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    Home » Desserts » Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache

    May 21, 2015 · Modified: Oct 19, 2021 by Sues · This post may contain affiliate links, uses cookies, and generates income via ads · View privacy policy + disclosure statement linked in footer · 38 Comments

    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache are bee-decorated honey cupcakes with a sweet white chocolate honey ganache filling and vanilla buttercream frosting. Don't forget the honey drizzle on top!

    My husband is deathly afraid of bees. Like, it’s kind of a joke, but also not really, that he wouldn’t hesitate to throw me into the path of an angry bee if it came down to either him or me. On a positive note, he did say that he would jump in front of a bullet for me. I suppose I’d rather get a few bee stings than a gunshot wound, so I’m going to call that true love.

    Then again, I’ve actually never been stung by a bee, so I have a difficult time judging the level of pain a sting would entail. Somehow I think it wouldn’t be quite as bad as a gunshot.

    Despite the fact that my husband hates bees, he actually likes bee themed things. Does that even make sense? He tried to compare himself to Batman in that Batman hates bats but still wears one on his uniform (learn something new every day! Also, is it actually even called a uniform? costume??). I mean, I love raccoons, but wouldn’t exactly want to be stuck in a dark alley with one, so maybe it’s kind of like that?

    In any event, I hope you won’t get mad that I made cupcakes again. I legit cannot stop. There’s more where this came from, too. I kind of feel like I’m going back to my roots since I used to be absolutely cupcake obsessed. My love for them has been rejuvenated.

    The inspiration for these honey cupcakes came from these bee icing decorations (affiliate link) I picked up at Wilton’s Sweet Up. Aren’t they absolutely adorable?

    Bee icing decorations from Wilton in package

    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache Recipe

    I decided to make these little treats for my husband, featuring his most hated/most loved insect. I added honey into the bee cupcakes and also made a white chocolate honey ganache to fill them with. On top went a simple vanilla buttercream with a little more honey drizzled over the top. 

    The honey cupcakes are a very simple cupcake recipe that involve the addition of honey. The batter is a pretty honey yellow color!

    Collage showing process for making honey cupcake batter, including creaming sugar and butter, whisking flour, and combining dry ingredients with wet ingredients

    Once the cupcakes are cooled, you'll need to core the center of each one either with a knife or a cupcake corer. If you're looking for a good cupcake corer, I highly recommend this one (affiliate link). I've been using it for about 10 years!

    Collage showing cupcake batter in tins, baked cupcakes, and baked cupcakes with cores removed

    You can make the white chocolate honey ganache in advance if you want. Otherwise, make it while the cupcakes are baking and then chill it while they’re cooling. Remember, you’ll want your honey cupcakes to be 100% cooled before you spoon the ganache in!

    I pretty much only use Ghirardelli chocolate when it comes to baking these days. It really is the best for melting!

    White chocolate coarsely chopped on cutting board

    And ganache is so, so easy to make. All you have to do is heat the cream, pour it over the chocolate, let it sit for a minute, and then stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Don't forget to add a little honey too for some extra sweet flavor.

    Collage showing process for making White Chocolate Honey Ganache, including white chocolate and honey in bowl, cream heating, and chocolate and cream combined and mixed until smooth

    Then you can spoon that beautiful white chocolate ganache into the cored honey cupcakes!

    Cored cupcakes filled with white chocolate honey ganache

    And whip up a simple buttercream frosting! 

    Mixer bowl with buttercream frosting

    I piped the frosting onto the bee cupcakes with a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M tip to make them look a bit like hives. Then I drizzled the remaining 2 Tbsp honey over the tops. And obviously added some buzzing little bees.

    Isn’t it funny how cute bee themed things are? I mean, they never feature the stinger, do they?

    Head on closeup view of a honey cupcake topped with honey buttercream icing with honey drizzle and little honey bee decorations with more cupcakes on rack blurred in background.

    Nope, they’re so adorable that you just want to cuddle up with them. Kind of. Or at least you want to cuddle up with the bee cupcake. I think. OK fine, hopefully they'll at least encourage you to remember how absolutely wonderful honey bees are and to do whatever you can to keep them alive (even if you're terrified of them).

    These bee cupcakes are absolutely drowning in honey. It’s in the cupcake, in the ganache, and in the frosting. And it added a fun bit of sweetness and flavor to the cupcakes.

    Who doesn’t love a ganache in a cupcake? I usually go with a dark chocolate ganache, but this white chocolate honey one fit the honey cupcakes perfectly.

    Overhead closeup view of a honey cupcake topped with honey buttercream, little honey bee decorations and honey drizzle sitting on a baking rack.

    Yes, I really tried to get a bee hive effect with my frosting. A bee hive with honey dripping out… Because these bees are super busy bees.

    Head on view of a honey cupcake topped with honey buttercream icing with honey drizzle and little honeybee decorations with more cupcakes on rack in background and recipe title at top.

    I really do love these little Wilton decorations. But seriously, if your cupcakes actually do have bees on them (and they totally could with all the honey that’s been loaded in and on these baked goods), be careful. Like, really careful.

    These bees are just icing, which means you can happily eat them without any worry about a stinger to the lip. But honestly, I’d say it’s worth the risk. We'll see if my husband agrees!

    Are you a bee fan? What about honey?

    If you're looking for more fun cupcakes, check out my recipes for Root Beer Float Cupcakes and Funfetti Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes. And for more bee love, check out these adorable Honeycomb Oreo Pops!

