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Baked with Lucky Charms cereal, these Lucky Charms Cupcakes are a creative and tasty St. Patrick’s Day treat.
But to be honest, I love to make them any time of the year!
Like lots of folks, there are days when I could spend hours in the kitchen whipping up something involved and elaborate. Then there are days when I’m pressed for time and need something quick and easy. Even on those latter days, I still want a unique dish I’m proud to share or serve. And obviously, it must taste delicious.
While I’ve posted many such recipes here on IBC, today I’m popping in to share one of those pressed-for-time-but-still-want-something-cute-and-delicious recipes.
Let me introduce my Lucky Charms Cupcakes.
Aren’t they the best?
Although these aren’t St. Patrick’s Day specific, I thought that this was the time to share this recipe because they fit the holiday. Honestly, I could eat Lucky Charms every day of the week. (Even as a 30-something-year-old man, they are still my favorite breakfast cereal.) So why not have Lucky Charms Cupcakes any day of the week?
How to Make Lucky Charms Cupcakes:
As I was saying, this recipe couldn’t get any easier. I’m using a boxed white cake mix. Yep, and I don’t mind one bit. In some instances, I actually prefer boxed mixes, and for this recipe it works really well.
For the cupcakes, you simply follow the directions on the package. Then, when your cake batter is ready, you fold in some Lucky Charms. They bake up very nicely in the batter. The marshmallows melt to create color streaks and the other pieces soften to add a nice texture. I love it.
To top off these cupcakes, I’m using my basic buttercream recipe. It’s simple to do, so take the time to make the frosting from scratch. While I’m cool with using a box cake mix, I’m not cool with using ready-made frosting. The real deal makes a noticeable difference.
For this frosting, I wanted a pale green color. I have a set of the AmeriColor gel food coloring (which I love and recommend). I used the leaf green. To ensure I achieved the right tint, I used a toothpick to add the tiniest amount of color. I think it’s absolutely perfect.
After I piped on the icing with a star tip, I needed a few more Lucky Charms to garnish these cupcakes. I just tucked a dozen or so cereal pieces right into the frosting.
And voila!
Skip the pot of gold. I’ll take a dozen of these at the end of my rainbow.
If you like these colorful treats, you’ll enjoy these too:
- Funfetti Coffee Cake
- Bunny Rice Krispies Treat
- Cake In A Jar
- Surprise-Inside Cupcakes
And yes, they’re magically delicious! (Sorry, I had to.)
I hope you enjoyed this easy and fun recipe. If you like Lucky Charms and cupcakes as much as I do, you’ll definitely want to give these a try. Happy Baking!
Lucky Charms Cupcakes
Baked with Lucky Charms cereal, these Lucky Charms Cupcakes are a creative and tasty St. Patrick’s Day treat.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, cupcakes, dessert, lucky charms, st patrick’s day
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 21 minutes minutes
Total Time: 36 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 cupcakes
Calories: 277kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 1 cup milk
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups Lucky Charms cereal
Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup vegetable shorting (Crisco)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- pinch kosher salt
- 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup milk
- Food coloring optional
- About 2 cups Luck Charms cereal for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
Begin by preparing your cupcakes according to the box directions. For this particular mix, combine the cake mix, milk, eggs whites, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. With your mixer on medium speed, beat for about two minutes. (I used Duncan Hines Classic White Cake mix. I substituted milk for the water and added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Please follow the directions on your particular package.)
With the batter ready, gently fold in 2 cups of Lucky Charms cereal until combined.
Bake the cupcakes for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for about five minutes. Then, remove the cupcakes from the pan to continue cooling.
Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream frosting. In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the vegetable shortening and butter for 3-4 minutes. Flavor with vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Mix to combine. With the mixer on low, begin slowly adding the confectioners’ sugar, about one cup at a time. Slowly add the milk as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Add food coloring to adjust the color.
Use a piping bag and star tip to frost the cooled cupcakes. (Alternatively, you can skip the piping process and use a knife or spatula to frost.) Garnish with Lucky Charms cereal.
Nutrition
Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg
