How to Make Clown Cupcakes is a fun and creative way to bring the magic of the circus to your kitchen! One of my favorite childhood memories was going to the circus with my family, where I was mesmerized by the clowns performing tricks and entertaining the crowd. Now, you can recreate that whimsical joy with colorful, playful clown-themed cupcakes—perfect for birthday parties, kids’ events, or just a fun baking project. Let’s dive into this easy and exciting recipe that will make everyone smile!
I've passed my love of clowns and the circus onto my daughter and we love to visit the Blackpool tower circus each year. Today we have some fantastic clown cupcakes to share which would be great when visiting the circus or for a circus-themed party. Enjoy!
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💖 Why This Recipe Works
- Fun & Colorful: Clown Cupcakes are bright, cheerful, and perfect for any party or celebration.
- Easy to Make: Start with your favorite cupcake recipe and get creative with the decorations.
- Kid-Friendly: Let kids help decorate their own cupcakes for a fun activity.
🥚Ingredients for These Circus Themed Cupcakes
- 12 vanilla cupcakes (we used a cake mix!)
- ½ stick butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
- 6-8 oz. green fondant
- 4-6 oz. yellow fondant
- 1-2 oz. light purple fondant
- 1-2 oz. baby blue fondant
- 1 circular cookie cutter, about 2 ½ inches in diameter
- Wilton icing tip #12
- Wilton icing tip #101
- 24 toothpicks
Yields: One dozen decorated cupcakes
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🌈 Substitutions and Variations
- Dairy-free twist: Use dairy-free butter and plant-based milk for the frosting.
- Flavor swap: Try chocolate or red velvet cupcakes instead of vanilla for a different base.
- Fondant-free: Use colorful frosting instead of fondant for a quicker, no-fuss decoration.
🔪How to Make Clown Cupcakes
Before decorating, ensure that the cupcakes are cooled down completely.
The butter, confectioners’ sugar and milk are the ingredients that make up the buttercream. Place all three in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer.
Be sure to start the speed on low and increase to high.
Using the Buttercream
Once the ingredients are well-combined and form semi-stiff peaks, the buttercream is complete.
Using an offset spatula, frost each cupcake with a thin layer of buttercream.
Roll out the green fondant so that it’s about ¼ of an inch thick.
Use the circular cookie cutter to cut out 12 green fondant circles.
Cover each cupcake with one fondant circle.
Divide the yellow fondant into 12 one-inch spheres. Shape each one into a cone.
Rolling Fondant
Roll out the light purple fondant and the blue fondant so that they’re each about ¼ of an inch thick.
Using the tip of Wilton #12, cut out 12 small circles of blue and purple fondant.
Stick one of each color on the yellow fondant cones.
Insert a toothpick into the center of each cupcake and then insert the yellow cone.
Insert another toothpick into each cone, having a small portion of the toothpick poke through the top.
Roll out 6 spheres of purple fondant and 6 spheres blue fondant - about ½ an inch in size each.
Insert one sphere on top of each cone (the tip of the toothpick will help keep it secure).
Using Buttercream for the Clown Hats
Scoop the remaining buttercream into a small piping bag with Wilton tip #101 attached.
Using a back and forth motion, frost the circumference of the bottom of each fondant cone.
Serve and enjoy!
You May Also Enjoy the Following Party Food Ideas:
- Patriotic Pinwheel Cupcakes
- Disney Frozen Elsa Cupcakes
- Pineapple Cupcakes For Luau
- Alligator Cupcakes
- Octopus Cupcakes
- Simba Lion King Cupcakes
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Roll out your fondant evenly and use a circular cookie cutter to get perfect, uniform discs for the cupcake base—no uneven edges!
- Toothpicks are your best friend—use them to stabilize the fondant cones and ensure your clown hats don’t topple over.
- When piping the buttercream around the clown hats, a back-and-forth motion will give them a fun, ruffled look—just like a circus performer’s costume!
💭 FAQs
Keep them in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. These little circus treats are best served fresh and fun!
Sure thing! You can swap the buttercream for cream cheese frosting or even whipped cream if you want to try something different—just make sure it's stable enough to hold the clown hats!
Absolutely! Let the kiddos have a blast decorating the clown hats and faces. It’s a great activity for a circus-themed party!
Yep! You can prepare the fondant pieces and even the buttercream a day ahead. Just assemble everything right before serving to keep it fresh and cute!
💖 Serving Suggestions
Here are my favorite treats to serve with Clown Cupcakes:
- Cotton Candy: Light, fluffy, and perfectly whimsical for that circus vibe.
- Mini Popcorn Bags: A salty snack to balance out the sweetness of those clown cupcakes.
- Fruit Kabobs: Bright and colorful, these are a fun addition to the party table.
- Rainbow Jello Cups: Layered rainbow jello for a burst of color that matches the cupcake theme.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Circus Clown Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 12 Vanilla Cupcakes We Used Cake Mix
- ½ Stick Butter Softened
- 1 Cup Confectioners’ Sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon Milk
- 6-8 oz. Green Fondant
- 4-6 oz. Yellow Fondant
- 1-2 oz. Light Purple Fondant
- 1-2 oz. Baby Blue Fondant
- 1 Circular Cookie Cutter About 2 ½ Inches In Diameter
- Wilton Icing Tip #12
- Wilton Icing Tip #101
- 24 Toothpicks
Instructions
- Before decorating, ensure that the cupcakes are cooled down completely.
- The butter, confectioners’ sugar and milk are the ingredients that make up the buttercream.
- Place all three in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer. Be sure to start the speed on low and increase to high.
- Once the ingredients are well-combined and form semi-stiff peaks, the buttercream is complete.
- Using an offset spatula, frost each cupcake with a thin layer of buttercream.
- Roll out the green fondant so that it’s about ¼ of an inch thick. Use the circular cookie cutter to cut out 12 green fondant circles.
- Cover each cupcake with one fondant circle. Divide the yellow fondant into 12 one-inch spheres.
- Shape each one into a cone. Roll out the light purple fondant and the blue fondant so that they’re each about ¼ of an inch thick.
- Using the tip of Wilton #12, cut out 12 small circles of blue and purple fondant. Stick one of each color on the yellow fondant cones.
- Insert a toothpick into the center of each cupcake and then insert the yellow cone.
- Insert another toothpick into each cone, having a small portion of the toothpick poke through the top.
- Roll out 6 spheres of purple fondant and 6 spheres blue fondant - about ½ an inch in size each. Insert one sphere on top of each cone (the tip of the toothpick will help keep it secure).
- Scoop the remaining buttercream into a small piping bag with Wilton tip #101 attached.
- Using a back and forth motion, frost the circumference of the bottom of each fondant cone.
These Clown Cupcakes can be enjoyed at birthday and Chirstmas parties. Something the whole family can enjoy.