57 Crowd-Pleasing Cupcake Recipes for Any Occasion

From classics like chocolate and vanilla, to kicked-up versions with peanut butter, bacon and even lavender, we've rounded up every cupcake recipe you'll ever need. Baking for a crowd? Try our top cake recipes!

Special Mocha Cupcakes

"Topped with a fluffy frosting and chocolate sprinkles, these extra rich, extra delicious cupcakes smell wonderful while baking — and taste even better!"

-Courtly

Barefoot Contessa's Carrot Cake Cupcakes

"Gotta love my girl Ina! I baked the cupcakes at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, and then for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. They were very moist and delicious!"

-Irish Rose

German Chocolate Icing

"This is such a great recipe! I followed it just as directed and it turned out so great. Used it for chocolate cupcakes and they were a hit!"

-Jonathan Melendez

Rainbow Cupcakes

"Wonderful idea! I just made these for my best friend, she absolutely adored them!"

-Kaety

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

"Definitely a keeper! They turned out exactly as photographed! Chocolate chips added a special treat to the cream cheese mixture. Next time, I might add a touch more sugar to the chocolate batter."

-icharbjcharb3

Mississippi Mud Cupcakes

"These dynamite little chocolate cakes need to come with a warning label! When I tasted the first one, my eyes simply rolled back with delight!"

-Sue Lau

Three-Cheese Cupcakes

"These were so good! I served them with a hearty beef stew instead of bread & everyone was impressed and loved the cakes. This recipe is a keeper!"

-Lora F.

Zucchini Cupcakes

"These cupcakes are so scrumptious! The icing is to die for. My hubby had to pull the pan out of my hands after I was done frosting them."

-bricookie55

Simple White Cupcakes

"I give this four enthusiastic stars! These vanilla cupcakes were so simple to make, and I already had all of the ingredients on hand!"

-AmbienEating

Ube Cupcakes

Purple yams give this frosting its vivid violet hue and natural sweetness.

Banana Split Cupcakes

Easier to handle than a banana split but just as delicious, these adorable cupcakes take only 15 minutes of prep time!

Black Bottom Cupcakes

"It's a good thing there were other people in the house when I made these cupcakes, because I'd have eaten them all by myself! I LOVE how moist they are! I made some with and without the almonds, and they were great both ways."

-Ducky

Rainbow Bright Cupcakes

Kids and adults alike will love these festive rainbow cupcakes! Their secret ingredient (sour cream — shhh!) makes them extra rich.

Groundhog Day Cupcakes

"My kids and I made these for Groundhog Day this year! They turned out really cute and the kids really had fun putting them together."

-my3beachbabes

Mom's Chocolate Cupcakes

"These are the absolute best chocolate cupcakes I have ever made! Light, fluffy, moist, DELICIOUS!"

-Kimberly C.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cheesecake Centers

"These are unbelievably wonderful, brownie-like cupcakes! I had to grab three for a photo before everybody stole them!"

-Andi of Longmeadow Farm

Tiramisu Cupcakes

"I give these 10 stars! They are absolutely wonderful and very easy. The mascarpone filling is to die for. I had to restrain myself from eating all of it before I used it in the recipe!"

-AnnieLynne

Oreo Cupcakes With Oreo Buttercream

Oreo fans take note: This is your go-to cupcake from now on. With a creamy cookie-based batter, frosting and topping, it's Oreo heaven!

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

"These cupcakes are so moist, not to mention that they have the perfect balance of sweet and tangy! I took them to a ladies' tea and they were a big hit."

-motherof4northpole

One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes

"This is so easy to make! It receives great reviews from my family, who said it's fluffy and moist, but not too rich."

-**Jubes**

Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes

"Oh wow! These are fabulous! They're very moist and full of flavor thanks to the pineapple juice."

-diner524

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Love apple pie? Then you'll adore these autumn-inspired cupcakes even more! For more color and texture, leave the apple peel on when shredding.

Blueberry Cupcakes

"Gooey berry goodness! Sprinkling the sugar on the tops of the cupcakes before baking them creates a wonderful sweet crust."

-free-free

Flowerpot Cupcakes

These pretty (and easy!) little cupcakes put dirt cake to shame. Serve them at a birthday party, picnic or for a Mother's Day brunch.

Popcorn Cupcakes (So Cute!)

Kids will love to help you make — and eat! — these cute "popcorn" cupcakes. They're perfect for parties and school bake sales.

Banana Foster Cupcakes

Make an impact with these luscious rum-soaked cupcakes that are actually lit on fire during preparation!

Drunken Butter Rum Cupcakes

"I hate to admit it, but these are even better than my rum-soaked cake. They're wonderful and sinful! Definitely an adult dessert."

-Chef #570804 Halifax Liz

Cookies 'n' Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Eating these cupcakes is like savoring your own personal cookies and cream cheesecake! For the best result, chill them overnight before serving.

Bacon Surprise Cupcakes With Maple Frosting

Take bacon to the next level with this unique recipe that uses boxed cake mix as its base. For extra oomph, sprinkle candied bacon on top for a garnish.

