I usually make a mini cake of each cake in my animal cake series, but this week I’m mixing things up and making cupcakes! These lion cupcakes are inspired by my lion cake.

They’re made with my chocolate cupcake recipe, which is one of my favorites!

These lion cupcakes are decorated with peanut butter and chocolate buttercream, so they’re just as delicious as they are cute.

How to Make these Adorable Lion Cupcakes

Let’s walk through each step that goes into decorating these lion cupcakes! I’ve also included a video of how they’re made below.

I figured it might be helpful to know what tools I use too, so here’s my list.

Not all of these are mandatory, but they make the process a lot easier. If you don’t have all these things on hand, feel free to improvise and work with what you have.

• Electric hand mixer
• 4 Small piping bags
• 1 Large round tip (like an Ateco 805)
• 1 Medium round tip (like a Wilton 10)
• 1 Small grass tip (like a Wilton 233)
• 1 Small round tip (like a Wilton 3)
• Small offset spatula or small acetate sheet
• Pink sprinkles

Step 1: Pipe on the Face

Use a round piping tip to pipe a circle of yellow buttercream in the center of each cupcake.

Smooth any lines with a small offset spatula or acetate sheet.

Step 2: Pipe on the Facial Features

Use the uncolored peanut butter frosting to pipe on the lion’s cheeks like in the picture below.

Then use the black buttercream to pipe on the lion’s eyes and nose.

I had some small heart sprinkles on hand, so I used those to make the lion’s little mouth.

You could also use round sprinkles or color a tiny bit of the light yellow frosting pink and pipe it in the same area.

If you don’t feel comfortable piping on the face, you can also use fondant.

Step 3: Add the Lion’s Mane

Use the orange buttercream to pipe the lion’s mane around the edge of the cupcake.

Then pipe on two little ears with the yellow buttercream.

Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Feel free to get creative with each lion’s facial expression to give them a little variety. Then enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps in This Lion Cupcake Recipe

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand! Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:

• Buttermilk – You can also use full fat yogurt, sour cream, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free
• Instant Espresso or Coffee – You can omit the instant espresso if you dislike the taste of coffee, but it really just enhances the chocolate flavor in this these cupcakes.
• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or sunflower oil would work great!
• Vinegar – This recipe needs a bit of vinegar because it uses baking soda as a leavening agent. The vinegar activates the baking soda and helps the cupcakes rise. You can use white or apple cider vinegar.

Substitutions and Swaps – Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Creamy Peanut Butter – Smooth and creamy peanut butters like JIF or Skippy work best in this frosting! Natural frostings have a tendency to separate, and this can cause the frosting to break. If you have a nut allergy, just use additional butter in place of the peanut butter in this recipe.

Making These Lion Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.

You can also make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or the freezer for 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature overnight or in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. However, I find frosting them right before serving is best.

Tips for Making the Best Lion Cupcakes:

• Ingredients at room temperature mix together better. Set cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
• Use a cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
• Seal off the top of each of your piping bags with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.
• This recipe makes an American buttercream frosting, so it will crust as it sits out and is exposed to air! Be sure to either cover the frosting with plastic wrap if it’s made in advance, or immediately place it into your piping bags.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make these lion cupcakes, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and/or comment below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media!

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