked, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely in the pan. This is crucial for ensuring the frosting doesn’t melt when applied!
While your cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a mixer, add 1 Cup Unsalted Butter. Use the paddle attachment to beat the butter for 1 to 2 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. The texture should be fluffy and light—just what we want for frosting!
Gradually add 4 Cups Powdered Sugar on low speed, allowing most of the sugar to absorb before increasing to medium-high speed. You may need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to incorporate everything. After mixing for 2 to 3 minutes, add 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract and ½ Teaspoon Salt, beating until the frosting is well mixed.
Add 3 Tablespoons Milk one tablespoon at a time, mixing to achieve your desired frosting consistency. The frosting should be thick yet spreadable.
Next, separate a small amount of frosting into two bowls. Color one bowl with pink food coloring and the other with black food coloring. This will make your bunnies come to life!
Using a large round piping tip or the end of a piping bag snipped with a wide opening, pipe a large, round dollop of white frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Roll the cupcakes in a bowl of white sprinkles to cover them evenly.
For each cupcake, take a mini marshmallow and cut it in half. Press the cut side onto the bottom half of the frosting to create the bunny's nose. Use the black frosting to pipe two eyes above the nose, making them as cute as can be!
To create the ears, cut one large marshmallow diagonally. Dip the sticky cut sides into Pink Sanding Sugar and then place them on top of the frosting to complete your bunny's look.
Your Bunny Cupcakes are now ready to charm everyone! Serve them at your next gathering and enjoy the delighted reactions!
