Circus Animal Cookie Cupcakes
Fluffy white cupcakes filled with creamy animal cookie-speckled filling, topped with a pink and white ruffly swirl of buttercream and crowned with my all-time favorite cookie!
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt (I used vanilla-flavored)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup buttermilk*
Filling:
- 2 teaspoons hot water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- ½ cup crushed Frosted Circus Animal Cookies (about 20 cookies)
Buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 6 Tablespoons heavy cream
For Assembly:
- Frosted Circus Animal cookies
- Nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the Greek yogurt, and vanilla on medium speed.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add the buttermilk and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 19-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Filling:
- Combine the hot water and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Let mixture cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the marshmallow creme and the butter until combined. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and almond extract and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the salt solution to the mixture and mix until combined. Stir in the crushed cookies, then transfer filling to a ziploc bag and cut the tip off.
Make the Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt together on high until fluffy and pale in color, about 5-6 minutes. Decrease speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and heavy cream and beat until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Divide the buttercream in half, and dye one half pink. Transfer each color into their own separate pastry bags, tie the ends closed with a rubber band, snip off the tips, then place both into another pastry bag fitted with a piping tip (see photo above).
To Assemble:
- Using a paring/small knife, cut a cone-shaped piece of cake out of the center of each cupcake (see photo above). Pipe the filling into each cupcake hole. Top each cupcake with a swirl of buttercream, a spattering of sprinkles, and a frosted circus animal cookie.
Notes
*If you don’t have buttermilk, just add 1/2 Tablespoon (or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons) of vinegar to a measuring cup, then pour in enough milk to equal 1/2 cup. Stir, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.