Nutella-Frosted Cupcakes

Yet another way to enjoy Nutella! Tip: Swirl the hazelnut-cocoa spread into the cupcake batter with a toothpick to ensure it mixes evenly.

Blueberries & Cream Cupcakes

A fun spin on everybody's favorite muffin, these fruity cupcakes rely on frozen blueberries in the batter so they can be made year-round.

Brownie Kiss Cupcakes

"Yummy, yummy, yummy! These cupcakes were gobbled up in record time. The chocolate kiss in the middle gives them extra flavor."

-PixieDust

Emergency Blender Cupcakes

"If there was a recipe Hall of Fame, these cupcakes would be in it! They have a lovely fine, soft texture and a good cocoa flavor. I sometimes make six Texas-size cupcakes instead of a dozen (and then bake for 23 to 25 minutes)."

-DJM

Coconut Cupcakes with Key Lime Frosting

"This one was a real winner with my children. Whenever I get out the icing bag, they go bonkers. I had to hold them back when they arrived home from school so that I could get them frosted!"

-Elana's Pantry

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

"I got tons of compliments on these cupcakes — the almond extract adds an amazing flavor. They were moist, and somehow had that Toll House cookie taste!"

-Marie Nixon

Margarita Cupcakes

Perfect for the margarita lover in your life, these clever sweet and savory cupcakes have to be tasted to be believed! Omit the tequila to make 'em kid-friendly.

Moist Chocolate Cupcakes

"I've always been bad at making cupcakes, and am so happy that I stumbled on this recipe. It's just perfect and very easy to make. The cakes were moist, soft and flavorful. This will be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on."

-belle17

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Roasted peanuts, dark chocolate chips and sea salt together are heaven disguised as a cupcake! You won't even notice these treats are gluten-free.

Mini Doughnut Cupcakes

"The taste and texture is just like a doughnut! Tip: The batter is super thick, so it has to be spooned and then pushed with a spatula into the baking cups."

-Bev

Double Chocolate & Orange Cupcakes

Orange is the star ingredient in these cupcakes — its bright citrus flavor provides the perfect balance to the slimmed-down chocolatey batter!

Marmalade Cupcakes

"This is pretty much the perfect cupcake: buttery, moist and not too sweet, with little flecks of orange rind. Delicious!"

-Aunt Cookie

Peppermint Cupcakes

"We loved these! All I could find to use in place of candy canes were Altoids mints crushed finely in my food processor. It worked well; it made the cupcakes and frosting very minty and refreshing!"

-bricookie55

Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes

"Amazing! I made these for my boyfriend's work function and he came back with rave reviews. The recipe can easily be doubled, and next time I'll have to do that since people ate them like crazy! It's an awesome recipe."

-Smoofinator

Strawberry & Cream Cupcakes

"Loved these cupcakes! The strawberry soda really gives them a sweet, fruity flavor, and they're so moist!"

-loof

Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella-Kahlua Ganache and Ferrero Rocher

"So chocolatey and decadent! The Nutella-Kahlua ganache is so tasty that you will find yourself trying not to eat it all before you top the cupcakes."

-Cooking Creation

Lavender Cupcakes

"This is such a special and attractive recipe. They were so easy and looked so elegant on the serving table. Everyone at our party — men, women AND picky kids — loved them."

-Bonnie G #2

Pumpkin Cupcakes

"Unbelievable! So smooth, soft and light! For extra flavor, I increased the spice to 2 teaspoons."

-Chef Babylemke

Banana Walnut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

"These cupcakes are wonderful. They were a hit! They were great the first day and even the second day. I will definitely be making these cupcakes a lot."

-Freedome56

Churro Cupcakes

"These were very easy to make and they tasted fantastic."

-Chef #1802498545

Pecan Pie Cupcakes

"Awesome little cupcake — no one could eat just one! To prevent them from sticking to the pan, flip them out as soon as they come out of the oven."

-moreCakePlz

Frog Cupcakes

"Brilliant! I made these cupcakes for the kids' table at our annual family picnic, and they were a huge hit with the kids as well as the adults."

-jonesies

Simple Vanilla Cupcakes

These vanilla cupcakes are so tasty and easy to make. Plus, they make an excellent canvas for your favorite icing!

Starbucks Copycat Cupcakes

"Awesome! Everyone loved these and couldn't get enough. For the second batch, I added mini chocolate chips and dark cocoa instead of regular and it was incredible."

-Chef #818953

Tropical Spice Cupcakes

"Excellent! I loved the cupcakes' flavor — orange with a hint of coconut. They were even better the day after I baked them!"

-Luv 2 BaKE

Red Velvet Cupcakes

"This has been my go-to recipe for at least three years. My friends and family demand it for every party. Don't skimp on the food coloring — it seems way too red, but it comes out perfectly and everyone loves it."

-Chef #1151687

Peanut Butter Truffle Cupcakes

"I can't say enough about these wonderful chocolate cupcakes — they're a must-try for any peanut butter and chocolate lover! To save time, I made the truffles a day ahead."

-Kittencalskitchen

Lemon Gem Cupcakes

"What a delicious lemon cupcake! It's light, delicate and not too sweet! I used a bit of lemon extract to enhance the flavor."

-Chef #1095128

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