They may be messy and even a little awkward to eat in front of your significant other, but there’s nothing sweeter, cuter, and – yes – even more romantic than Valentine’s Day cupcakes.
That’s especially true if you and your partner decide to make them together.
After all, if Hollywood rom-coms have taught us anything, it’s that food can be very romantic, even sexy.
So if you’re unsure of how to spend your next Valentine’s Day with the person you love, or if you just need something to bring to the office party, check out this list of cupcakes.
They’re sweet, they’re colorful, and above all, they’re scrumptious down to the very last bite.
And best of all, you won’t even have to wait until Valentine’s Day to make them!
If you’re craving something sweet, this list has you covered any time of year.
35 Valentine’s Day Cupcake Recipes That Say, “I Love You”
1. Love Bug Cupcakes
Some Valentine’s Day cupcakes are about making something decadent, succulent, and a little bit seductive.
Others are about fulfilling the “homemade dessert” requirement for your child’s Valentine’s Day party at school.
These love bug cupcakes are more of the latter sort.
They’re pink, adorable, and look like ladybugs all dressed up for Valentine’s Day.
They might not turn on your partner, but they’ll undoubtedly delight a class full of second graders!
2. Red Velvet Cupcakes
The rich, deep red cake and creamy white icing of red velvet cupcakes make them the ideal Valentine’s Day treat.
And you don’t even have to do any recipe tweaking or additional decorating. (Of course, you can if you want to, though!)
These are moist, fluffy, and sweet, just as red velvet should be. There’s also just a hint of tanginess from the buttermilk and cream cheese frosting.
3. Teddy Bear Cupcakes
These charming teddy bear cupcakes are another excellent option for a more kid-friendly Valentine’s party. Plus, they’re exceptionally easy to make.
You can whip them up with fewer than ten ingredients in just half an hour, and the tip on your piping bag does all the hard work for you.
Add some candied eyes and pink M&Ms, and you’re all set.
4. Love Monster Cupcakes
Love monster cupcakes are almost teddy bear cupcakes, but you’ll use pink frosting instead of brown for the fur and red fondant hearts instead of pink candies for the ears.
They’re still just as adorable and delicious.
5. Sweetheart Cupcakes
These six-ingredient sweetheart cupcakes are an elegant, effortless way to show your partner how much you love them.
All you’ll need is white cake mix, water, vegetable oil, egg whites, red food coloring, and raspberry candy oil.
(And you’ll need to pick whatever frosting you like best, as well.)
They’re simple white cupcakes with a bright, tasty splash of red and pink raspberry coloring in the middle of each one, and they’re totally festive and yummy.
6. Strawberry-Filled Cupcakes
If you want to take that red-centered filling a step further, use an actual sweet strawberry filling instead of just dyeing the center of each cupcake.
From the outside, these are entirely unassuming, which makes biting into them even more incredible.
7. Berry-Filled Vanilla Cupcakes
These berry-filled vanilla cupcakes are equally modest, though if you ice them correctly, they’ll look lovely as they are.
But the big surprise comes when your loved one bites into the cupcake and gets a mouthful of sweetly tart, entirely gooey berry filling.
They won’t be able to eat just one after that.
8. XO Cupcakes
All you’ll need to make these cute and simple cupcakes is your favorite recipe for vanilla cupcakes, plus fondant, cookie cutters, butter, powdered sugar, milk, and extract for the frosting.
They’ll take a little over half an hour to make, and if you’re in a super big hurry, buy vanilla cupcakes at a bakery!
Then, you’ll just be responsible for doing the Xs and Os.
9. Secret Kiss Cupcakes
Secret kiss cupcakes are every chocaholic’s dream come to life. They’re light and fluffy chocolate cupcakes topped with decadent chocolate frosting.
So what’s the secret kiss?
Simple – you’ll stick a Hershey’s kiss in the center of each cupcake before baking them.
Yep, that means another dose of chocolate in an already chocolate-heavy dessert. You’re welcome!
10. Ice Cream Sundae Cupcakes
Depending on where you live, it may still be too cold on February 14th to enjoy an ice cream sundae with the love of your life.
But these ice cream sundae cupcakes are another story.
They’re warm, fluffy, and full of bright, lovely colors.
You’ll top each one with smooth vanilla buttercream and a generous helping of melted chocolate and sprinkles to complete the ice cream sundae effect.
11. Neapolitan Cupcakes
Here’s another fantastic ice cream-themed cupcake that everyone will love.
You’ll start with a layer of chocolate cake at the bottom and top it with a layer of white cake mix.
Once those tasty treats are finished baking, you’ll frost them with this smooth and creamy strawberry buttercream frosting, completing the tri-color Neapolitan look.
Oh, and they taste fantastic, too.
12. Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Talk about pretty in pink! These cupcakes would fit right in at a birthday bash inside the Barbie Dream House. They’re pink to the max.
They also have a spectacular taste that’s both sweet and tart, just like pink lemonade.
