• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Events
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Events
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • Γ—
    Home Β» Recipes Β» Dessert Recipes

    Baby Shower: Monkey Cupcakes

    Published: Sep 22, 2010 Β· Modified: May 25, 2014 by Ashley

    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    Monkey Cupcakes

    I came across this cupcake decorating idea from Molli526 over on the CLBB a few years ago, and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to make them. I looked up a cupcake and frosting recipe, and then followed the way she decorated them (using regular and mini Nilla Wafers and red and black gel icing) for an unbelievably adorable result. All of the gifts that I gave my friend were monkey themed, and these cupcakes really were a big hit.

    Monkey Cupcakes

    Simple White Cake
    Allrecipes - SCOTTOSMAN
    Prep Time: 20 Minutes
    Cook Time: 30 Minutes

    Ready In: 50 Minutes
    Servings: 12

    "This cake was sent home from our children's school. It is the simplest, great tasting cake I've ever made. Great to make with the kids, especially for cupcakes."

    1 cup white sugar
    Β½ cup butter
    2 eggs
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    1 Β½ cups all-purpose flour
    1 ΒΎ teaspoons baking powder
    Β½ cup milk

    Directions:
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
    2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
    3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.

    Creamy Chocolate Frosting
    Allrecipes - Tracy Larsen

    Prep Time: 15 Minutes

    Ready In: 15 Minutes
    Servings: 12

    "I've been using this chocolate frosting recipe forever, and several friends now use it as their 'favorite frosting!' It's smooth, creamy and not-too-dark. I just wanted to share it with chocolate lovers everywhere! It will frost, but not fill, an 8 or 9 inch layer cake."

    2 ΒΎ cups confectioners' sugar
    6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
    powder
    6 tablespoons butter
    5 tablespoons evaporated milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1. In a medium bowl, sift together the confectioners' sugar and cocoa, and set aside.
    2. In a large bowl, cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk. Blend in vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. If necessary, adjust consistency with more milk or sugar.

    Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Two slices of rhubarb custard pie on plates with forks.
      Rhubarb Custard Pie
    • Cooling rack of decorated cut out sugar cookies.
      Grandma's Classic Cut Out Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe
    • Overhead view of 2 peanut butter banana milkshakes with bacon and cherries.
      Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake with Bacon (without Ice Cream!)
    • Cookie jar and platter of peppermint hot chocolate cookies with glasses of milk alongside.
      Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa

      September 23, 2010 at 12:10 am

      Those are such cute cupcakes. They would be perfect for a child's birthday party.

      Reply
    2. newlywed

      September 23, 2010 at 7:09 am

      Those look adorable AND delicious!

      Reply
    3. Alyssa

      September 23, 2010 at 9:59 pm

      Those are too cute! I love making fun cupcakes. I've made piggies, lambs and chicks, but never monkeys. I will have to give those a try.

      Reply
    4. Anonymous

      September 25, 2010 at 2:49 pm

      Way cute! Thanks for making me smile today!

      Reply
    5. Debbie Pearson

      September 28, 2010 at 9:03 am

      These are simply adorable! Great idea, now I need an occasion to make them too πŸ™‚

      Reply
    6. Erica Lynn

      September 30, 2010 at 3:18 am

      These are so cute and so simple. My Aunt told me that you made these and I stole the idea and made them for my demonstration speech in my speech course.

      I posted this on my blog and gave your blog credit on there(:

      Reply
    7. Brilynn

      October 06, 2010 at 3:10 pm

      Those look like so much fun! And not beyond my lack of decorating skills either...

      Reply
    8. BigFATcook

      October 07, 2010 at 3:55 pm

      Welcome to the jungle. Love the monkeys!! Looking good:)

      greets from Big Fat Cook.

      Reply
    9. Ashley

      November 09, 2010 at 10:39 pm

      Thanks, everyone! These were a lot of fun to make πŸ™‚

      BTW BigFATcook - LOVE the GNR reference!!

      Reply
    10. Nathaly

      December 21, 2011 at 3:01 pm

      Great idea ils ont l'air dΓ©licieux πŸ™‚

      Reply
    11. heidi

      January 27, 2012 at 6:00 pm

      These are adorable! Where do you find the mini nilla wafers? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jenn

        January 08, 2013 at 4:03 pm

        They usually have mini ones right next to the regular ones. I got my at Kroger.

        Reply
    12. JeeJee@FunFoodBento

      March 12, 2012 at 4:59 pm

      That's really cute! I love it.

