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Cupcakes

Love Bug Cupcakes

Need a sweet idea for a Valentine's Day treat to make the people in your life feel extra-special? Grab your little ones and make this Love Bug Cupcakes recipe! Decorate them with pink, white and red frosting, then top with HERSHEY'S KISSES Candies and JOLLY RANCHER Heart Shaped Lollipops. Get creative and decorate your love bugs however you please, with whatever sweets you have on hand! Best of all, these Love Bug Cupcakes are kid-friendly and great for classroom parties.

For more Valentine's Day kitchen inspiration, discover more Valentine's Day Dessert Recipes to Adore.

Ingredients & Directions

Yields:
30 cupcakes
Prep:
1 Hr. 10 Min.
Bake:
20 Min.
Total:

BAKE MODE:

Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake.

Ingredients

  • HERSHEY'S Milk Chocolate Hearts or REESE'S Peanut Butter Filled Hearts
  • JOLLY RANCHER Heart-Shaped Lollipops
  • 1 can
    ready-to-spread vanilla frosting or your favorite homemade frosting (about 16 oz)
  • HERSHEY'S Red Velvet Cupcakes
  • 1/2 cup
    butter or margarine, (1 stick) softened
  • 1-1/2 cups
    sugar
  • 2
    eggs
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 1 cup
    buttermilk or sour milk*
  • 2 Tbsps
    red food color (one 1 oz bottle)
  • 2 cups
    all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1-1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp
    white vinegar
READY TO MAKE THIS?
You'll Need 
2-1/2 Inch Muffin Cup Tin
Muffin Cups
Oven
Mixing Bowl
Mixer
Wire Rack
Bowls
Pastry Bag with Tip

Directions

Tip

To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.

HERSHEY'S Red Velvet Cupcakes:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper or foil baking cups.
  2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl; add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Stir together buttermilk and food color. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; add alternately to butter mixture with buttermilk mixture, mixing well. Stir in baking soda and vinegar. Fill muffin cups about 1/2 full with batter.
  3. Bake about 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost as desired.
Royal Icing: Stir together 2-1/4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons warm water and 1 tablespoon pasteurized dried egg whites (meringue powder). Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until spreadable. Add additional water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to get desired consistency. Divide icing into small bowls for each color desired and tint with food colorings. Transfer icing to pastry bags with desired tip. Cover icings and tips of pastry bags with damp paper towels to keep icing from drying out. (Some icing garnishes may need a firmer icing to hold their shape. Stir in small amounts of additional powdered sugar to get the desired consistency). About 1 cup icing.

Additional questions?