If you like your sweets to have a little something extra aside from the sugar, these are the ones for you.
13. Lemon Raspberry-Filled Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
These elegant cupcakes somehow combine the flavors of cakes, berries, and citrus into one lovely, tender dessert package.
Plus, the little raspberry on top adds a touch of color and sophistication to an otherwise plain-Jane cupcake.
14. Tres Leches Cupcakes
These moist, creamy cupcakes are milky, cinnamony, and undeniably divine.
In fact, they go right past moist into a territory that’s so juicy and soft, I don’t even know the name for it.
Biting into one is like biting into the juiciest, sweetest cake you’ve ever tried, and that’s not even taking the fluffy frosting and strawberry slices into account!
15. Moscato Cupcakes
These simple cupcakes are nothing short of heavenly, and the sweet, fruity strawberry icing makes them even better.
The frosting is actually my favorite part because you’ll make it with real strawberries. It tastes insanely good and looks lovely, too.
Frost the cupcakes correctly, and they’ll almost look like rose petals.
16. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcakes
On the list of aphrodisiacs, chocolate-covered strawberries are pretty close to the top. And each of these delectable cupcakes has one on top of it!
And if that’s not sweet and sultry enough, the cupcakes themselves also feature a rich chocolate cake topped with sweet and slightly tart strawberry buttercream frosting.
It’s almost like having a chocolate-covered strawberry on top of strawberry-covered chocolate! And that is A-okay with me!
17. Strawberry Conversation Heart Cupcakes
These heart-shaped, delicately pink-iced cupcakes may look incredibly difficult to make, but they aren’t.
You can make 16 of them in under an hour, no crazy ingredients needed!
They’ll taste primarily like strawberries, but there’s a light zestiness to them, as well.
Whether you enjoy them for their taste or their unique appearance, there’s no denying that you will enjoy them.
18. Strawberry Milkshake Cupcakes
If your milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, then these strawberry milkshake cupcakes are going to bring them in from even farther away!
They’re creamy and moist and really do taste like a strawberry milkshake in cupcake form.
Additionally, they’re sweet but not overwhelmingly so and don’t leave you feeling all weighed down after eating them. That’s always a plus for me.
19. Red Velvet Heart Surprise Cookies
These attractive, flavorful cupcakes take a bit longer to make than others on our list.
But what better way to show your partner you love them than by spending a little extra time on their sweet treats for Valentine’s Day?!
They’re vanilla cupcakes with simple cream cheese frosting, but each one has a heart-shaped red velvet surprise inside it.
Add some fondant hearts or red and pink sprinkles on top for extra flair.
20. Pink Velvet Cupcakes
In case you didn’t have enough already, here’s another simple recipe for making traditional vanilla cupcakes with simple buttercream frosting.
However, you’ll add a bit of food coloring to these velvety smooth cupcakes to make the batter pink instead of white.
They’ll have the same great taste as all the other vanilla cupcakes you’ve tried, but they’re a bit more festive.
21. Chocolate Red Wine-Filled Cupcakes
Is there anything more typically Valentine’s Day than chocolate and red wine? If there is, I can’t think of it.
Put a new spin on that old classic by combining them into a single dessert.
You’ll use espresso, cocoa powder, and more to make the spectacularly scrumptious dark chocolate cake layer.
Then, you’ll combine heavy cream, chocolate chips, red wine, and salt for the delightfully decadent pinot noir chocolate ganache.
The raspberry whipped cream frosting is simply the incredible icing on an already fabulous cake (both figuratively and literally).
22. Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
There’s nothing strictly Valentine’s Day-like about these cookies and cream cupcakes, but they’re beautiful, flavorful, and easy to make, so I figured I’d add them to the list.
Plus, if your significant other (or your child’s class of fourth-graders) loves Oreos, these will certainly be a hit.
23. Caramel-Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love and all things sweet and seductive, and these tender chocolate cupcakes with an ooey-gooey caramel filling are very sweet and seductive.
After just one bite, you may fall in love with them, too, so that takes care of all three criteria for Valentine’s Day!
24. Mocha Cupcakes
These mocha cupcakes are stunningly beautiful, and they have a warm, robust chocolate and coffee flavor that makes them a real treat for any coffee fanatic.
Who needs Starbucks when you can whip up something like this at home?!
25. Raspberry Cupcakes
Sometimes, all something needs to be considered Valentine’s Day-appropriate is to look the part – aka: be pink! And these raspberry cupcakes are definitely pink.
Everything about them, from the cake to the frosting, is a delicate shade of baby pink that’s ideal for Valentine’s Day celebrations (or Breast Cancer Awareness month).
Plus, they taste like sweet and tangy raspberries, so you shouldn’t get any complaints about the flavor, either!
25 Valentine’s Day Cupcakes for Your Sweetheart
Make these Valentine’s Day cupcakes for the most romantic day of the year! From red velvet to love monster to secret kiss, these tasty treats are perfectly on theme.
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a Valentine’s Day cupcake in 30 minutes or less!
