Mickey Mouse Cupcakes with Mickey inside
Mickey was everywhere, even honeymooners donned Mickey Mouse hats with veils. It was Disney World after all, but I still did not expect the level of devotion that the adults had for the Disney characters. These cupcakes are a tribute to our time spent at Disney World and to all those Mickey Mouse LOVERS! It does not matter from which side you bite into these cupcakes, Mickey Mouse is there to suprise and delight the little and big kids alike.
Dark Brownie Mixture for Mickey on Inside
(you only need half of this recipe but I make the whole amount and let the kids have some).
1 cup or 220g (7.76 ounces) butter
2 1/4 cups or 490g (17.28 ounces) sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups or 240g (8.47 ounces) plain flour
1 1/4 cups or 150g (5.29 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp instant coffee powder (optional)
1 Tbsp vanilla (optional)
Preheat oven to 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Melt the butter, allow to cool then add the sugar and eggs and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Spoon into a 17.5cm (6.89 inches) x 27cm (10.63 inches) tin and spread to the edges. Bake for approx 20-30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean, try not to over bake them.
To make the brownie ‘paste’ crumble the brownies into a bowl (remember that you only need half the brownies if you made the full recipe). Add 1/2 cup of vanilla cake batter and 1/4 cup of water and stir well. If it is still very dry and crumbly, this will be the case if the brownies were a little over baked, then you may need to add up to another 1/2 cup vanilla batter and 1/4 cup water. Once you have a moldable paste you can make your mickey shapes (see video below).
Mickey Shapes
Crumble the brownies into a bowl. Add the vanilla cake batter and 1/4 cup of water and stir well. If it is still very dry and crumbly, this will be the case if the brownies were a little over baked, then you may need to add extra cake batter and water until you have a thick shapeable ‘dough’.
Take 2 teaspoons of mixture and roll into a ball. Using another 3 teaspoons of mixture roll a snake that is 9cm (3.54 inches) (3.5”) long and join the two ends to make a donut shape. Place the donut on top of the ball like a crown. The mixture is quite sticky so use wet hands to make it easier to work with. Repeat to make 12.
Vanilla Cake Cupcake Recipe
(this recipe has been updated to give a softer, yummier cupcake)
(makes 12 cupcakes)
6 Tbsp or 80g (2.82 ounces) butter or margarine at room temperature
1 1/2 cups or 330g (11.64 ounces) sugar
2 cups or 320g (11.29 ounces) flour
3 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup or 250mL (8.45 fluid ounces) full cream milk (4% fat)
1 tsp vanilla essence
Place the butter and dry ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Place the wet ingredients in another bowl and beat with a fork until well combined.
Add half of the wet mix into the crumb mix and beat for 30 seconds with the electric mixer on slow speed, add the remaining wet ingredients and mix for a further 30 seconds or until just combined (do not over mix).
Put a spoon of cake mixture into the bottom of 12 cupcake cases. Add a 3D mickey brownie shape (watch the video below for a demonstration of how to make these) then top with more cupcake mixture. Bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes at 180C (356 degrees Fahrenheit).
Frost with buttercream (click to open the buttercream recipes and flavors post). Top with your mickey logo chocolate decorations (these are demonstrated in the video for info on how to temper chocolate and what chocolate to use click here).
2013
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What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?
Hi Aayushi, Sometimes today there doesn’t seem to be much difference between these. Traditionally a muffin can be savoury or sweet, has a dnser texture and uses a slightly different method to create it. Muffins also use less fat or oil so are seen as a ‘healthier’ option Cupcakes are usually sweet and have a light cakey texture that is achieved by creaming the butter and sugar first.
Everyone loved them =) Thank you
They look yum Rita!
Can you use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence?
Yes you can.
Just made these cupcakes, worked out amazing! Real easy and soo yummy 🙂
Hi Ann,
I’m just wondering if the cupcakes can be made ahead of time and frozen for a couple of days?
Thank you
Hi Tymanda, Cupcakes are always better fresh. While you potentially could freeze them it really isn’t adviseable.
How can I change vanilla cupcake with banana cupcakes? And will that taste good for my 1 yr boy’s birthday party?
Hi ! I hope i get a response i have a question can i use red velevet cake instead of the vanilla cake? will the mickey be less noticable? please and thank you. Love your videos and recipies thank you for sharing!
I Maggie, you could but Mickey would be much harder to see. For good effect use the vanilla cake.
Hi what if i want a white mickey inside a brown cupcake( or any other colour cup cake ).In essence i want to know can i leave out the coco powder in the bownie mixture
Hi Deserene, Yes you could replace the cocoa powder with flour, though it won’t taste as good!
Hola, buenos días!
Mil felicidades por tu receta, super ingeniosa, ya la hice y me quedaron riquísimos los cupcake de Mickey Mouse,
Gracias Elizabeth!
what happens if I don’t put baking powder?? Is it okay not to put baking powder??
Hi Elly, If you leave out the baking powder the cake will be flat and heavy. It will not rise.
Hey… Ann I love Your All Videos… I Have one request For you Can you make A Oreo Cake In Microwave Or An Eggless Cake In Microwave Or Eggless Chocolate Cake In Microwave… I love your All videos…. I Watch your Ferrero Rocher Recipe About 100,000 Times…. Regards From Saudia Arabia……
Made these for my nieces 2nd birthday last weekend.
Loved them, thanks for the recipe and the video to follow.
These look good too Hay. Well done.
Thank you soo much ! So easy and came out great for my mom’s birthday !
can you use vanilla extract instead of vanilla essence?
Thank You!
Will chocolate cake work instead of brownie mix?
Hi Tracey, You could potentially use cake. Here is a recipe that Ann has done that uses cake for the insert shape or figure: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/heart-cupcake/ . The great thing about using brownie mixture in this recipe is that it holds its shape well.
Thank you for the response. I tested the chocolate cake last night and when I tried to make the “ring/circle/ears” part, the cake kept breaking. So I think I’ll stick with the brownies. Thanks again!
Made mini versions so the center shape was a bit trickier, but I’m still really proud of how they came out. The recipe above made 45 mini cupcakes, and I made 3/4 of the brownie recipe which was WAY too much, probably could have done a quarter and been fine. Couldn’t be bothered with the chocolate tops so I just used mini Oreos to make Mickey ears 🙂
They look great. Well done Kismet.
Hi Ann I love your recipes!
I was just wondering, if you want to make the cupcakes without the brownies (so just plain cupcakes) do you still follow the same procedures and bake the cupcakes at 15 minutes at 180C ?
Yes Julie, That is correct.
These cupcakes are so cool!
My aunt loves Disney, so I’m making these for her birthday.
(the brownies are baking in the oven as I type this 🙂 )
Im about to make these for my 4th period culinary class today and i want to know if the recipe you put is for just 12 or how many is the full recipe ? You put that you only need half but if the amounts you put for the full or the half. I need to make 24 cupcakes
Hi Vanessa, The mixture makes 12 cupcakes. The Brownie mixture will make enough for 24 cupcakes, so to make 24 complete cupcakes, just double the vanilla Cake Cupcake quantities.
Very good idea for party save money very good