Limited on time? Use this easy cupcake decorating idea to make adorable brown bear and polar bear cupcakes. These easy bear cupcakes are so cute that no one will ever guess that each took just minutes to decorate.
So often I get this comment, "Ain't nobody got time for that" on my social media posts with pictures of cute food crafts.
Admittedly some of my fun food projects are a bit time-consuming, but I'm here to tell you that not all cute food has to take up half of your day.
This easy cupcake decorating idea is so simple that you'll have a whole batch of these adorably cute cupcake bears done quicker than you'd ever imagine.
So, let's make some easy bear cupcakes.
Ingredients
cupcakes - To make these decorated desserts you'll need to start by baking a batch of your favorite cupcakes. You can make them from scratch or use a cake mix. Either will work great. I actually added an extra egg to a brownie mix to make my cupcakes.
frosting - You'll need chocolate frosting to make the brown bear cupcakes and white frosting to make the polar bear cupcakes. To keep these cupcakes simple, use store-bought frosting. See my Panda Cake post for a homemade white frosting recipe that is delicious.
candy melt wafers - Use light cocoa candy melts (milk chocolate) for the brown bears and white candy melts for the polar bears.
candy eyes - I used ½-inch candy eyes. They are larger than the candy eyes you typically find at grocery, craft, and discount stores.
caramel - You'll need to create snouts for the brown bears using caramel. I find softer caramels like Werther's work best but Kraft caramel squares will work too. They are just a bit firmer.
malt balls - Whoppers are the perfect size for the bears' noses.
Supplies
pastry bags fitted with open star tips - I used the Pillsbury™ Filled Pastry Bags to decorate my cupcake bears. It couldn't have been easier. The pre-filled bags come fitted with a star tip. You can insert a star tip into a disposable pastry bag and fill it with frosting if you don't have these frosting bags.
Instructions
Frost and decorate the brown bear cupcakes.
- Hold the Filled Pastry Bag at a 90-degree angle over your cupcake. Squeeze the bag slightly, allowing a small amount of frosting out of the bag. Then stop squeezing and pull up away from the cupcake. You can make frosting stars this way.
- To make the bears look furry, continue to squeeze for a second while pulling the bag away from the cupcake. You'll end up with furry-looking spikes this way.
- Pipe chocolate fur all over the top of your cupcake.
- Add two, round, chocolate wafers onto each cupcake for the bear's ears.
- Flatten a soft caramel into a rounded triangle for the bear's snout.
- Press a small malted milk ball onto the caramel to create the nose.
- Set the snout/nose opposite the ears on the cupcake.
- Add two ½-inch round candy eyes and your first teddy bear is complete.
- Repeat making about 16 cupcakes per Filled Pastry Bag.
Frost the polar bear cupcakes
- Pipe white frosting fur all over a cupcake.
- Pipe a mound of frosting for the snout. You can make a swirl or a star to create the bear's snout.
- Top the snout with a small malted milk ball nose.
- Then add two white chocolate wafer ears and two candy eyes.
I had a dozen of these cute bear cupcakes decorated in less than 10 minutes. I realize I'm pretty fast but even if you aren't experienced at cupcake decorating I think you'll have an easy time making these sweet little cupcake bears.
Storage
You can store your cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days if using homemade frosting and up to 5 days if using store-bought frosting.
Variations
If you'd like to create more detailed cupcakes, give these a try. Each cupcake bear is topped with a big swirl of frosting and is topped with a decorated Rees's Cup bear.
Related Recipes
I love bears and have created lots of bear-themed desserts and appetizers that are perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, birthday parties, and baby showers. Here are just a few.
Recipe
Decorate cupcakes with frosting and candy to create the cutest bears. These Easy Bear Cupcakes are great for a birthday party, Valentine's Day, Christmas, a baby shower, a zoo-themed event, and more.
- 16 ounces chocolate and/or vanilla frosting
- 16 baked cupcakes
- 32 brown or white candy melts wafers (for the bears' ears)
- 32 ½-inch candy eyes
- 16 Whoppers malted milk balls or chocolate-covered peanuts or brown peanut M&Ms (noses)
- 16 caramels if making brown bears (snout)
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Fit one or two pastry bags with an open star tip.
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Fill the bag or bags with white and/or chocolate frosting.
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Pipe white or chocolate frosting fur all over a cupcake using the pastry bag and star tip. Set the tip just above the cupcake and squeeze, allowing a small amount of frosting to attach to the cupcake. Keep squeezing as you pull up, then stop squeezing, and pull the pastry tip away from the cupcake creating spikes.
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Repeat, adding spiked frosting fur all over your cupcake.
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If making a polar bear, pipe a mound of frosting in the center for the snout, attach two white candy melts ears, a chocolate malted milk ball nose, and two candy eyes.
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If making brown bears, flatten the caramel into a snout shape, cutting off any excess caramel. Decorate the bear cupcake with two chocolate candy melt wafters, two candy eyes, a caramel snout, and a chocolate malted milk ball nose. You may need to attach the nose to the caramel snout using a dab of frosting.
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Repeat, decorating all of your bear cupcakes.
I used Pillsbury™ Filled Pastry Bags to decorate my bears. The bags are already fitted with a star tip and make decorating these cupcakes quick and easy.
The calories are approximately based on a standard cupcake with 1 ounce of frosting.
Store your cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days if using homemade frosting and up to 5 days if using store-bought frosting.
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Ronda says
What did you use for the eyes?
Beth says
I used 1/2 inch candy eyes. You can buy them from amazon here - https://amzn.to/2G1686y (affiliate link)
joyce bernardini says
who makes the chocolate and vanilla wafers you used?
Beth says
I actually used Wilton Candy Melts, but unfortunately they have recently changed the size of their wafers. They are now smaller than they used to be, so I'd recommend getting Mercken's or Peter's White Confectionery Coating wafers instead. They are a big larger than the new Wilton Candy Melts wafers.
Lindsay stone says
How did you guys flatten the Carmel and what did you use? Thank you
Lindsay says
How did you guys flatten the Carmel and what did you use?
Beth says
If you have soft caramels like Werther's (which is what I used) you can just flatten them. If you are using Kraft caramel squares and they are not soft enough to flatten, you can heat them in the microwave on the DEFROST or LOW setting for about 3-5 seconds then flatten them.
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets says
I didn't even know these filled decorator bags even existed and you have used them in a completely adorable way!! I can't wait to get my hands on these! 🙂
Beth says
They are brand new and are so incredibly convenient. I'm glad you like my bear cupcakes too!
Kathy says
FINALLY!!!!! Prefilled pastry bags makes perfect sense. No need to try to find the tips or remember if you have any bags when you are at the store.
Beth says
They are perfect for people who only make and decorate a cake or cupcakes once in a while. They are so easy to use!
The Partiologist says
These bears are just too cute, I now crown you queen of the cupcake (jungle)!
Beth says
LOL! Thanks for my crown.