29 TASTY Valentine's Cupcake Ideas [How-to Recipes] (2024)

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Valentine Heart Cupcakes

Heart-shaped

Learn how to incorporate heart-shaped cupcakes in three different ways:

• cupcake in the shape of a heart
• pull-apart cupcake cake that looks like a heart
• heart-shaped sprinkle design on top of cupcake

(via It's Always Autumn)

Heart Cut-out

Another way to incorporate a heart shape into your cupcake in a unique way is to cut out the shape from the top of your cupcake and fill with marshmallow creme. (via Lady Behind the Curtain)

Surprise Heart

What a delight to cut into a french vanilla cupcake and find a deep red velvet heart inside. (via This Silly Girl’s Kitchen)

• Time to make: 45 minutes prep, 40 minutes make, 1 hour 25 minutes total
• Skill level: Intermediate

Valentine Cupcakes for Kids

Conversation Hearts

Learn how to create these conversation heart flowers that you can use as a fun cupcake topper. (via My Cake School)

Teddy Bear

A cute treat with a topper made from a peanut butter cup, chocolate, and pink wafers. (via Ruffles and Rainboots)

• Time to make: 5 minutes prep, 18 minutes make, 15 minutes other, 38 minutes total
• Skill level: Intermediate

Love Bird

This cute pair is made from gumballs. You can also get the free printable topper by clicking through to the post. (via Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons)

Love Bug

These furry creatures with antennae are the most adorable-looking monsters. The post has lots of pictures as well as a written tutorial to walk you through the steps for this Valentine cupcake decoration. (via The Cake Blog)

Bee Mine

Another cupcake idea to try with the kids is this bumblebee decoration, complete with heart wings to fit with the Valentine’s theme. (via Eats Amazing)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 25 minutes make, 45 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Unicorn Cupid

You’ll definitely feel the magic in the air from unicorns and love in this cupcake. Not only does it have super cute decorations, you get a fun surprise inside with pop rock candies. (via Sugar Sugar Cakes)

Emoji

Here’s a fun, simple cupcake to make with and for your kids. (via Eats Amazing)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 25 minutes make, 45 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Valentine Cupcake Decorations for Teens and Adults

XO

A simple decoration for your Valentine’s cupcake is to cut out X’s and O’s from fondant and stand them up as the cupcake topper. (via The Sweet Nerd)

Love Phrases

These cupcakes look gorgeous with the deep red frosting and chocolate wording decorations? Can you say hubba hubba? (via A Spicy Perspective)

• Time to make: 30 minutes prep, 20 minutes make, 50 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Roses

These lemony cupcakes are topped with a silky raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream and piped into a beautiful rose shape. (via Plated Cravings)

• Time to make: 40 minutes prep, 20 minutes make, 1 hour total
• Skill level: Beginner

Chocolate-covered Strawberry

These cupcakes look lovely with the pink stripes on the chocolate coating of the strawberries. (via Life, Love, and Sugar)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 23 minutes make, 43 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate

Valentine Chocolate Cupcakes

Peanut Butter

Who doesn’t love to pair peanut butter with chocolate? Level up the decadence by turning the cupcake into a brownie cupcake batter and topping with a heart-shaped brownie. (via Half Baked Harvest)

• Time to make: 15 minutes prep, 20 minutes make, 35 minute total
• Skill level: Beginner

Gingerbread

If you love the spices of the holiday season, then you should make these chocolate gingerbread brownies with cinnamon buttercream frosting. (via Farmersgirl Kitchen)

• Time to make: 10 minutes prep, 20 minutes make, 30 minute total
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate

Caramel

Not single, not double, but triple the chocolate flavor in this dessert. You have a brownie mix for the cupcake, filled with chocolate chips and caramel, topped with chocolate frosting, and garnished with a caramel chocolate candies. (via Phenomenal Phoods)

Amaretto

Looking for a more sophisticated cupcake for your husband or boyfriend? These chocolate, almond, and cherry-flavored Valentine’s cupcakes for him are sure to have him wanting for more. (via The Sprinkle Factory)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 30 minutes make, 50 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate

Nutella

These cupcakes look beautiful with the two-tone swirled chocolate and strawberry frosting. But what brings these to the next level is the nutella stuffed inside the vanilla cupcake. (via Sally’s Baking Addiction)

• Time to make: 35 minutes prep, 22 minutes make
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate

Oreo

America’s favorite cookie on a red velvet cupcake is a match made in heaven. (via Your Cup of Cake)

Raspberry Brownie [Gluten-Free]

You wouldn’t believe these were gluten-free Valentine’s cupcakes. Chocolaty, fudgy cake with raspberry buttercream, drizzled in a chocolate sauce, and topped with fresh raspberries. (via The Loopy Whisk)

• Time to make: 45 minutes prep, 25 minutes make, 1 hour 10 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Valentine Cupcakes in Other Flavors

Very Strawberry [Vegan]

These cupcakes are intense in flavor and the fitting pink color. And as a completely vegan recipe, they’re perfect for those who can’t eat eggs or dairy. (via Loving It Vegan)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 25 minutes make, 45 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Red Velvet Pomegranate

Here’s a fruity cupcake that’s a creative departure from the typical strawberry, raspberry, or cherry flavors. It’s also got a hit of espresso for more adult flavors. (via Buttercream Chantilly)

Coconut Cherry

Want something white and creamy other than white chocolate? Then try using coconut in your cupcakes, like in this recipe. (via Taste and Tell Blog)

• Time to make: 30 minutes prep, 20 minutes make, 50 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Strawberry Banana

The heart-shaped cutouts from strawberry are the perfect topper for these banana cupcakes with berry frosting. (via The Crepes of Wrath)

• Time to make: 20 minutes prep, 30 minutes make, 50 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner

Champagne

These white chocolate raspberry champagne cupcakes will have you bubbling over the flavors. They are perfect for weddings and baby showers too.

Add gold coloring or gold sprinkles to bring them up a notch in presentation. (via Sugar and Soul)

• Time to make: 30 minutes prep, 30 minutes make, 1 hour total
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate

Other Valentine’s Day Cupcake Ideas

Mini

Try making bite-size version of cupcakes, like this easy pink velvet one with a delicious cream cheese frosting and topped with a cute heart decoration. (via Good Cook)

• Time to make: 30 minutes prep, 12 minutes make
• Skill level: Beginner

Cupcake on Top of Cupcake

What better way to show twice the love than with a 2-for-1 cupcake special? The mini cupcake is actually a Reese’s cup with frosting decorations to make it look like a cute miniature cupcake. (via Chickabug)

Chocolate Truffle

Looks can be deceiving, but in a wonderfully pleasant way. These cupcakes don’t use any cupcake batter; rather, they are made from a chocolate ganache.

And the cupcake liner? Completely edible, made from white chocolate. Yum! (via Hungry Happenings)

• Time to make: 45 minutes prep, 5 minutes make, 50 minutes total
• Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate