Our Best Cupcake Recipes

We love cupcakes, and these are our best recipes yet! Perfect for sharing with friends and family, these delicious cupcake recipes -- including vanilla, chocolate, luscious red velvet, and salted caramel -- will get rave reviews. Bonus: Homemade cupcake frosting recipes are included, too!
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Black-and-White Irish Cream Cupcakes

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Chocolate ganache and icing laced with Irish cream liqueur top these spongy black-and-white cupcakes. To create the marbled look, spoon a little icing over the ganache, then use a wooden skewer or toothpick to gently swirl the two together.

Cupcake recipes tip: Make your own cupcake liners with parchment paper or waxed paper. To start, cut out 6-inch squares of your paper. Press one paper square at a time into a muffin cup so the paper forms a flat bottom. Press the folds in the paper flat against the sides of the cup to create pleats.

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Lemon-Poppyseed Cupcakes

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Simple yet elegant, these tender pastries take the cake! Mirror the zesty flavor in these treats with a light lemon glaze and lemon peel garnish.

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Mascarpone Cream Filling

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Take pumpkin beyond the pie -- with its smooth texture and warm, mellow flavor, this earthy squash shines in this delicious cupcake recipe. A spiced mascarpone frosting and crystallized ginger add a kick to the cupcakes, proving they are worthy as a year-round indulgence.

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Lavender-Honey Cupcakes

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Fall in love with this soft and sophisticated lavender cupcake confection sweetened with a touch of honey. A simple basket-weave design heightens the allure of this cupcake recipe.

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Choco-Zucchini Cupcakes

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Hide the healthy! The peanut butter frosting and dark chocolate in these cupcakes are enhanced with shredded zucchini. An extra bonus? The zucchini keeps the cupcakes moist.

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Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Filling and Mascarpone Frosting

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Hello, comfort food! When filled with white chocolate and topped with a luscious mascarpone frosting, this red velvet cupcake recipe is sure to make you swoon.

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Hazelnut Creme Brulee Cupcakes

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For a sophisticated cupcake reminiscent of classic creme brulee, try our elegant hazelnut liqueur-infused confection. Top with buttercream frosting and a drizzle of caramelized sugar to finish.

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Orange Cream Pop Cupcakes

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Zesty orange and creamy cheesecake flavors echo the sweet pleasures of summer in this youthful treat. The best part? This cupcake recipe starts with boxed cake mix, which saves you time.

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Fresh Rosemary and Lemon Cupcakes

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For a double dose of refreshing lemon flavor, look no further. Both the cake and the glaze topping in this rosemary-infused cupcake dessert feature the citrus fruit.

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Vanilla Bean-Coconut Cupcakes

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Toasted coconut flakes and our scrumptious vanilla-coconut frosting add elegance to a simple vanilla cupcake recipe for a new take on an old favorite.

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Chai Breakfast Cupcakes

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Think outside the cup with these breakfast cupcakes that taste like your favorite morning sweetened tea. Full of spices -- ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg -- chai flavoring takes baked goods to the next level.

Cupcake frosting tip: Instead of a pastry bag, place frosting in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and snip off a corner.

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Spiked Raspberry-Lemonade Cupcakes

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Take your childhood lemonade stand into adulthood: With raspberry liqueur-spiked frosting, these lemonade cakes make a refreshing dessert.

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Plain Jane Lets Loose Cupcakes

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Up the impact of this easy cupcake recipe with a fluffy chocolate liqueur-laced frosting. Garnish with a single berry for added effect.

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Grasshopper Cupcakes

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Fluffy creme de menthe frosting and a chocolate candy top this scrumptious chocolate-mint cupcake.

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Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

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Just as delicious as the breakfast favorite (but much easier to make), these cupcakes have a sweet filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

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Lemon Drop Cupcakes

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Lemon zest, lemon liqueur, and crushed lemon drop candies infuse these citrusy cupcakes with bright flavor. Glazed lemon slices make a pretty finishing touch.

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Cherry-Almond Vanilla Cupcakes

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Pair moist vanilla cake with the irresistible flavors of cherry and almond for a splurgeworthy dessert.

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Chocolate Cupcakes with a Kick

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Chipotle spices add a subtle kick to these luscious cupcakes, while coffee crystals enhance their chocolaty goodness for a multilayer decadent dessert.

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Jelly-Filled Doughnut Cupcakes

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Pick your pleasure with these delicious cupcakes -- any jelly, jam, marmalade, or fruit curd can serve as the filling. Simply fill each cupcake until visible on top, then sift with powdered sugar.

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Peanut Butter-Chocolate Twist Cupcakes

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Two classics -- chocolate and peanut butter -- come together with creamy frosting and a rich candy topper to make this tasty treat.

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Chocolate-Filled Sweet Potato Cupcakes

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Use these cupcakes as the finishing touch for a buffet, or make a batch for the weekend. Sweet potato gives the batter beautiful color and helps these treats stay moist. Chocolate filling adds a surprise in every cake.

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Salted Caramel-Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes

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Looking for the ultimate decadent indulgence? These cupcakes feature sea salt, caramel, chocolate, and bourbon, making them perfect for when you want to spoil yourself. 

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Red Velvet Raspberry Cupcakes

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The sweet-tart addition of fluffy cream cheese-raspberry frosting makes rich red velvet cupcakes even more irresistible.

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Simple White Cupcakes with Creamy Frosting

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These classic vanilla cupcakes are perfect for the days when you're craving a simpler dessert. The buttermilk in this recipe makes these cupcakes extra moist.

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Mochaccino Cupcakes

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Coffee buttercream makes a luscious topper for cinnamon-spiced chocolaty cupcakes. For a flair of fun, top with creme-filled rolled wafers, such as Pirouettes.

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Lemon Meringue Pie Cupcakes

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A generous spoonful of airy meringue topping makes these mini cakes taste just like your favorite lemon meringue pie.

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Triple-Chocolate Cupcakes

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Perfect for the chocolate-lover in you, these indulgent cupcakes are laced with chocolate liqueur and topped with billows of dark chocolate butter frosting.

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Island Bananas Foster Cupcakes

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An irresistible topping of bananas, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon gives these coconut cupcakes a taste of the tropics.

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German Chocolate Cupcakes

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Rich cupcakes are topped with creamy chocolate-pecan ice cream, caramel sauce, and toasted coconut.

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