Cheeseburger Cupcakes

main-cheeseburgercupcakes6

My friend Kathy is one of my biggest supporters. She’s always finding very cool and quirky things to make and when she shows me something, I know it wil be a goody. Case in point is these Cheeseburger Cupcakes. As soon as I saw these I got all excited and starting pointing at the computer excitedly trying to get my husband’s attention. “Look! Look!” I mimed as my mouth was full of juice. His chuckle assured me that to make these was a no brainer.

cheeseburger cupcakes 1

I’ve mentioned the cheeseburger is my favourite burger. When I was young, I was never allowed a Big Mac, only the cheeseburger and whilst I never flipped the pickles onto the window sill as some of my friends did during a rowdy, fun 8th birthday party, I never liked the pickles. Nowadays I make up for my previous pickle shunning by requesting extra pickles in my cheeseburger.

The “cheese, sauces and lettuce” for these are created via icing tubes and I did a shortcut and made 6 cupcakes in total which you can do using the one 12 muffin tray and making 6 chocolate cupcakes and 6 vanilla cupcakes. The chocolate centre is a mud cake centre whilst the bun is a regular vanilla butter cake. It doesn’t get much harder than that and there’s no buttercream to make after it or god forbid any spun toffee. In fact these were amongst the easiest cupcakes I’ve made in a long time and the most rewarding.

cheeseburger cupcakes 4

In the absence of any real icing or filling, these are more what I’d call novelty cupcakes although you could certainly dig a bit of a hole and add some jam, cream or curd in it. If you don’t, I’d try and eat these on the day you make them or the day after  as icing often helps to keep a cupcake moist. For an authentic measure which also aids in keeping the cupcake moist, do as you’d do a cheeseburger and wrap it up in some wax paper.

cheeseburger cupcakes 3

So tell me Dear Reader, which type of cupcake would you like me to make next?

Cheeseburger Cupcakes

cheeseburger cupcakes 2

Makes 12 cheeseburger cupcakes

You will need 2 muffin trays sprayed thoroughly with non stick oil spray

For the hamburger “bun”

  • 125 g butter at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) milk soured with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup self raising flour
  • 1/4 cups cornflour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste

For the “meat patty”

  • 165g butter (doesn’t matter if it’s at room temp or not in this recipe)
  • 120g dark eating chocolate broken up into pieces
  • 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup Kahlua
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1/4 cup cornflour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 egg

To decorate

  • 2-3 small tubes or 1 large tube of yellow icing
  • 1 small tube of red icing
  • 1 small tube of green icing
  • 1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Method for the hamburger “bun”

1. Preheat oven to 150c fan forced or 170c non fan forced.

2. Beat the first 3  ingredients (the butter, sugar and eggs) with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy

3. Add in the remaining cake ingredients. Spoon into the muffin tray (ensure that it is well sprayed with non stick oil spray to avoid it sticking).

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in tin.

burger batter raw

Raw Batter

burger batter baked

Baked cupcakes

Method for the “meat patty”

1. Preheat oven to 150c fan forced or 170c non fan forced.

2. Place butter, chocolate, sugar, the water, liquer and coffee in small saucepan over low heat until melted and combined. Cool for 15 minutes.

3. Using a whisk, add flour, cocoa and then egg (at this stage it will look like liquidey dark chocolate ganache). Spoon into patty tins.

4. Spoon into the muffin tray (ensure that it is well sprayed with non stick oil spray to avoid it sticking).

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in tin.

To assemble

slicing bun

cheeseing patty

1. Once the cupcakes are cool, take the vanilla cupcake and cut in half (cutting slightly higher towards the top). Cut the chocolate cupcake in half and either use a flat tip on your yellow icing tube or cut the end on a diagonal as shown and pipe a thick edge around the outside of the chocolate cupcake piece so that the edges show some yellow icing-this is the cheese.

sauce lettuce

2. Place the chocolate cupcake piece on the bottom of the vanilla cupcake. Then, draw squiggles around the edge using the green and red icing as shown. Place the top piece of the vanilla cupcake on top of the “patty” and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve in wax paper squares wrapped up like mini cheeseburgers.

cheeseburger cupcakes 5

If you enjoyed this post, why not share it with your friends?

Print Page

Related Posts

Subscribe to Not Quite Nigella

Subscribe to Not Quite Nigella to receive daily updates via email. Just enter your email address and press Subscribe.

92 Comments | Add your own

  • 1. Cheryl | September 8th, 2009 at 6:23 am | #

    Very cute cupcakes! Sounds easy to make as well which is a bonus…

  • 2. fat mum slim | September 8th, 2009 at 6:35 am | #

    Bakerella did something similiar for the US Father’s Day.