      Reply
    13. Nichole

      March 21, 2012 at 8:27 pm

      So cute! These would have been perfect for the Curious George themed party I did last year. Oh well, filing away for another day πŸ™‚

      Reply
    14. Anonymous

      March 22, 2012 at 6:43 am

      This will be PERFECT for my sons first birthday, as it will be Curious George themed. Thank you for posting. Found you by another posting on pintrest.

      Reply
    15. Ashley

      March 22, 2012 at 9:52 am

      Nichole - that's my middle name (same spelling!!) - I thought my mom was the only one who added that random "h" in there πŸ™‚

      Reply
    16. Nichole

      March 22, 2012 at 12:45 pm

      Haha, they are out there but haven't come across many in silent H mafia either πŸ™‚

      Reply
    17. Arlene

      April 26, 2012 at 7:17 pm

      I'm making these for my 2 yr old's birthday, so thanks for the great idea! I pinned this a while ago on pinterest, and it's been repinned almost 9,000 times from my pin -- suffice it to say, your cupcakes are pretty popular! I hope you don't mind that I pinned them. Feel free to check out the link, and if you don't like that I pinned it, I'll be more than happy to take it back down.
      http://pinterest.com/pin/26106872809425738/

      Thanks again for the great idea! πŸ™‚
      P.S. Sorry for the double post; had to fix the typos lol. πŸ˜›

      Reply
    18. Ashley

      April 28, 2012 at 1:25 pm

      So glad you're gonna try 'em out! My friends were thrilled with them. They're super cute. The only tricky part was not being able to find the mini nilla wafers - I subbed a different kind.

      Thanks for the pin love πŸ™‚

      Reply
    19. RebeccaJasmin

      January 06, 2013 at 5:17 pm

      These are gorgeous!! I am going to attempt them for my little boy's second birthday but I can not source the Nilla mini-wafers. Can I ask where you found yours?

      Reply
    20. Marta Dimitrovska

      January 08, 2013 at 6:28 am

      Hi! I would so like to try this but there is no evaporated milk here, can I use something else instead (powder milk or....) πŸ™‚ thanx

      Reply
      • Cynthia Aldrich

        October 26, 2014 at 2:19 am

        Marta, I would just use cream. I use cream for my pumpkin pie as well, in place of evaporated milk. You could use half and half, but I would watch to make sure that the consistency of the icing is not too thin. Use less and add more half and half if too thick.

        Reply
    21. Ashley

      January 08, 2013 at 6:00 pm

      I couldn't find them so I used mini shortbread cookies.

      Reply
    22. Ashley

      January 08, 2013 at 6:01 pm

      Marta - I'm not sure if that would work as a substitution. You could swap another frosting recipe for sure though.

      Reply
    23. Patricia Jiongo

      March 01, 2013 at 10:22 pm

      So cute!! Adding this to my list of fun decorative cupcakes. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

    Leave a comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

    More about me β†’

    Fall Favorites

    • Balsamic Marinated Pork Tenderloin
    • Classic Dutch Apple Pie
    • Gingerbread Pancakes
    • Grandpa's Beef Stew
    • Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
    • Instant Pot Tomato Beef Pasta
    • Spiced Mulled Wine
    • Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

    Easy Side Dishes:

    • Cucumber Cannellini Bean Salad with Dill
    • Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • Maple-Balsamic Roasted Carnival Squash
    • Sheet Pan Green Beans
    • Slow Cooker "Roasted" Beets

    Popular Now

    • Two plates of gingerbread pancakes topped with peppermint whipped cream, crushed peppermint candies, and maple syrup.
      Gingerbread Pancakes with Peppermint Whipped Cream
    • Overhead view of a tray of golden brown homemade garlic bread.
      Easy Homemade Garlic Bread
    • Collage of images with text that reads, "17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors".
      17 Most Repeated Recipes to Celebrate 17 Years of Big Flavors
    • Collage of images with text that reads 5 of the BEST Restaurants in Ocean City, Maryland Part One.
      Explore Big Flavors in Ocean City, Maryland

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Cooking Classes
    • Events
    • About Ashley
    • Press + Recognition
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up to receive delicious recipes and exclusive content right to your inbox!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you.

    Β©2006–2023 BIG FLAVORS FROM A TINY KITCHEN LLC | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    *Third-party advertisers may collect or use non-personally identifiable information to serve you more relevant ads.