Easy Butterfly Cupcakes

When I was a kid, my grandmother used to make “butterfly cupcakes” for us sometimes.

They were super cute - the top of each cupcake was cut off and split in half. Rather than frosting, the cupcake was topped with really thick pudding - usually lemon.

The top pieces became “wings”, and the whole thing was dusted with powdered sugar.

As a frosting FIEND, I’m a little surprised - looking back - that I was so big on these cupcakes. There’s no frosting!

It’s something I carried through into adulthood, and still make them for friends from time to time. I always think of my grandma when I’m making them, I miss her. While I think of her often, cooking her recipes (Like Gramma’s Potato Salad, her Homemade Perogies Recipe, or ... Mushroom Soup and Eggs on Toast !) definitely brings her memory to the forefront!

While she usually kept to the same format - white cupcake, lemon pudding filling, medium-depth cut - I tend to play a bit more fast and loose with it, depending on my mood.

Customizing your Easy Butterfly Cupcakes

Cupcake Flavour

Sometimes - though rarely - I’ll use something other than vanilla for my cupcake batter. I tend to like the flavour of my vanilla cupcakes with the pudding, though. (See the end of this post for my Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe!)

Additionally, some of the other basic flavours of cake don’t look great as “butterflies”, IMHO. Chocolate or spice cake would be more like moths, I think... and I am not a fan of moths!

Red velvet could work well with a vanilla pudding, but again, I think the red colour is a bit heavy.

Totally personal preference, of course - and likely influenced by what I’m used to - but I like the lighter look of the white based cupcake.

Filling

Pudding

Generally speaking, I prefer the texture of Jello’s “Cook and Serve” filling for making these cupcakes, as they set a bit thicker when the pudding cools fully.

I’ve had a hard time finding it lately, though. Is it no longer a thing in Canada? Was it discontinued? I hope not!

Anyway, that pudding mix tends (tended?) to come in some fairly basic flavours, like coconut, lemon, butterscotch, and chocolate. Of those, I preferred everything but chocolate - again, just for appearance.

That’s not to say I’ve never used chocolate, however:

Between the limited availability of the Cook and Serve variety, and the more narrow availability of flavours, sometimes I’ll make this with instant pudding, just using a little less milk when doing so.

Banana Cream and Pistachio are particularly great as fillings for this!

Frosting

Sometimes, I either don’t want to mess around with pudding, or I just really want FROSTING... as pictured with the cupcakes in this post.

In that case, I go with either

- My Swiss Meringue Buttercream: When I’m feeling indulgent or bougie), or

- My American Buttercream: When I just want a decent hit of sugar, without much effort!

Combination Filling

Sometimes I like to add a surprise filling.

When you cut your top off at a more steep angle - cutting a cone shape into the cupcake base - you can fit more filling.

A bit of pie filling or pudding in that deeper cavity, sealed off with piped frosting is a fun alternative to a single type of filling.

Format

Adjusting the angle of your knife when cutting the top of the cupcake off can vary your end result a bit:

Shallow Cut

A shallow cut - even just slicing the top off, flat - gives you dainty “wings” ... and not much of a cavity for filling. When I do it this way, I find it works better with frosting.

Deeper Cut

A deeper cut - angling the tip of the knife downward and towards the center of the cupcake - gives bulkier “wings”, but also more room for filling.

I like how this style acts more like a cup, so tend to cut a bit deeper when I’m doing a pudding topping, or a combo topping.

Cut Diameter

The diameter of your cut - the size of the piece you cut off the cupcake - affects the size of your “wings”.

Personally, I like to cut fairly close to the edge, leaving only a small lip of the base cupcakes. I like the bigger wings - I’m not fond of tiny “wings” on top, it’s just a proportion / aesthetic thing for me.

Also: The bigger the wings, the more exposed cupcake... more excuse for more frosting / filling!

Decoration

Generally speaking, I like to keep with tradition, and just sift icing sugar over the assembled cupcakes.

SOMETIMES, though, I’ll deviate a bit.

Cupcake sprinkles or coloured sugar can be fun. Cake decorator’s edible glitter can be pretty fabulous, used judiciously!

How to Make Easy Butterfly Cupcakes

Once you’ve made your decisions on cupcake flavour, filling, and general look, you can put your cupcakes together.

