How to Make Adorable Dog Cupcakes

Learn how to decorate cupcakes to look like pugs, poodles and more with this step-by-step guide.

By: Alana Jones-Mann

Related To:

Go Mutts for Pupcakes!

These adorable doggie doppelgangers are created with just a few simple ingredients. All you need is a dozen of your favorite cupcakes, a batch of white buttercream, some easy-to-find candies and a few decorating tools. Follow these simple steps to create shaggy dogs, pugs, shih tzus and more.

Puppy Dog: What You'll Need

Gather your materials:

1 unfrosted cupcake

Piping bag with a small star decorating tip

White buttercream frosting

Scissors, knife

2 small black chocolate balls (such as Sixlets)

1 large black gumball

2 soft caramel candies

1 pink soft candy (such as taffy or Starburst)

Puppy Dog: Step 1

Fill piping bag fitted with star tip halfway with buttercream. Frost surface of cupcake, using quick piping motions to get small, spiked shapes of frosting "fur." Add an additional dollop of frosting just below the center of the cupcake. Cut the black gumball in half and place it atop the dollop of buttercream to serve as the nose.

Puppy Dog: Step 2

Position the two chocolate balls just above nose to create eyes. For the tongue, flatten the soft pink candy with your fingers or a rolling pin. Use scissors to cut out a tongue shape; use a knife to gently press a line down the center. Roll out the two caramels, just as you did with the pink candy tongue. Once flattened, cut out ear shapes from each caramel piece. Position the tongue just below the nose, and add the ears to each side of the cupcake.

Puppy Dog Cupcake

Repeat process with remaining cupcakes. If desired, you may use different soft candies to vary the ear color.

Pug: What You'll Need

Gather your materials:

1 unfrosted cupcake

Piping bag with a round decorating tip

White buttercream frosting + ivory and black food coloring

Offset spatula, scissors, toothpick

3 small black chocolate balls (such as Sixlets)

3 soft brown or black candies (such as Tootsie Rolls or taffy)

1 soft pink candy (such as taffy or Starburst)

Pug: Step 1

Tint 1 cup buttercream with ivory food coloring. Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with small round tip. Using an offset spatula, smoothly frost a cupcake with some frosting. Flatten the three soft brown or black candies with your fingers or a rolling pin. Use scissors to cut out: 1 small oval piece, 1 mouth piece (upside-down V shape) and 2 ear pieces. If using brown candies, brush a light layer of black food coloring over each piece. Flatten the small pink candy and cut out a tongue shape. Use a toothpick to press small holes (the whiskers) into the mouth piece and a line down the center of the tongue. Set aside two small round chocolate balls for the eyes. For the nose, cut the remaining small chocolate ball in half.

Pug: Step 2

Once you’ve prepared the candy pieces, add the small oval piece, the tongue and the upper mouth piece (in that order) to the bottom half of the cupcake to make the mouth. Add a tiny dab of buttercream to the back of the nose piece and secure it to the top of the mouth. Outline the mouth shape with buttercream for the wrinkles, then add the eyes and ears. Pipe on a few additional buttercream wrinkles.

Shih Tzu: What You'll Need

Gather your materials:

1 unfrosted cupcake

2 piping bags with small round tip

White buttercream frosting + ivory (or light brown) food coloring

Offset spatula, knife

1 small black chocolate ball (such as Sixlets)

1 oval-shaped black candy (such as black licorice candies or jelly beans)

1 pink soft candy (such as taffy or Starburst)

Shih Tzu: Step 1

Tint 1/2 cup buttercream with ivory food coloring; transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. In a separate piping bag fitted with a round tip, add 1 cup white buttercream. Frost surface of cupcake with a light layer of white buttercream. Flatten the soft pink candy with your fingers or a rolling pin. Cut candy into a tongue shape and use a knife to create a line impression down the center. Cut both ends off the black oval-shaped candy to make eyes; set aside. Add the small chocolate ball to the center of the cupcake for the nose.

Shih Tzu: Step 2

Using the ivory-colored frosting, pipe two small lines (in an upside-down T shape) below the nose. Use the white frosting to add the facial “fur” to the bottom half of the cupcake. Position the tongue atop the frosting, just below the mouth markings. Pipe on a small mask-shaped section with the ivory-colored frosting. Finish the top of the face with the white buttercream, and then pipe additional ivory frosting for ears. Position the eye pieces atop the cupcake to complete.

Shaggy Dog: What You'll Need

Gather your materials:

1 unfrosted cupcake

Piping bag with a multi-opening decorating tip

White buttercream frosting + brown food coloring

Offset spatula, knife

1 large black gumball

1 oval-shaped black candy (such as black licorice candies or jelly beans)

1 pink soft candy (such as taffy or Starburst)

Shaggy Dog: Step 1

Tint 1 cup buttercream with brown food coloring. Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with a multi-opening tip. Frost the surface of the cupcake with the frosting, using quick motions with the multi-opening tip.

Shaggy Dog: Step 2

Flatten the soft pink candy with your fingers or a rolling pin. Cut candy into a tongue shape and use a knife to create a line impression down the center. Cut the black gumball in half for the nose. Cut both ends off the black oval-shaped candy for the eyes. Add additional frosting “fur” to elevate the nose area and the ears. Position the nose, eyes and tongue candy pieces. Add more frosting for an extra-shaggy look.

Poodle: What You'll Need

Gather your materials:

1 unfrosted cupcake

Piping bag with small round decorating tip

White buttercream frosting

Offset spatula, scissors, knife

1 small black chocolate ball (such as Sixlets)

1 oval-shaped black candy (such as black licorice candy or jelly beans)

1 pink soft candy (such as taffy, Tootsie Frooties or Starburst)

Poodle: Step 1

Transfer frosting to piping bag fitted with small round tip. Using an offset spatula, smoothly frost a cupcake with some frosting. Using a knife, cut off both ends from the black oval-shaped candy to make eyes. Set aside the small round chocolate ball for the nose. For the bow, roll out the soft pink candy with your fingers or a rolling pin. Use your scissors to cut out a bow shape from the flattened candy.

Poodle: Step 2

Once you’ve prepared all the candy, place a dollop of frosting in the center of the cupcake for the nose and position the round chocolate ball in the center of the frosting. Position the candy eyes on the cupcake. For the poodle’s hair and ears, pipe small round dollops of frosting on the cupcake. Finish with the candy bow.

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