Whether you’re planning a kids’ birthday party or school celebration, or just want to have a little fun in the kitchen with the kids, cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat for just about any occasion. They’re versatile, portable, and—best of all—with cupcakes, everyone gets a special little goodie made just for them! From young animal lovers to budding naturalists, we have fun themed cupcake ideas for kids that are guaranteed to put a smile on your little one’s face.
Earth Day Cupcakes
No need to wait around for Earth Day. Help your little environmentalist-to-be celebrate Mother Nature with a batch of Earth cupcakes, made with Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix and decorated with a stunning land-and-sea topping made with blue and green sugar sprinkles.
Duncan Hines® EPIC Fruity PEBBLES™ Cupcakes
Bake up a cupcake with a personality as bright and bubbly as your little one. Crunchy, colorful Fruity PEBBLES™ Cereal tops off these delightful confetti cupcakes, which are a snap to make with a Duncan Hines EPIC Fruity PEBBLES™ Cake Kit. It’s complete with just about everything you need to craft your rainbow-hued masterpieces.
Llama Cupcakes
Got an animal lover in the house? No prob-llama! These adorable llama cupcakes, made with colorful Duncan Hines Confetti Cake Mix, are as sweet as it gets—you’ll use marshmallows for the “nose,” coconut flakes for the fur, and a little decorator gel to give every llama its own unique expression.
Pinata Surprise Cupcakes
Everyone gets their own personal pinata with these festive cupcakes! Fill up a hulled-out baked cupcake with lots of rainbow sprinkles to mimic the pinata experience and watch little faces break into big grins when they take the first bite and reveal the surprise.
Campfire Cupcakes
A surefire recipe for a bunch of happy campers! Perfect for little nature lovers, these campfire cupcakes are made with a Duncan Hines Classic Devil’s Food Cake base, roasted marshmallows, and a little icing and pretzel stick “fire.” Now, the camp adventures can go anywhere you and your explorers do.
Dragon Scale Cupcakes
Let little imaginations run wild with these mythical after-meal treats. For a magic- or dragon-themed birthday party, start by whipping up some bright green cupcakes with Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix and Snack Pack® Dragon Treasure Pudding, then pipe in red pudding and top them off with sweetened cornflake dragon “scales.”
Rainbow Cupcakes
Let everyone at the party show their true colors with a batch of vibrant rainbow cupcakes. With a base of Duncan Hines Classic White Cake Mix, you can create a cupcake in every shade of the rainbow. Let your little helpers add the dye to each bowl of batter, pop in the oven, and top with frosting.
No matter the occasion, cupcakes are always the answer. We hope you’re inspired by these cupcake recipes—we guarantee they’ll put smiles on the faces of kids and adults alike!
Looking for even more cupcake ideas? Check out our full cupcake recipe collection.