These assemble very quickly - a matter of moments, really!

Bake Your Cupcakes

Bake your cupcakes, and allow them to cool to room temperature. My recipe for vanilla cupcakes follows this tutorial, but you can use any cupcake recipe you like - or even a box mix. Whatever works!

Make Your Pudding or Frosting

As I mentioned earlier:

Pudding

Cook and serve is best, just let it cool slightly before using it. You don’t want it molten, but you also don’t want it to cool and set before using it.

If you use instant pudding, just use about ½-2/3 of the milk called for in the directions.

Frosting

I tend to use Swiss Meringue Buttercream or American Buttercream, but you can use whatever recipe you like - or even store bought. Again, whatever works for you!

Cut The Top Off

Using a sharp knife, cut the top off each cupcake.

While you CAN just cut it straight across - especially if it has a decent sized dome - I like to cut in towards the center, angling the knife downward, and cutting a complete circle around each cupcake.

Here’s a video demonstration of the technique, if that doesn’t make sense.

Split your “Wings

Neatly and evenly, cut each cupcake top in half.

Fill or Frost your Butterfly Cupcake

If you’re using pudding or pie filling, carefully spoon it into the center of the cupcake, making sure it won’t overflow.

If you’re using frosting, you can frost in one of 3 ways, listed in order of effort:

Spoon it

Just spoon it on, and use the back of the spoon to shape / swirl the frosting.

Simple Pipe It

Transfer your frosting to a piping bag. Cut the end off the bag - creating an opening at least ½" diameter - and pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake.

Pipe with a Coupler and Tip

If you have some basic cake decorating supplies, fit your piping bag with a coupler and wide tip of your choice - round or star tip.

Fill the bag with frosting, pipe a swirl of frosting on each cupcake.

Set Your Wings In Place

Place a pair of “wings” - cut side down - across the center of a cupcake. Repeat with remaining cupcakes.

Finishing

Using a small, fine strainer, sift some icing sugar over each cupcake.

If you’re using coloured sugar, edible glitter, etc, just carefully sprinkle it over each completed cupcake.

Admire Your Work

Enjoy making my Easy Butterfly Cupcakes!

If you feel like leveling up your butterfly cupcake game, be sure to check out my 3D Monarch Butterfly Cupcakes!

More Cake Recipes!

Looking for more ridiculously delicious cake recipes? As the "Evil Cake Overlord", I've got you covered! (Ps: Check out my instructions for making Marshmallow Fondant, as well!)

Tortes:
B-52 Torte
Bahama Mama Torte
Blood Orange Truffle Torte
Citrus Splendor Torte
Cookies N Cream Cake
Raspberry Tiramisu Torte
Schmoo Torte
Spumoni Cake
Tiger Tail Cake

Bundt, Sheet, & Upside Down Cakes
Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
Brandied Apple Upside Down Cake
Deep N Delicious Cake
French Martini Bundt Cake
French Martini Upside Down Cake
Mango Mojito Upside Down Cake
Pina Colada Bundt Cake
Strawberry Mango Marble Cake

Cupcakes:
3D Monarch Butterfly Cupcakes
Black Velvet Cupcakes
Chai Cupcakes
Easy Butterfly Cupcakes
Fat Elvis Cupcakes
Lynchburg Lemonade Cupcakes
Pink Grapefruit Daiquiri Cupcakes

Fillings, Frostings, & Etc
American Buttercream
Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix
Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
Milk Chocolate Whipped Ganache
Stabilized Whipped Cream
Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Also: I have Cake Decorating Tutorials, and posts about previous Decorated Cakes that I've made.

More Recipes that Remind me of Gramma

Since originally writing this post, my gramma has sadly passed... but her memory lives on.

Here are a few recipes that remind me of her, whether as something she taught me to make, a replica of a retail treat we used to enjoy together, or one of my own recipes that she would request whenever I’d visit, as an adult.

Gramma's Perogies Recipe
Homemade Marshmallow Cones
Homemade Clodhoppers Candy
Puffed Wheat Squares
Honey Dill Dipping Sauce
Paska - Ukrainian Easter Bread
Baking Powder Biscuits
Grandma's Potato Salad
Breakfast of Champions
Mushroom Soup and Eggs on Toast
French Canadian Pea Soup
Beep Drink Recipe
Sponge Toffee