Love Bug Cupcakes – Frugal Finds During Naptime

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, you probably have to send something to school with your kids for a Valentine’s Day party or bring something to work. If you’re looking for something a little different and cute, we’ve got just the thing for you to make–Love Bug Cupcakes.

To bake your cupcakes, do not follow the directions on the back on the cake mix. Instead, mix the cake mix and instant pudding together. Then add in oil and water. Lastly, add in your eggs. Mix very well, and then pour into a cupcake pan. Bake on 325 for around 12-15 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. Making the cupcakes this way makes them more moist.

Once your cupcakes are cooled, you can make your icing. In a mixer, combine butter (softened), powder sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Once the icing is smooth, add in the pink or red food coloring to color the icing. Place in a piping bag with a Wilton Tip 233 (this tip will make the icing come out like pipe grass or hair).

Roll out your red colored fondant. Take your small heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out four small hearts. Place a lollipop stick between each two. (You can use a little bit of icing to get them to stick together, or a tiny bit of water.) Take your large heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out a heart for the base (this will make the feet).

Roll out your black and white fondant. Cut out circles to make the eyes. You can use a round shaped tip to make the eyes. The white circles will be a little bigger than the black circles. If you are wanting to save a few steps, you can purchase candy eyes and they will work just fine.

Now that you have the decorations done, they can be “hardening” while you finish up your love bug. Take your piping bag with the Wilton Tip 233, and start at the bottom of the cupcake. Place the tip on the cupcake, squeeze your piping bag gently and pull away to create the “hair”. Do this all the way around until your entire cupcake is a little love bug.

Place your ears and eyes on top, and you are done.

I’m sure your kids would be excited to see this treat. If you’re taking them to work, I’m sure your co-workers will enjoy them too. ???? You can “pin” this here so you can find it later.