Luau Cupcakes

Luau Cupcakes - funfetti cupcakes with buttercream frosting and cookie crumb “beach” along with a blue buttercream ocean and teddy bear cookies with floats in the water. Don’t forget the beach umbrella.

Looking for more cute cupcake recipes? Try Easy Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes or Easy Rainbow Buttercream Cupcakes.

My son's end of the year party for 4th grade had a Luau theme. I was asked to make a "tropical dessert,"  so I thought these Luau Cupcakes would be perfect. Funfetti cupcakes with buttercream frosting and cookie crumb "beach" along with a blue buttercream ocean and teddy bear cookies with floats in the water. Don't forget the beach umbrella.

I won't lie, these beachy cupcakes are a bit time consuming, but so worth it for a special occasion such as this! Aren't they fun! I just love to play with my food!

Do you have a beach party this summer? These Luau Cupcakes would be the hit of the party, so let me tell you how I made them.

How to make luau cupcakes

First, make a batch of Funfetti cupcakes from your favorite store bought mix, prepared according to package instructions. You'll need two boxes of cake mix which makes about 40 cupcakes. (I used four 12-cup muffin pans.) Let them cool.

Meanwhile, mix up a batch of my favorite buttercream. I used my KitchenAid mixer (my favorite kitchen tool). Divide the frosting in half. Leave one half white and color the other half a light blue.

Next, create a little bit of beach on each cupcake.

Frost half of each cupcake with the white frosting. Add cookie crumbs and press down gently.

Pour the blue frosting into a large pastry bag fitted with a #5 round pastry tip. Pipe the frosting in a wavy pattern on the other side of the cupcake.

Take the teddy bear cookies (I used Teddy Grahams) and place in the middle of gummy Life Savers. I had to break off their arms to make them fit. Brush away any extra crumbs.

Place the bears with their floats on top of the blue icing. Stick a cocktail umbrella on the beach side of your cupcake.

And you're done. They are so adorable, don't you think? Very beachy and perfect for a summer kids party!

Here's our son, Luke, at his 4th grade Luau with his sweet teacher. Such a fun party and I can't believe he's going to be a fifth grader. My youngest child's last year of elementary school, sniff, sniff. Why do kids have to grow up so fast?

Luau Cupcakes

Funfetti cupcakes with buttercream frosting and cookie crumb “beach” along with a blue buttercream ocean and teddy bear cookies with floats in the water. Don’t forget the beach umbrella.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 40 cupcakes

Calories: 188kcal

Author: Lise Sullivan Ode

Equipment

• ▢
  Kitchenaid Mixer
• ▢
  Large pastry bags
• ▢
  Cocktail umbrellas

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 boxes Funfetti cake mix prepared according to package instructions (I used Pillsbury)
• ▢ Buttercream frosting recipe follows
• ▢ Blue food coloring
• ▢ 1-2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ▢ 40 gummie Life Saver candies
• ▢ 40 Teddy Bear cookies I used Teddy Grahahms
• ▢ 40 Cocktail umbrellas

For the buttercream

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 2 sticks
• ▢ 4 cups powdered sugar if you buy it in the plastic bag, you don't have to sift it
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Use 40 cupcake liners and place in muffin pans. Set aside.
• Prepare cake mixes according to package instructions. Divide batter equally into the 40 cupcake liners. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

Buttercream frosting

• Beat softened butter on medium speed with an electric or stand mixer. Beat for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract with the mixer running. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes.
• Divide frosting in half. Color one half light blue. Leave the other half white.

Assembly

• Frost half of each cupcake with white frosting. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs.
• Pour blue frosting into a large pastry bag fitted with a #5 round pastry tip. Pipe a wavy pattern onto other half of cupcakes.
• Place a teddy bear cookie inside each candy. Add one to each cupcake, on the blue side. Add an umbrella on each cupcake. Serve immediately. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

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