    Here is a link to it on my blog: http://fatmumslim.blogspot.com/2009/09/fathers-day-of-days.html

    You could make the fries to match.

    As for your next cupcake: I love anything with white chocolate and dark chocolate chunks. I tried a cupecake with coconut, white chocolate and blueberries recently… and it was very ordinary. I was trying to think how it could be improved. You could try that too?

    Any cupcake is a good cupcake. :)

  • 3. Kristy | September 8th, 2009 at 6:44 am | #

    I’m so going to try these, they look amazing!

  • 4. Ellie@AlmostBourdain | September 8th, 2009 at 6:50 am | #

    My Swedish friend forwarded the same flickr link last night. Now I am reading it on your blog. So funny! What a crazy brilliant idea!

  • 5. Liss | September 8th, 2009 at 6:54 am | #

    They look cute, these would be great for a boys’ birthday party!

    Next project… what about something summery…? I think we’re all getting in the mood for summer.. :)

  • 6. Rosa | September 8th, 2009 at 6:58 am | #

    OMG, they look so cute! Great job!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  • 7. Trissa | September 8th, 2009 at 7:00 am | #

    That is so cute… I’ve always thought it would be weird to eat something that looked like something else – which reminds me – but then isn’t that what Ferran Adria does?? It’s sort of like molecular gastronomy for cupcakes! hehe..

  • 8. Cakelaw | September 8th, 2009 at 7:09 am | #

    How cute! I can’t go past your Ispahan cupcakes, so I have no suggestions – however, I have a craving for a “grasshopper” cupcake (chocolate and creme de menthe) if you wish to invent one.

  • 9. sandra | September 8th, 2009 at 7:17 am | #

    They look so cute and tasty too. I LOVE a good novelty cupcake

  • 10. Julia @ Mélanger | September 8th, 2009 at 7:18 am | #

    Awwwwwwwwwww soooo cute. It’s amazing what’s out there. I saw a macaron hamburger the other day – but thought that was going to far. I’m not very creative when it comes to ideas but do love seeing what other people create! :)

  • 11. anna | September 8th, 2009 at 7:29 am | #

    Awww so cute! When I was a (slightly) smaller budding pastry freak, I made very similar “burgers” for a neighborhood gathering, only out of vanilla and chocolate wafers. The lazy no bake version, really. I do vividly remember brushing the tops with honey to stick the sesame seeds on, though.

    Have you done a creme brulee cupcake? That would be an interesting one to pull off!

  • 12. MrsDesperate | September 8th, 2009 at 7:50 am | #

    OMG – love it! Might save these for a rainy day bake-up with the kids!

  • 13. Barbara | September 8th, 2009 at 7:54 am | #

    Completely adorable! I’m looking forward to some Halloween cupcakes!

  • 14. Liz | September 8th, 2009 at 7:56 am | #

    These are so cute, I’ve been wanting to make them since Bakerella made them, although hers had brownie ‘meat’ in them.
    http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/06/fast-food-fun.html

    The cookie ‘fries’ are pretty cute too!

  • 15. Anthea | September 8th, 2009 at 8:14 am | #

    AHH! They are the cutest!

    Cheeseburgers are my favourite too. I would never have the patience to make these and this is why I continue to love reading your blog!

  • 16. Lana | September 8th, 2009 at 8:17 am | #

    How cute are these cupcakes?!? These would be great for my grandson’s upcoming 9th birthday party.

  • 17. holly | September 8th, 2009 at 8:24 am | #

    oh my god.
    genius and cuteness!
    i love these. what do they taste like?
    i waaant.
    how come you are not enormous and housebound?

  • 18. Steph | September 8th, 2009 at 8:29 am | #

    Ahaha these are so cute :) I’ve seen people make them before, (full size cake versions too) and I love the simplicity of them! You could make churros ‘fries’ with strawberry ‘ketchup’ to serve with them!

  • 19. Agz | September 8th, 2009 at 8:50 am | #

    YUM! They look great!

    Bakerella does them with cookie fries sprinkled with sugar.

    On a side note.. Lorraine, you inspired me to make mini dobos tortes and it was a hit! Thanks again!

  • 20. Katherine | September 8th, 2009 at 9:04 am | #

    They look great Lorraine. Martha Stewart had Karen Tack on her show and they made TV Dinner Cupcakes. They are so cute. Here is the link for it. http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/martha-stewart-kids-vanilla-frosting?rsc=also_try

  • 21. Agz | September 8th, 2009 at 9:06 am | #

    Oh! and i forgot to say! Bakerella has a father’s day french fries holder and tray that you can download to put the goodies in.

