A few years ago, to celebrate a Disney-loving friend's birthday, I recreated these adorable "Hidden Mickey" cupcakes that you could find at Walt Disney World's Main Street Bakery. What is so fun is that no matter how you slice, or bite, into the cupcake you will find a hidden Mickey! These are great for a special occasion for your own Mickey fans or to celebrate an upcoming trip to the Magic Kingdom!
I should start off by letting everyone know that I am not a whiz in the kitchen and these are truly easy to make for any level of experience. If you can follow the instructions on a boxed cake or brownie mix and have played with play dough ever - then you are ready to make your own "Hidden Mickey" cupcakes. I promise!
First, gather what you will need:
- One package of cake mix and one package of brownie mix.
- Oil, egg and water - you will prepare the mixes per the instructions on the package
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- Hand mixer or whisk, something to stir your cake mixes
- Large cake pan
- Cupcake pan
- Cupcake liners
- Frosting
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Helpers are optional
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Let's Get Baking!
- The first thing you will want to do is prepare the brownie mix you are using for the Hidden Mickeys per the instructions on the package. Pour the batter into (preferably) a larger cake pan, 9x11, but truly any pan will work. Make sure you follow the instructions on the package to bake according to pan type. Metal or glass pans will require different baking times and you want to try to not over-bake the batter. When you can insert a butter or table knife into the cake and it comes out clean it is ready to come out of the oven.
- While the brownies for the Mickeys are cooling, go ahead and prepare the other package of cake mix per the instructions. Once fully mixed pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the batter into a separate bowl and set aside. You will use that in a few steps to make the Mickeys.
- Prepare your cupcake pan with liners and then pour a little cake batter into the bottom of each cupcake liner. I don't have a precise measurement for this because a precise measurement isn't needed, but approximately half an inch.
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At this point you should have:
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Next Let's Make our Hidden Mickeys:
- This part is a favorite of my kids - take the brownies which have been cooling in the pan and use your hands to crumble it up. Yes, destruction can be fun, and yes, sampling a bite is perfectly acceptable! You should be left with a pan of crumbled brownies. If you weren't able to use a large cake pan, then you can definitely transfer it to a clean large bowl for this part.
- Next add about 1/4 cup of the batter you had set aside and 1/4 cup of water and use your hands and a large spoon to thoroughly mix it all up until you have a lump of paste or dough. This is where all of those hours you have logged playing with playdough will come in handy! If the mixture is a bit too dry, you can always add a little more of the extra batter and water.
- Using your hands, pull out a couple of tablespoons worth of the mix and form it into a ball shape; now repeat for each cupcake you are making. Now, dip back into the brownie dough again and this time make "snakes" which you will form into circles to rest on the top of each ball, like a little halo. Since cupcake pans can vary in size there is no exact measurement for how big to make your hearts. A little trial and error may be needed, but I would say mine were about the size of a large marble.
Now to finish them up!
- Place each Mickey into a cupcake mold and fill it with the remaining batter. Feel free to give the Mickeys a gentle press if it doesn't stand on its own in the mold after the batter is covering it.
- Bake cupcakes according to the package, let cool and then decorate with a frosting and sprinkles of your choice!
I love how the three-dimensional Hidden Mickey will allow you to bite, or cut, into a cupcake and discover a sweet surprise!
If you make these, please share how they turned out! Tag me on Instagram @macaroni_kid_chicago or just drop me a note!
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