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image of adorable sloth cupcakes made with chocolate cupcakes and chocolate peanut butter frosting
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5 from 7 ratings

Sloth Cupcakes

These sloth cupcakes are decorated with chocolate peanut butter buttercream to look just like little sloths! They're just as cute as they are tasty!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Additional Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 3 minutes
Course: Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 360kcal
Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 180g
  • 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee 3g
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted 60g
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 32g
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 98g
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature 114g
  • 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 73g
  • 1 tsp white vinegar 4g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 60g
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
  • 3 cups powdered sugar 375g
  • 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 45g
  • 2 Tbsp melted milk or dark chocolate, cooled 30g
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa, sifted 12g

Additional Tools / Equipment

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

  • Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F / 175°F. Place cupcake liners in baking pans.
  • Add 3/4 cup of buttermilk and 1 1/2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder into a large bowl. Stir until dissolved.
  • Add in 1/3 cup melted chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
  • Sift the dry ingredients (3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt) into chocolate espresso mixture and stir until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
  • Mix in 2 eggs, one at a time.
  • Add 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth - it will be thin!
  • Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Allow cupcakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're in a rush (or impatient like me), you can place them in the freezer for 15 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Buttercream

  • Beat 1 cup of room temperature butter and 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth.
  • Add in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on a medium-low speed until combined.
  • Slowly mix in 3 cups of powdered sugar on a low speed. Halfway through add in 3 Tbsp of heavy cream to make the frosting easier to mix.
  • Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
  • If the frosting is too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
  • Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth, then place 1/4 of the peanut butter buttercream into a small piping bag fit with a small round piping tip (like a Wilton 3) and set aside.
  • Mix 2 Tbsp sifted cocoa into the remaining peanut butter frosting on a low speed. Place 3/4 of this frosting in a small piping bag fit with a small grass piping tip.
  • Add 2 Tbsp of cooled, melted chocolate into the tiny bit of remaining frosting. Stir until smooth then place in a small piping bag fit with round piping tip (like a Wilton 3) and set aside.

Decorating these Sloth Cupcakes

  • Use the peanut butter buttercream to pipe a 1-inch circle on top of each cupcake.
  • Use the dark chocolate buttercream to pipe on the sloth's eye patches.
  • Add small, round black sprinkles to the cupcake to look like the sloth's eyes and nose. Use a long, thin sprinkle to make the sloth's mouth. If you don't have black sprinkles like this, I suggest rolling out small balls with black fondant to create the sloth's face.
  • Pipe chocolate peanut buttercream around the sloth's face with a grass piping tip to look like fur.
  • Repeat with remaining cupcakes! Feel free to get creative with each sloth's facial expression to give them a little variety.
  • Then enjoy! These cupcakes taste best fresh, but frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container or be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Making Mini Sloth Cupcakes

If you want to make mini sloth cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best Sloth Cupcakes

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
  • Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
  • Seal off the top of each of your piping bags with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
  • This recipe makes an American buttercream frosting, so it will crust as it sits out and is exposed to air! Be sure to either cover the frosting with plastic wrap if it's made in advance, or immediately place it into your piping bags.

Sloth Cupcake Variations:

  • To make eggless, dairy free sloth cupcakes, use an alternative dairy milk to replace the buttermilk and heavy cream (almond, oat, or soy), vegan butter sticks to replace the butter, and an egg replacer like this.
  • To make gluten free sloth cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making These Sloth Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips:

Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer
Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight or be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container, but I find frosting them right before serving is best.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 277mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 44g