  • 22. Iron Chef Shellie | September 8th, 2009 at 9:06 am | #

    I have always always loved this idea! nicely done!

  • 23. Agz | September 8th, 2009 at 9:09 am | #

    Did I mention the holder and tray is a template that you can print out and cut and paste?
    ..Sorry, I realised too late that it might not have made sense =D

  • 24. foodie-central | September 8th, 2009 at 9:12 am | #

    OMG so cute! Can I have some pls? ;) Am tempted to make some for a friend’s farewell although I’ve never made cupcakes before..

  • 25. Syrie | September 8th, 2009 at 9:17 am | #

    these are absolutely adorable. I wasn’t so sure when I saw the heading in my reader at first but after seeing and reading about them…I want one. Or two.

  • 26. Kelen | September 8th, 2009 at 9:23 am | #

    Oh So cute. Love it love it!

  • 27. Anh | September 8th, 2009 at 9:30 am | #

    So cute! What a fantastic idea!

  • 28. Louvie | September 8th, 2009 at 9:37 am | #

    OMG! It’s really cool. I will try it in few days time. Thanks a lot for that.

  • 29. Tiffany | September 8th, 2009 at 9:47 am | #

    I agree with Holly, it’s astounding that you’re not huge and imobile!

    As cute as it is, I don’t think I could eat it! My poor brain would expect juicy meat and onions, and get sugary buttery flour instead!

    I’m going to be boring and suggest a healthy gluten free cupcake with raw dark chocolate, I’d love to see what you could do with gluten free recipes.

  • 30. Michelle | September 8th, 2009 at 10:01 am | #

    This is really cool!! How ingenious! It is a really cool idea for a kids party (a small one :D )

  • 31. Alfie | September 8th, 2009 at 10:09 am | #

    LOVE them!!! so cute. How about Halloween cupcakes- I know you love that holiday!!

  • 32. Kathy | September 8th, 2009 at 10:43 am | #

    I love it Lorraine!

  • 33. Marta | September 8th, 2009 at 10:43 am | #

    Oh wow! What a great creation! Thanks for trying this and sharing it with us, I think the wax paper is such a cute touch!
    I heard of tiramisu cupcakes before, could you try those?

  • 34. felicia | September 8th, 2009 at 10:46 am | #

    ahh yes i saw these on bakerella!
    always talked about making these babies,
    but never got down to making them.
    looking good lorraine! :)

  • 35. Amanda @ Panda Lunch | September 8th, 2009 at 11:40 am | #

    Hey there, it’s my first time reading your blog, LOVE it!! And those little cupcakes are absolutely adorable, food tastes so much better when it’s fun!

  • 36. spice and more | September 8th, 2009 at 11:42 am | #

    seriously cute!!

  • 37. jess | September 8th, 2009 at 12:01 pm | #

    omg they’re gorgeous! must try!

    they look so real that i thought they were made out of real cheeseburger ingredients…before i saw the word ‘cupcake’

  • 38. Ali | September 8th, 2009 at 12:02 pm | #

    those are the coolest cupcakes ever! and a cheeseburger my vegetarian self can enjoy :-)

  • 39. Eve | September 8th, 2009 at 12:14 pm | #

    Oh I love these Lorraine! So quirky and cute at the same time. It reminds me of these ‘Burger biscuits’ you can get at the Japanese stores .. in fact I had these the other day. Its called ‘ Every Burger’ and its biscuits that is ‘shaped’ like mini burgers. So much fun!
    Oh and to fulfill your burger obsession – you may also love this necklace from Q-pot xx http://www.viaalley.com/?page_id=604#Golden%20hamburger%20ring

  • 40. Julie | September 8th, 2009 at 12:40 pm | #

    So adorable! I love the idea of wrapping them in paper. Cute!

  • 41. isLa | September 8th, 2009 at 12:54 pm | #

    omg, sooo cute :D
    i’ll probably be thinking to myself, should these be savoury or sweet?

  • 42. Esz | September 8th, 2009 at 12:57 pm | #

    They are so cute!! What a cool cupcake. I reckon these would be huge at a kids birthday party – or any party for that matter :-D

  • 43. Rilsta | September 8th, 2009 at 1:19 pm | #

    These look so cute and are such a novelty! Did they taste any good though?

  • 44. missfattyfoodie | September 8th, 2009 at 1:37 pm | #

    these are so cute and creative!

