Easy Tiger Cupcakes
The Perfect Cupcake for Jungle and Safari Celebrations
These easy tiger cupcakes are the perfect addition to a jungle-themed party or baby shower. With their playful fondant cheeks, sprinkle noses, and piped buttercream stripes, they’re bold, fun, and surprisingly simple to make. Whether you add them to a full set of animal cupcakes or serve them on their own, they’re guaranteed to be a roaring success.
The Design
The cupcakes are baked with little foil balls tucked into the liners, creating the base shape for the tiger’s ears. Once cooled, orange buttercream is swirled smoothly across the surface to form the face. Upside-down white heart sprinkles become the inner ears, while a black triangle sprinkle makes the nose. White fondant cheeks, dotted with whisker marks, add dimension, and black sugar balls form the eyes. To finish, thin black buttercream stripes are piped around the face and ears, giving these easy tiger cupcakes their unmistakable tiger look.
Things I Used to Make My Easy Tiger Cupcakes
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Cupcake tin + liners – Standard 12-cup pan with foil balls to create ear shapes.
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Piping bags – At least two, for orange and black buttercream.
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Large round piping tip (Wilton 1A) – For the orange buttercream face.
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Small round piping tip (Wilton 4) – For black buttercream stripes.
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Small metal spatula – To smooth buttercream surfaces.
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Parchment paper + baking tray – For the flip-and-freeze method.
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Toothpick – To poke whisker holes in fondant cheeks.
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Orange + black buttercream – See my buttercream colouring guide for vibrant results.
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White love heart sprinkles – Placed upside down for ears.
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Black triangle sprinkles – Perfect for noses (fondant triangles also work).
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White fondant – Rolled and cut into cheeks.
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Black sugar balls – Used as eyes.
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Tweezers – To place small decorations neatly.
Why You’ll Love These Easy Tiger Cupcakes
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Bold and colourful – instantly recognisable design.
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Perfect for parties – ideal for jungle themes, baby showers, or zoo birthdays.
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Beginner-friendly – the foil ear trick makes it easy.
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Customisable – swap colours to make zebras or cats.
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Adorable + fun – kids love them as part of an animal cupcake set.
Serving Ideas
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Pair these easy tiger cupcakes with my lion cupcakes and other animal designs for a cupcake jungle.
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Serve on green leaves or safari-themed platters for maximum effect.
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Great as a centrepiece for birthdays, baby showers, or school events.
Final Thoughts
These easy tiger cupcakes are proof that simple decorating tricks can create maximum impact. From the foil ear method to the playful stripes, they’re a fun project that looks impressive but is totally beginner-friendly. Whether served solo or alongside other jungle animals, these cupcakes are sure to be a roaring success.
FAQ
Do I need foil balls for the ears?
They give the cutest shape, but you can skip them and pipe ears on instead.
Can I replace the sprinkles with fondant?
Yes! Fondant shapes work perfectly for ears, noses, or stripes.
How far in advance can I make them?
Bake the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead, then decorate on the day for the freshest look.
What flavours work best?
Chocolate or red velvet look amazing with the orange-and-black design.
Ingredients
- 12 cupcakes
- Orange and black buttercream
- 24 white love heart sprinkles
- 50g white fondant
- 12 black triangle shaped sprinkles
- 24 black sugar balls
Equipment
- A 12-cavity cupcake tin
- 12 tin foil balls
- 2 piping bags
- 1 Large round piping tip (Wilton 1A)
- 1 Small round piping tip (Wilton 4)
- A small metal spatula
- A sheet of parchment paper
- A baking tray
- A toothpick
How to...
Step 1
Fill your cupcake liners half full of cupcake batter. Roll up some aluminium foil into small balls, they should be a similar size to a marble. Add the foil ball to the top, of each liner, to make the shape of the tiger’s ears.
Step 2
Bake the cupcakes as directed and allow them to cool completely before decorating.
Step 3
Use a large round piping tip to add a swirl of orange buttercream for the tiger’s face. Start at the top of the cupcake, just below the ears and finish the swirl in the centre. Leave a space between the buttercream and the edge of the cupcake to allow for spreading when pressed down.
Step 4
Add two ears to the top of the cupcake. Hold the piping tip at the top of the buttercream swirl, squeeze out a dot and pull away in the same direction as the ear shape on the cupcake. Repeat this step on the opposite side, try to make them as similar in size as possible. You can adjust them with a spatula if needed.
Step 5
Use a small metal spatula to smooth out any gaps in the buttercream. This will ensure that the finish is smooth after you have pressed them onto the parchment paper.
Step 6
Line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper. Gently press the cupcakes face down onto the parchment paper. Press them down just enough to flatten the buttercream, but not too much that you lose the shape of the tiger. I find that less is more for this step. Transfer the tray to the freezer for 15 – 20 minutes, until the buttercream peels away from the paper leaving a smooth surface. If the parchment doesn’t peel away cleanly, then pop them back into the freezer for a little longer.
Step 7
Add two white, love heart sprinkles, upside down for the ears and a black triangle shaped sprinkle for the nose. If you don’t have these shaped sprinkles, then you can replace them with fondant shapes or any other candies that you have on hand. I always use tweezers to add these as I find it easier to place them where I want them. Press them gently onto the buttercream surface to make sure that they stay in place.
Step 8
Roll out a piece of white fondant and use the large end of a small piping tip to cut out circles for the cheeks. Attach them to the lion’s face and then use a toothpick to poke whisker holes in each cheek. Add two black round sprinkles for the eyes.
Step 9
Use the black buttercream and a small round piping tip to add the stripes. You can add as many as you like, going around the edge of the face and ears.
The results!
Totally roar-some! Well done.
Notes & Tips
Good job! These tiger cupcakes are sure to be a hit.
