To celebrate Cinderella’s 70th anniversary, Walt Disney World featured adorable Gus Gus–inspired cupcakes. They’re not only charming, they’re simple to recreate at home—perfect for a birthday party, a Cinderella-themed gathering, or a fun baking afternoon with kids.
I used our favorite chocolate cake and frosting recipes and turned them into the cutest little Gus Gus cupcakes you’ve ever seen. Below are easy, practical tips to bake, frost, and decorate them with minimal fuss.
The Best Chocolate Cake + Chocolate Frosting
We landed on a fail‑proof chocolate cake and a simple, dependable chocolate frosting that we make again and again for birthdays and celebrations. The cake is rich and moist, and the frosting pipes beautifully for small cupcake decorations.
For the cake, use your favorite chocolate cupcake or cake recipe and bake it in cupcake liners. For the frosting, choose an easy, smooth chocolate frosting that you can tint slightly for the hat detail—no need to make a separate vanilla batch just for a few green accents.
How To Bake Cinderella Cupcakes
Make the chocolate batter and portion it into cupcake liners. Bake about 15–20 minutes depending on the size you make—test with a toothpick and remove when it comes out clean. I used smaller yellow “cup” liners that are slightly smaller than standard cupcakes but larger than minis; any yellow liner will do.
If you use regular liners and want a brighter yellow appearance, set each baked cupcake into a second yellow liner for a more vivid look. You can bake the liners on a muffin tin or simply arrange them on a baking sheet; both methods work fine.
How To Frost Gus Gus Cupcakes
Use a piping bag for a clean swirl on each cupcake. If you don’t have one, fill a resealable plastic bag with frosting, snip a corner, and pipe the swirl that way.
To create Gus Gus’ little hat, tint a small portion of your chocolate frosting with green food coloring. Because the base is chocolate, the green will be slightly darker—but it still reads as green and looks great against the chocolate swirl.
Place the green frosting into a clean piping bag or a second snipped plastic bag and pipe a small swirl on top of the chocolate frosting—just enough to suggest a hat.
How To Decorate Gus Gus Cupcakes
For ears, press two pink candy melts into the frosting, one on each side. For the nose, add a small round pink sugar pearl centered near the front of the frosting. These simple pieces give each cupcake the recognizable Gus Gus look with minimal effort.
If you don’t have those exact decorations on hand, similar small pink candies and round sprinkles will work just as well. The goal is a pair of rounded ears and a small pink nose to complete the face.
Gus Gus Cinderella Cupcakes
Materials
- Chocolate cupcakes (use your favorite chocolate cake recipe)
- Chocolate frosting (smooth, easy-to-pipe recipe)
- Green food coloring
- Yellow cupcake liners
- Pink candy melts (for ears)
- Pink sugar pearls (for noses)
Instructions
- Bake cupcakes according to your chocolate cake recipe, portioned into cupcake liners. Bake about 15–20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- If you used standard liners and want a brighter yellow appearance, place each cupcake into a second yellow liner after baking.
- Frost each cooled cupcake with chocolate frosting using a piping bag or a plastic bag with a cut corner, creating a simple swirl.
- Tint a small portion of chocolate frosting green. Because the base is chocolate, the green will be darker—this is fine for the hat.
- Pipe a small green swirl on top of the chocolate frosting to form Gus Gus’ hat.
- Press two pink candy melts into the sides of the frosting for ears.
- Add one pink sugar pearl to the front of the frosting for the nose.
These cupcakes are a delightful, hands-on project for kids and adults alike. They come together quickly, require only a few special decorations, and make a memorable treat for parties, school events, or themed celebrations.
Gus Gus remains a favorite Disney character for many, and these cupcakes are a charming way to bring a bit of Disney magic to your kitchen—whether for a birthday, Halloween, or just because.