As I type this post, the “Peppa Pig” theme song is going through my head on repeat. I *may* have accidentally watched three episodes in a row…by myself…after the kids were in bed. For RESEARCH. The spacing of Peppa’s eyes is tough to get right! (Because, why are both her eyes next to one another of the side of her head?? It’s my one problem with the show.)
Despite the animation that looks like it was done in Microsoft Paint in the ‘90s, Peppa has my heart. She’s cheeky and funny and that adorable accent doesn’t hurt either. So when a friend asked if I could help with Peppa cupcakes and a Peppa invitation for her son’s 3rd birthday, I was all in.
But I was a little nervous: Replicating a character is some pressure. I hopped on to Amazon to see what (extremely inexpensive) tools were available to assist.
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While I love a challenge and knew from the beginning I wanted to make cupcakes with Peppa heads, it was serendipity that I found the Peppa cake decorating kit on Amazon. The combination of handmade Peppa heads and the plastic coins was exactly the balance I was looking for. It let me focus my hard work on fewer cupcakes and still create really cute, bright, fun treats. Also, those little Peppa candy decorations? The kids went crazy for those even though they taste exactly like Pez.
The $7 Peppa cookie cutter from Amazon was essential, and so are the candy eyeballs. I try not to buy too many specific cookie cutters, but for $7, it was worth the investment to simplify my life and capture the signature Peppa shape. (See note at the end of this post about hand-making George Pig heads from vanilla wafers.)
The secret to success on these cupcakes is planning ahead. Make your Peppa heads in steps, and start a couple of days before you need the cupcakes. I molded all the heads one night and attached the eyes. The next night, I embellished with the hot pink face details. Then the third night, I frosted the cupcakes and put it all together. To save time, I used a cake mix and cans of store-bought frosting. It might not be quite as delicious as my white chocolate buttercream but you have to think about your audience: Kids aren’t going to care about the taste of the frosting as long as it’s sugary and brightly colored. And that, store-bought frosting can easily deliver.
So get your supplies set up and let’s get decorating!
Make-It-Yourself Peppa Pig Cupcakes
… with Store-Bought Ingredients & a $7 Cookie Cutter!
Supplies
- Peppa Pig cookie cutter
- Wilton Mini Candy Eyeballs
- Wilton Pink Candy Melts
- Betty Crocker Pink Decorating Cookie Icing
- Peppa Pig Cupcake Decorating Kit
- Vanilla Wafers
- Favorite cake mix of choice
- Favorite store-bought frosting of choice (I recommend Duncan Hines Buttercream Creamy Home-style Frosting)
- AmeriColor Electric Gel Paste Food Coloring Kit to tint Electric Lime and Electric BLue
Instructions
1. Line cupcake tins with Peppa Pig cupcake liners from decorating kit.
2. Prepare cake mix according to box directions and divide into 24 cupcake liners. Or improvise on the mix instructions with my substitutions for a more homemade taste: Use milk instead of water and melted butter instead of oil, plus an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract thrown in for good measure.
3. Bake cupcakes according to package directions and let cool before frosting.
4. Melt pink candy melts according to package directions.
5. On a wax paper-lined cookie sheet, place Peppa pig cookie cutter. Spoon about 2 Tbsp of melted pink candy melts into the cookie cutter. Make sure candy melt mixture is evenly distributed into all parts of the cookie cutter.
6. Place cookie sheet into freezer 5 minutes to harden.
7. Remove from freezer and carefully pop out molded Peppa head. Set aside.
8. Repeat steps 5-8 as many times as desired for as many Peppa heads as you wish. (I did 6 for 24 cupcakes.) Flip cookie cutter each time to have Peppa heads that face both directions.
9. Dip 6 Vanilla Wafers to cover in remaining pink candy melt mixture. Hold Vanilla Wafer on a fork, then submerge in mixture, spooning additional melt mixture over top until covered.
10. Lift Vanilla Wafer on fork and gently shake side to side to remove excess candy melt mixture. Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Place in freezer to harden.
11. Add melted candy melt mixture to a piping back or Ziploc bag with corner cut. Carefully pipe a “snout” and “ears” onto each chocolate-covered vanilla wafer. Place in freezer again to harden.
12. Use pink decorating cookie icing to “glue” mini candy eyeballs to all Peppa heads (small and large). Optional: Refer to multiple episodes of “Peppa” for precise eye placements. My best tips: One eye goes directly below the ear closest to the snout. The other eye goes slightly lower with about 1/4-inch space between other eye. (Eyes should not touch; on vanilla wafer Peppas, eyes may be almost touching.)
13. Use pink decorating cookie icing to add other Peppa features. Form the snout with a single curved line and two dots. Pipe a U shape for her smile. Pipe a filled circle for her rosy cheek.
14. Place all Peppa heads back into freezer until ready to use.
15. Prepare your frosting by transferring from can into 2 medium mixing bowls. Add 1-2 drops of Electric Blue gel tint to one bowl and 1-2 drops of Electric Lime gel tint to other bowl. Use hand mixer to blend. If using already tinted frosting, use hand mixer to whip frosting. This aerates the frosting, making it fluffier so it goes farther.
16. Transfer lime green frosting into Wilton Dessert Decorator Pro Stainless Steel Cake Decorator Tool or piping bag outfitted with Wilton No. 4B Star Tip.
17. Starting from the center and moving outward, pipe a thin layer of frosting onto 6 cupcakes. Do not build height. Place 6 large Peppa Pig candy heads onto these 6 cupcakes.
18. Change to the Wilton 1M Open Star Tip and frost remaining 18 cupcakes in standard piped swirl. Six of these should use the lime green frosting, and 12 should use the aqua frosting. Start from the outside and work inward, overlapping to build a little height for the classic conical frosting swirl.
19. Sprinkle 18 cupcakes with Peppa sprinkles from cupcake decorating kit.
20. Place 6 small Peppa heads onto centers of 6 lime green frosted, sprinkled cupcakes. Use gentlest pressure to set in place.
21. Place plastic Peppa Pig, George Pig, and Suzy Sheep coins from cupcake decorating kit onto centers of remaining 12 aqua frosted, sprinkled cupcakes.
22. Adorn the 18 swirl-frosted cupcakes with candy Peppa heads – approximately 5-6 candies per cupcake in a ring at the outer edge of the frosting.
23. Store all cupcakes uncovered in the refrigerator for 2 hours so frosting can harden.
24. Cover cupcakes and store in refrigerator until ready to serve!
Honesty: The freehand-shaped Vanilla Wafer Peppa heads were a great idea but difficult to execute. I wasn’t thrilled with the final result but considered it just on this side of acceptable. You may prefer to make additional large Peppa candy melt heads instead of going to the trouble of the smaller size (originally intended to represent George Pig, until I realized that the only way to distinguish Peppa from George visually is size).
Now that I’ve made these cupcakes once and they turned out so cute, I am going to “strongly persuade” Sawyer that he might like a Peppa Pig themed 3rd birthday party too! I’ve already got a cute invitation template queued up too:
Reach out if you’d like a customized invitation for your party, and share your Peppa Pig cupcake creations with #NeverDoneWithFun!
(P.S. If you’re local and don’t want to attempt these yourself, I’m happy to help! You know I already have that cookie cutter.)
