Ready to bring a taste of summer fun to your dessert table? These beach cupcakes are a playful and easy way to celebrate sunshine, sand, and sweet memories. Whether you’re hosting a pool party, a beach-themed birthday, or just want a cheerful treat, these cupcakes are sure to delight. No complicated decorating skills needed—just simple steps and a creative touch!
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Beach Cupcakes
Almost everyone’s favorite summer getaway is to the beach, right? Family vacays are the highlight of the season, and the beach is at the top of the list. So, why not make these adorable beach cupcakes while you’re there? Additionally, you can make them at home to “bring the beach to you”.
These adorably decorated cupcakes feature Teddy Grahams, aqua icing, and gummy candies. They’re super easy to make, and the kids can get in on the action too. Best part? They are SO yummy!
Why You’ll Love These Cupcakes
- They’re adorable.
- Easy to make
- Kids can help
- They are attention grabbers.
- Perfect for themed parties, beach trips, kids’ parties, pool parties, and more!
What You’ll Need
You only need to grab a few ingredients to make these cute cupcakes!
- sugar
- butter
- eggs
- vanilla
- milk
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- powdered sugar
- turquoise food coloring
- teddy grahams
- peach rings
- airheads rainbow candy
- cupcake liners
- cocktail umbrella picks
Note: Always check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients, amounts, and steps.
Making Beach Cupcakes in Photos
These cupcakes aren’t only cute, but they are easy to make!
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, set aside.
- Make the cupcakes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar. Cream until smooth.
- Add in the milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix on low speed until combined, scraping the sides often.
- Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low until combined and then bump up the speed to medium for another minute and scrape the sides often.
- Using a small ice cream scoop (or similar), divide the batter between each of the cupcake liners, filling each about ½-⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until the centers are set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- Make the icing. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine about half of the powdered sugar, the softened butter, salt and vanilla. Mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in the remaining powdered sugar, milk, and food coloring. Tip: Start with just a little bit, you can always add more later.
- Mix on low speed until combined. Then bump up the speed to medium and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes or until frosting is smooth and fluffy, scraping the sides often.
- Add additional food coloring until desired shade is achieved. Set aside.
- Place about half of the Teddy Grahams in a food processor. Tip: Sort the crackers and put the broken ones or ones missing body parts in the processor, saving the whole ones for decoration.
- Grind the Teddy Grahams into a crumb consistency and set aside.
- Cut the Air Head’s rainbow candy into rectangles big enough to fit a Teddy Graham. Assemble the rainbow towel with one Teddy Graham for a total of 8-10 sets. Set aside.
- Place a whole Teddy Graham body into the center of each peach ring (total of 8-10) and set aside.
- Assemble the cupcakes. Spread an even layer of icing over the top of each cupcake. Use an offset spatula to easily level the top.
- On half of the cupcakes, place a peach ring Teddy and set aside.
- On the other half of the cupcakes, spread the Teddy Graham crumbs over about ½-¾ of the cupcake surface to create the sandy beach.
- Place a sunbathing Teddy on the towel on the beach side of the cupcake. Finally, insert an umbrella toothpick into the cupcake, if desired.
Tips & Tricks – Beach Cupcakes
• Start with a small amount of food coloring for the icing. You can always add more later until you achieve your desired color.
•We sorted the whole Teddy Grahams from the ones missing parts and placed those missing a head, arm, or leg in the food processor, reserving the whole ones later for decoration.
• Get creative with these. You can always pipe a darker blue icing onto the lighter blue to create waves or colorful water.
• Store these in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
Want to Change it Up?
If you want to change this recipe up, change the color of the water or get creative and decorate your beach differently. You can also flavor the cupcake batter or icing!
More Cupcake Recipes
Beach Cupcakes
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- cupcake pan 12-count
- cocktail umbrella picks optional
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Icing & Decorations
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons milk
- turquoise food coloring (or any shade of blue)
- ½ cup Teddy Grahams
- 8-10 Peach Rings
- Airheads rainbow candy
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
- Combine the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream until smooth.¾ cup sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Add in the milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix on low speed until combined, scraping the sides often.2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup milk
- Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low until combined. Then, bump up the speed to medium for another minute. Scrape the sides often.½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Use a small ice cream scoop (or similar) to divide the batter among each of the cupcake liners, filling each about ½-⅔ full.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until the centers are set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
For the Icing
- Combine about half of the powdered sugar, the softened butter, salt, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in the remaining powdered sugar, milk and food coloring (start with just a little bit as you can always add more later).3 tablespoons milk, turquoise food coloring
- Mix on low speed until combined. Then, bump up the speed to medium and mix for an additional 2-3 minutes or until icing is smooth and fluffy.
- Scrape the sides often. Add additional food coloring until your desired shade is achieved. Set aside.
- Place about half of the Teddy Grahams in a food processor (we sorted the whole from the ones missing limbs and placed those missing a head, arm or leg in the food processor, reserving the whole ones for later).½ cup Teddy Grahams
- Grind the Teddy Grahams into a crumb consistency and set aside.
- Cut the Air Head’s rainbow candy into rectangles big enough to fit a Teddy Graham.
- Assemble the rainbow towel with one Teddy Graham for a total of 8-10 sets. Set aside.
- Place a whole Teddy Graham body into the center of each peach ring (total of 8-10) and set aside.
Assemble the Cupcakes
- Spread an even layer of icing over the top of each cupcake. Use an offset spatula to easily level the top.
- Place a peach ring Teddy on half of the cupcakes and set aside.8-10 Peach Rings
- Spread the Teddy Graham crumbs on the other half of the cupcakes (over about ½-¾ of the cupcake surface) to create the sand beach.
- Place a sunbathing Teddy on the towel on the beach side of the cupcake. Finally, insert an umbrella toothpick into the cupcake, if desired.
Nutritional information accuracy not guaranteed.
