Lucky Charms Cupcakes

Lucky Charms Cupcakes are a magically delicious recipe make with actual cereal crumbs in the cupcakes. They are topped with a vanilla buttercream and decorated with Lucky Charms marshmallows. These are a fun treat for anyone who loves this cereal, as well as a festive option for St. Patrick’s Day too!

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There is never a day that goes by that there isn’t at least one box of Lucky Charms cereal in our pantry. My teenage son usually ends his days with a bowl of it, so I knew without a doubt, he would be the perfect test subject for these Lucky Charms Cupcakes.

To really get the flavor of the cereal throughout the cupcakes, I used a technique similar to the one I used in Oreo O’s Chocolate Cereal Muffins where I replace part of the flour with cereal crumbs. In this case, you will only use the actual oat cereal part of Lucky Charms for the cake portion. The marshmallows will be used to decorate the frosting.

I also reduced the sugar a little bit too, as the cereal is sweet, as well as the frosting and marshmallows. 

The flavor of both the cereal and marshmallow parts of Lucky Charms really comes through in these cupcakes. And, in case you were wondering, they are teenager approved!

Why This Recipe Works

This is an easy to make homemade cupcake recipe. Homemade cakes and desserts are the best! The texture, flavor and overall quality is always going to be superior to store bought cake mixes.

These cupcakes are fun and festive baked with Lucky Charms cereal inside and decorated with more cereal on the outside. The vanilla buttercream frosting is the perfect combination of sweet and creamy to top them with.

They are perfect for all of the Lucky Charms lovers in your life and for holidays like St. Patricks’s Day. Try serving them with coffee and Irish Cream Coffee Creamer or an Irish Latte for the adults. These cupcakes are especially great for birthday parties.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Ingredients

Lucky Charms Cupcakes

• 3/4 cups all purpose flour: we highly recommend using high-quality baking products like King Arthur brand for the best results.
• 1/2 cup Lucky Charms cereal crumbs: pulse from just the oat part of the cereal in a food processor to make the crumbs. Do not add the marshmallows.
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature): this is important so that you can properly cream the butter until it’s light and fluffy.
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature): room temperature butter is much easier to cream.
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (can use whole milk)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use clear vanilla extract for whiter frosting, if desired)
• Lucky Charms marshmallows

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Equipment needed to make this recipe:

• cupcake pan
• cupcakes liners
• stand mixer or a hand-held electric mixer 
• silicone spatula: for scraping every last drop of batter out of the bowl.
• toothpicks
• piping bag and piping tips : if you want to make your frosting look fancier. I used a Wilton 109 tip for the cupcake frosting in the photos.

Prep!

Set the butter, milk and eggs out about an hour before you begin to allow them to come to room temperature.

Note: It’s really important that the butter and eggs for the cupcakes is at room temperature. This is so that it can be whipped evenly into the batter without any clumps.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with paper liners.

Create!

Combine the flour, Lucky Charms crumbs, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle, add the sugar and butter. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract.

Gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and heavy cream until everything is just combined.

Fill each cupcake liner about half way full. This is about 2 tablespoons of batter per cupcake.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and allow to fully cool.

How To Make Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

To make the frosting, combine all of the ingredients for the frosting in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix on low speed for a minute, then medium speed until everything its well combined and smooth.

I prefer to use heavy cream for the buttercream frosting to give it a richer, creamier flavor. You can use milk, if preferred.

Tip: you can color the cake frosting using food color or food coloring gels. For a whiter frosting, use a clear vanilla extract. Clear vanilla extract is not pure vanilla, if that is of concern.

Present!

Once the baked cupcakes have cooled, top them with the frosting using a piping bag and tip (I use this one), or a butter knife.

Decorate with Lucky Charms marshmallows.

Tips & Techniques

• Set the butter and eggs out about an hour before you begin to allow them to come to room temperature. This is important so that they can be easily blended into the batter without lumps.
• Make Lucky Charms cereal crumbs by adding just the oat part of the cereal (not the marshmallows) to a food processor and pulse until it resembles very fine crumbs.
• You can add food coloring to turn the frosting any color you would like for it to be or use clear vanilla extract for even whiter frosting.

FAQ’s

How Do You Store Cupcakes?

You can store cupcakes without icing tightly covered at room temperature for a day or two, or with/without frosting in the refrigerator for up to seven days.

Can Cupcakes Be Frozen?

You can freeze cupcakes without frosting, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for 4-6 months.

Can Buttercream Frosting Be Frozen?

Yes. You can freeze buttercream frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator before using.

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