RECIPE
Smarties® Mini Chocolate Cakes Recipe
Add Smarties® colour and a chocolatey treat to any occasion.
29 December, 2025
If you’re looking for a cute, colourful and kid-friendly treat to add to your baking bag of tricks, then have we got a recipe for you! Our Smarties® mini chocolate cupcakes, made with Milkybar® white chocolate buttercream bring the fun wherever they go, and they couldn’t be easier to make. Kids parties, bake sales, school concerts and playdates – these cupcakes are a delicious addition.
Baking these for a kid's party? We've got lots of children's birthday party ideas to help it go with a bang, along with how to ace your DIY party bag, and some lively children's party games for indoors and out! For a colourful centrepiece to hold all those candles, our easy one-tray rainbow cake is impressive both outside and inside. And for more kitchen fun and tasty recipes for kids, sign up to our newsletter!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Smarties® mini chocolate cupcakes are simple to make, look fabulous and don’t require loads of expensive ingredients. Just a few basic pantry staples, a tumble of vibrant Smarties® and you’re halfway to a tasty treat the whole family can enjoy.
How to Best to Melt Chocolate
There are many ways to melt chocolate, but few are as quick and easy as the trusty microwave. Simply place the Milkybar® into a small microwave-safe bowl and pop it into the microwave. Heat in 20-second bursts and stir in between – keeping the oven gloves on as the bowl heats up. Continue until the white chocolate is smooth and fully melted.
If you don’t have a microwave, you can create a bain-marie or double boiler. Place a heat-proof bowl over a small saucepan containing 250ml water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Put the chopped chocolate into the bowl and gently heat the water over the stove until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat. Be careful not to get any water into the white chocolate, or it will seize and turn grainy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Our Smarties® mini chocolate cupcakes are cute, dainty and they need to be treated gently. This means gentle mixing, just the right amount of bake time and proper cooling. If you overmix your cupcakes, they will turn out tough rather than tender. Overbaked cupcakes will be dry and icing them before they are cool will result is in an icing slip and slide!
Variations and Substitutes
Mix up your cupcake flavours with a few simple swaps. Want a topping with a little more chew than crunch? Replace the Smarties® with Jelly Tots®! Want more chocolate flavour to go with the chocolate sponge? Try the chocolate ganache icing from our Mini Vanilla Cupcake recipe. For a larger cupcake with a melted chocolate top, try our Smarties® Cupcakes. Or, if you want something even simpler, try our easy one-pan Smarties® Chocolate Traybake.
Storage Instructions
Store your mini Smarties® cupcakes in an airtight container for up to three days. You can freeze the un-iced cupcakes in the container for up to three months. To defrost, simply leave the container in the fridge overnight then ice them the next morning.
You will need
- 16 mini cupcake cases
- A mini cupcake tray
- A whisk or an electric whisk
- A piping bag with a nozzle
- Mixing bowls
- A spatula
- A mixing spoon
For the cupcakes
- 55g buttery baking spread, softened
- 55g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 45g self-raising flour
- 15g cocoa powder
- 1-2 tsp semi-skimmed milk
For the icing and decoration
- 65g Milkybar®, chopped
- 65g buttery baking spread, softened
- 95g icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
- 48 Smarties® (1 per cupcake)
Each cupcake typically contains:
of an adult’s Reference Intake (RI)*
Energy per 100g: 1844kJ/449kcal
Method
For the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/gas mark 4 and line a mini cupcake tray with cupcake cases.
- In a bowl, whisk the buttery baking spread and sugar together for about 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and whisk again to combine.
- Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold to combine until no dry ingredients remain.
- Add one tablespoon of milk to loosen until it reaches a dropping consistency, meaning you can scoop the mixture, and it will drop off spoon. If needed, add the other tablespoon of milk.
- Divide evenly between cases – about 1 heaped teaspoon each.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes until risen and springy. Transfer them to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
For the icing and decorating
- Pop the Milkybar® into a microwave safe bowl and blitz on high for 20-second bursts. Stir with a spatula in between bursts until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the baking spread until it softens and becomes fluffy.
- Sift in the icing sugar, whisking well to prevent lumps.
- Add the cooled Milkybar® and mix briefly until smooth. If it is a little too thick, add the tablespoon of milk and whisk again. If it is still too thick, add another.
- Scoop the icing into a piping bag with a nozzle and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake.
- Top each cupcake with three colourful Smarties® and serve!
Top Tips
The difference between a moist mini cupcake and a sad, dry one comes down to the perfect bake. Make sure your oven is properly preheated and keep an eye on the cupcakes towards the end of the bake. As soon as cake tester or wooden skewer comes out clean, the cupcakes are done. And don’t forget to transfer them to a rack to cool because they will continue to cook in the hot cupcake tray!
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