Sunshine Cupcakes That’ll Make Everyone Smile

These sunshine cupcakes are topped with lemon buttercream, candy corn rays, and smiling faces—perfect for parties, kids, or brightening your day.

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Sunshine Cupcakes That’ll Make Everyone Smile 

These adorable sunshine cupcakes are the perfect treat to brighten any day! Made with a simple yellow cake base and topped with lemon buttercream, candy corn rays, and a smiling face—they’re just the right mix of sweet, citrusy, and fun.

Perfect for summer parties, rainy day baking, or anytime you need a little sunshine on a plate.

Cupcakes:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (plus eggs, oil, and water per box directions) or your favorite yellow cupcake recipe

Decorations per cupcake:

• 8–10 candy corn pieces (for sun rays)

• 2 sugar decorating eyes

• Orange cookie or regular frosting (for the smile)

Lemon Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

• 4 ½ cups powdered sugar

• 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest or juice

• Pinch of salt

• Just a touch of yellow and orange food coloring (swirled in, not mixed)

• Bake Your Base
  Prepare and bake cupcakes according to box or recipe directions. Let them cool completely before decorating.

• Make the Lemon Buttercream
  Beat butter until smooth and fluffy. Add in powdered sugar, lemon juice, cream, zest (if using), salt, and mix until light and creamy. Lightly swirl in a touch of yellow and orange food coloring—just enough to give it a sunshine swirl.

• Decorate Like a Ray of Sunshine

  • Pipe a flat swirl of buttercream on each cupcake using a large round or star tip.

  • Press candy corn (tip-side out) all around the edge of each cupcake to make the sun rays.

  • Place two sugar eyes in the center.

  • Use orange frosting to pipe a small smile beneath the eyes.

• Serve and Share
  Perfect for kids, parties, or cheering up a gloomy day. These little suns are guaranteed to get smiles!

If you’re making these for a party, prep all the eyes and candy corn ahead of time so decorating is a breeze. Bonus points if you make a whole tray of happy sunshine faces in different expressions!

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