I lived on the island for a few years when I was younger and I will never forget the first time my Ma handed me a couple of delicious famous Nanaimo bars as a welcoming gift to my new hometown island.
This desert snack is name after the City of Nanaimo in British Columbia, Canada.
It was sweet, smooth, and each layer contributed the most amazing flavor that turned each bite into the biggest flavor bomb I have ever tried.
This yummy Nanaimo Bar Cupcake recipe combines each flavor that you love from the traditional Nanaimo bar in an equally as delicious cupcake and your new favourite delicious desserts.
Table of Contents
Nanaimo Bar Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 box chocolate fudge cake (of course you can use a from-scratch recipe! There’s plenty on this site to choose from, I just went this route for simplicity.)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup slivered almonds, optional
Make the flour mixture batter as per manufacturer’s instructions.
Fold in the shredded coconut and the slivered almonds.
Place cupcake liners in your cupcake pans and fill each one 3/4 full.
Bake as per the instructions on the box.
Remove from the oven once finished (use the “tooth pick” test to make sure), place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely to room temperature before icing.
Icing Recipe
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 package vanilla instant pudding
4 cups icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup custard powder (this contributes to the yellow color)
Cream the butter in a bowl with a hand mixer, add the icing sugar and mix well, add the instant pudding and custard powder and mix well again, add whipping cream and mix well then finish with the vanilla extract.
Continue beating on med-high until it’s fluffy and creamy.
Place icing into a piping bag fitted with your chosen tip and pipe onto the top of the cupcakes.
Top with slivers of almonds, a pinch of coconut, or drizzle some melted chocolate onto the top of your cupcakes for a picture perfect finishing touch!
Nanaimo Bar Cupcakes Recipe
[yumprint-recipe id=’209′]
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I have a huge sweet tooth and these really do look like they would be yummy.
The icing sounds so yummy with the pudding in it! Yum!T hank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Sharing on G+! Have a great week!
Kim
Yummy and these are perfect for my cheat day!
Hi Jennifer, What beautiful cupcakes & I’m sure they are as delicious as they are pretty! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Janet
I only discovered Nanaimo bars a few years ago, when we moved to Saskatchewan. These cupcakes are a nice alternative.
Looks fabulous!!
Looks delicious! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cooking Wednesday!
What do you do with the butter… I am imagining it’s blended with the pudding and milk etc. but the instructions are missing this step.
Hi Joan – sorry the instructions are not clear. We have revised the instructions as follows – Cream the butter in a bowl with a hand mixer, add the icing sugar and mix well, add the instant pudding and mix well again, add whipping cream and mix well then finish with the vanilla extract.
Hi! Custard powder is listed in the ingredients but not in the directions. Which step does this go into the icing?
Hi Jess – thanks for asking we have updated the instructions to include adding the custard powder at the same steps as mixing the icing sugar.
“Cream the butter in a bowl with a hand mixer, add the icing sugar and mix well, add the instant pudding and custard powder and mix well again, add whipping cream and mix well then finish with the vanilla extract.”
I made this and it’s very gritty, what did I do wrong lol
Did you substitute any ingredients?