Name: Snowball Cupcakes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 175 g Butter or baking spread (softened, unsalted); 175 g Caster sugar; 3 Eggs (large); 1 tbsp Milk; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 25 g Dessicated coconut; 175 g Self raising flour; 200 g Butter (softened, unsalted); 400 g Icing sugar; 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract; 2-3 tbsp Milk; 100 g Baby blue fondant; 75 g Fluff marshmallow spread; 25 g Dessicated coconut; Icing sugar (to dust)

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Have you ever had a real snowball fight? Like the ones you see in the movies? I had one back in my university days that went on for hours, and it was great fun. Nowadays I'd rather fight over who gets the last one of my Snowball Cupcakes! These frosty treats are flavoured with a rather tropical ingredient... coconut! It resembles snow perfectly so it had to be part of these Snowball Cupcakes. As did marshmallow fluff, which is a yummy American gooey marshmallow spread that you'll find in the centre of the cupcakes. Making the snowflake shapes was so easy too with the help of a fondant cutter. The Snowball Cupcakes would also be great for a Disney's Frozen themed party!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure all your ingredients (particularly the butter and eggs) are at room temperature before you start baking.
I used a baking spread for the cupcakes and unsalted butter for the buttercream.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Snowball Cupcakes

I started by making the snowflake decorations. I got some baby blue fondant and rolled it out, then I cut out snowflake shapes using a cutter. You can find links to the cutters I used at the end of the post. I creamed together the butter and sugar until smooth. Then I added the eggs, vanilla, coconut and self raising flour.

I divided the mixture between 12 baby blue cupcake cases. They baked for 20 minutes until then were golden brown. I left them to cool completely.

Using a cupcake corer, I made holes in the middle of each cake.

I filled each hole with marshmallow fluff, which is an amazing spread that is basically like the gooey middle of a hot marshmallow! Find it in Sainsburys, and other supermarkets in the American section. To decorate the snowball cupcakes I made a vanilla buttercream, then piped it on using a circular nozzle. I dipped the edges in dessicated coconut, then added the snowflake shapes.

How long do the cupcakes last for and can they be frozen?

The cupcakes will last for 2-3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cupcakes and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cupcakes well in cling film or put them in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze them decorated, freeze the cupcakes on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the clingfilm when you take the cupcakes out of the freezer to defrost, as if they defrost with it still on it could damage the appearance of the buttercream.

Can you make the cupcakes with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. So for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Can the cupcakes be made gluten or dairy free?

Yes! For gluten free you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour, so for this recipe you'd need to add 1 + ½ teaspoons baking powder. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture. For a dairy free version, use a dairy free baking spread and dairy free milk for the cupcakes and the buttercream. Please check the labels of everything you use if serving to someone with an allergy or intolerance.

Do you need an electric mixer to make this recipe?

While you can absolutely make this recipe with a wooden spoon and some elbow grease, I do recommend using an electric mixer for the best results. The cupcakes will be lighter and fluffier when made with an electric mixer. The buttercream will also be smoother. You don't have to use an expensive stand mixer either, you can get electric hand whisks for as little as £10!

More tips for making the Snowball Cupcakes

If you can't find baby blue cupcake cases, you could also use white ones.
The snowflake cutters are really cheap, easy to use and create such a pretty effect.
If you don't want to pipe the icing on, just spread it on with a spoon.
You can also use a knife to cut out the holes in the cupcakes if you don't have a cupcake corer.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

Recommended equipment & ingredients*

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