  • 45. Katie | September 8th, 2009 at 1:51 pm | #

    These are so cute! It must be a mind warp eating them because they look like cheeseburgers, but taste like cupcakes! :D

  • 46. Brenda | September 8th, 2009 at 2:17 pm | #

    They are totally awesome!!! The cuteness factor is off the radar LOL

  • 47. Midge | September 8th, 2009 at 2:45 pm | #

    I am definitely making these! A friend’s little girl is having a birthday in a couple weeks and these would be perfect party treats.

    (Um, would a pina colada or Irish coffee cupcake be too much of a stretch? :D )

  • 48. yaelian | September 8th, 2009 at 4:21 pm | #

    Wow! Those look really neat!

  • 49. jane l | September 8th, 2009 at 4:45 pm | #

    they look great…i saw on bakerella they made matching french fries and she has the templates for the packaging….

    so many ideas, so little time..i like the sasame seeds on top

  • 50. Arwen from Hoglet K | September 8th, 2009 at 4:50 pm | #

    They’re very cute, and I’m relieved to hear they’re sweet. The sesame seeds are perfect for extra realism.

  • 51. Edge | September 8th, 2009 at 4:57 pm | #

    Awwww these are soooo cute!!!! I wouldn’t want to eat them! hahaha! x
    PS Sydney International Food Festival coming up too! woo-hoo!

  • 52. Sophia | September 8th, 2009 at 5:14 pm | #

    AH! Too cute! Reminds me of this giant cheeseburger cake I saw at NYC.

  • 53. Johanna | September 8th, 2009 at 5:30 pm | #

    oh I love your cupcakes – these are so much fun – I want to make them right now

    I was wondering what they would be like when I saw the title – I wondered if they would be like meatloaf cupcakes – I still dream of making these with nutloaf one day

  • 54. katie | September 8th, 2009 at 6:48 pm | #

    I love these, been wanting to make them for forever! So sweet!

    Katie xox

  • 55. Miakoda | September 8th, 2009 at 6:53 pm | #

    Absolutely perfectly cute! I love them. The next cupcake, hmmmmm…maybe a fairy garden; toadstools and flowers and such…I’d love to see that here :)

  • 56. grace | September 8th, 2009 at 7:13 pm | #

    i love it when you play with your food, lorraine! what an adorable idea, and they’d be a lovely finish to a hearty meal of three or four fat, gooey cheeseburgers. :)

  • 57. Kylie | September 8th, 2009 at 7:29 pm | #

    Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

  • 58. shaz | September 8th, 2009 at 7:59 pm | #

    Very, very cute! For a moment there ! thought there was going to be real meat involved…phew!

    Any cupcake is a good cupcake! Well almost any…

  • 59. Caz | September 8th, 2009 at 8:38 pm | #

    awesome idea!! whoever came up with it – what a genius!

    the only thing would be that i would expect it to be and taste like an actual burger! ehe

  • 60. diva | September 8th, 2009 at 8:49 pm | #

    i’m always envious of ppl who are so creative with their cupcakes!! these are AMAZING! and i mean it. they’re so cute and i’m actually half-hoping they’d taste like a cheeseburger. yum yum xxx

  • 61. Amanda | September 8th, 2009 at 9:30 pm | #

    I’ve seen these before, but I think your version looks best!

  • 62. Kyle | September 8th, 2009 at 9:33 pm | #

    OMG – freaky internet co-incidence??? Look who else posted almost identical cupcackes today!!!!

    http://www.insanewiches.com/?p=988

  • 63. Angela | September 8th, 2009 at 10:28 pm | #

    Brilliant! I’ve got both boys’ birthdays next month, they’ll love ‘em! xx

  • 64. Matilda | September 8th, 2009 at 10:54 pm | #

    These remind me of individually wrapped lollies that look like hambugers and pizzas that my kids used to eat and you can still buy in supermarkets! You’ve made the hamburgers so maybe you can make pizza looking cupcakes as your next baking adventure. I love your enthusiasm :-)

  • 65. Angela@spinachtiger.com | September 9th, 2009 at 12:41 am | #

    There you go touting McDonald’s again, maybe they should make a deal with you. Imagine that?
    I will steal these for two little boys!

  • 66. Parita | September 9th, 2009 at 1:45 am | #

    These look delectable! Would love to try them sometime soon!

  • 67. 5 Star Foodie | September 9th, 2009 at 2:12 am | #

    These cheeseburger cupcakes are just so adorable!

  • 68. Blond Duck | September 9th, 2009 at 3:59 am | #

    Those are the COOLEST things in the world! What about a pie cupcake?

  • 69. nora@ffr | September 9th, 2009 at 5:44 am | #

    awwww!!! they are sooo cutee!! :D hand me over some of that yummy cheese burger cup cake ;)

  • 70. stephchows | September 9th, 2009 at 6:45 am | #

    oh my! they are so adorable!!

  • 71. DessertObsessed | September 9th, 2009 at 7:17 am | #

    wow these do look like mini cheeseburgers! great job!!

  • 72. Faith | September 9th, 2009 at 7:43 am | #

    These are just adorable! I would love to try a cinnamon bun cupcake! ;)

  • 73. Su-yin | September 9th, 2009 at 7:52 am | #

    Awww, so cute! I love anything that mimics something else, hehe. I know what you mean about spun toffee, I tried it once for a birthday cake… and after a few hours of playing around (and having fun, admittedly) with it, I stupidly put it in the fridge – and of course, it all melted into almost nothingness by the next day when I wanted to present it to my friend. :P

  • 74. Anita | September 9th, 2009 at 8:57 am | #

    This is the coolest thing ever!!! These are absolutely so cute!

  • 75. Alexandra | September 9th, 2009 at 6:37 pm | #

    How cool! This is going down on my “projects to do” list :D

  • 76. Jamie | September 9th, 2009 at 9:57 pm | #

    These are too cute! I’ve seen others around the web but you make it seem so easy! Love ‘em!

  • 77. ArtemisIII | September 9th, 2009 at 10:18 pm | #

    O_O

    Yon and your friend are my heroes!

  • 78. Big Boys Oven | September 10th, 2009 at 2:30 am | #

    Just so easy to fall in love with the chessy burger cupcake! ;)

  • 79. Big Boys Oven | September 10th, 2009 at 2:30 am | #

    Just so easy to fall in love with the chessy burger cupcakes! ;)

  • 80. Chaya | September 10th, 2009 at 8:06 am | #

    These are simply the cutest, I have yet seen. To your credit……..

  • 81. SydneyGal | September 10th, 2009 at 10:03 pm | #

    Oooh, I’ve got one. I just saw the recipe today and I’m making them next weekend for a party. Black-bottomed cupcakes – they’re a devil’s food cupcakes with a baked cheesecake centre. Hmmmm yum.

  • 82. Elaine Oliver | September 11th, 2009 at 7:12 am | #

    Oh Marvellous!!! You really are a bobby dazzler when it comes to delighting your readers with fresh ideas…thank you :o )

  • 83. Vanessa | September 11th, 2009 at 10:18 am | #

    Where did you buy the Dr Oetker icings from?!?

  • 84. Vanessa | September 11th, 2009 at 10:28 am | #

    P.S. Do you think they’d work with packet mixes?

  • 85. Not Quite Nigella | September 12th, 2009 at 12:12 am | #

    Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your lovely comments :D xxx

    It is a little strange expecting a burger and getting cake instead but after you bite into it it doesn’t look too burger like :lol:

    Holly-I don’t know why I’m not enormous and housebound :lol:

    Eve-I love that hamburger ring!

    Vanessa-I bought those in London sadly but there are plenty of icing tubes at the supermarket here in Australia and yep absolutely they’d work well with a packet mix.

    Thanks for all of the suggestions and I definitely will be doing some Halloween cupcakes! I can’t wait for Halloween :D xxx

  • 86. Aparna | September 14th, 2009 at 1:18 am | #

    Lorraine these are superb. What an unusual idea for cupcakes. Can’t keep staring at them. :)

  • 87. Miss High Heels | September 15th, 2009 at 3:41 pm | #

    Fabulous work!
    I have seen these around for a while now and have always loved them but thought they’d be way too difficult for me to attempt. Thank you for the straight forward instructions and photos. :)

  • 88. Not Quite Nigella | September 26th, 2009 at 7:15 am | #

    Hi Aparna-Thankyou so much! :D

    Hi Miss High Heels-Thankyou! You’re welcome and I hope you enjoy making them :)

  • 89. Sylvia | January 1st, 2010 at 4:29 am | #

    These are so cute! My son’s class is studying the food groups, and while hamburgers don’t quite fit in anywhere, these would be cute to send. Love the detail with the sesame seeds!
    -Sylvia
    Padrons

  • 90. Not Quite Nigella | January 1st, 2010 at 11:28 pm | #

    Hi Sylvia-Hehe thanks! Isn’t cake a food group? :P

  • 91. Sophie | September 30th, 2010 at 7:24 pm | #

    Brilliant. I’m going to try these for my brother’s 18th!

One Trackback/Pingback

Post a Comment

Your email is never published nor shared. Required fields are marked *
*
*