    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache -- These white chocolate and honey cupcakes will be the buzz of any warm weather celebration! | wearenotmartha.com #cupcakes #bees #honey #honeybees #white chocolate

    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache

    These Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache are bee-decorated honey cupcakes with a sweet white chocolate honey ganache filling and vanilla buttercream frosting. Don't forget the honey drizzle on top!
    4.75 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Bee Themed Food, Cute Cupcakes, Honey Desserts
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Makes: 12 cupcakes
    Author: We are not Martha

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ Tbsp baking powder
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • ¼ cup, plus 2 Tbsp honey
    • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
    • ½ cup whole milk
    • Wilton bee icing decorations, optional

    White Chocolate Honey Ganache:

    • 4 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped
    • 1 Tbsp honey
    • ¼ cup, plus 1 Tbsp heavy cream

    Vanilla Buttercream:

    • 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 6 cups confectioners' sugar
    • 1 Tbsp vanilla
    • 1 -2 Tbsp whole milk

    Instructions

    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt together.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
    • Add eggs in one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
    • Beat in ¼ cup honey and vanilla extract.
    • With mixer on low speed, beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk. Mix in each addition until just incorporated.
    • Line cupcake tin with 12 papers and fill about ¾ of the way full.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes, until edges are golden and tester comes out clean.
    • Cool cupcakes in tins for a few minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
    • Once cooled, core the center of each cupcake (either with a knife or a cupcake corer) and spoon in about a tablespoon of white chocolate honey ganache.
    • Fit a pastry bag with a 1A pastry tip and fill with vanilla buttercream. Starting at the outside of the cupcake, pipe frosting around, moving toward the center and gently lifting the tip up in the middle.
    • Drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp honey over the tops of the cupcakes and top with bee decorations, if using.

    White Chocolate Honey Ganache

    • Place finely chopped white chocolate in a medium-sized bowl and add honey to bowl.
    • In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream just to a boil.
    • Pour cream over white chocolate and let sit for a minute. Then, stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
    • Cool completely.

    Vanilla Buttercream

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
    • With mixer on low, slowly blend in the powdered sugar, cup by cup until well-combined.
    • Mix in vanilla and 1 Tbsp milk. If buttercream is too thick, add additional Tbsp milk.
    Share a Photo of Your Finished Recipe!Mention @wearenotmartha and share a photo if you've made the recipe!
    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache -- These white chocolate and honey cupcakes will be the buzz of any warm weather celebration! | wearenotmartha.com #cupcakes #bees #honey #honeybees #whitechocolate
    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache -- These white chocolate and honey cupcakes will be the buzz of any warm weather celebration! | wearenotmartha.com #cupcakes #bees #honey #honeybees #whitechocolate
    Honey Bee Cupcakes with White Chocolate Honey Ganache
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Chris says

      May 21, 2015 at 7:29 am

      lol

    2. Justine says

      May 21, 2015 at 8:55 am

      Awesome!!! I have to admit the bees are pretty cute!

    3. Katie says

      May 21, 2015 at 10:11 am

      So these are basically too cute for words. Love them! Need to find an appropriately bee-autiful occasion for them =)

    4. Pam says

      May 21, 2015 at 10:22 am

      They look adorable and tasty!

    5. Leah | So, How's It Taste? says

      May 21, 2015 at 10:31 am

      These are so cute! I love the flavor profile, too!

    6. sarah k @ the pajama chef says

      May 21, 2015 at 11:08 am

      cute! my husband is obsessed with honey...i made a honey buttercream frosting for his bday cake this year. this sounds great!

    7. Danielle says

      May 21, 2015 at 2:41 pm

      These are too cute for words! Not to mention, I love cupcakes that are cored and filled. YUM!

    8. Beth says

      May 21, 2015 at 4:04 pm

      Bee stings are no fun, but I'd definitely take one over a bullet wound!
      And your cupcakes are adorable - love those bee decorations.

    9. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

      May 21, 2015 at 4:42 pm

      These cupcakes are way too cute and sounds so amazing. That honey ganache... needs to happen immediately!

    10. phi at the Sweetphi blog says

      May 21, 2015 at 5:00 pm

      That is hilarious about your husband....but not that he'd throw you in front of a bee lol! These cupcakes look absolutely perfect for a bee themed baby's shower I'm going to! Now off to find those little bees!,

    11. [email protected] says

      May 21, 2015 at 8:02 pm

      It really does look like there is honey dripping out and those little bees are so cute! What a fun cupcake to make. 🙂

    12. Tandy | Lavender and Lime says

      May 22, 2015 at 2:44 am

      I am so going to make the ganache! And I am not a fan of bees either 🙂

    13. Joanne says

      May 22, 2015 at 7:57 am

      Soooooo these are the cutest things. EVER EVER EVER. I just want to hug them! (And then eat them. All of them.)

    14. [email protected] says

      May 22, 2015 at 11:50 am

      Girl these are the cutest cupcakes ever!!! Love them!

    15. Sam~SugarSpunRun says

      May 22, 2015 at 12:46 pm

      These are absolutely adorable! Love the whole bumblebee theme throughout!

    16. Annie @ The Garlic Diaries says

      May 23, 2015 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      These are adorable! Not to mention delicious. Love it!

    17. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

      May 24, 2015 at 3:29 pm

      How cute and I'm sure yummy.

    18. Victoria says

      May 28, 2015 at 4:22 pm

      These are so adorable! I bet they taste awesome too, but seriously, the bee and honey theme is just perfect. On a side note, I totally get your husband's batman reference. I suppose what you fear somehow makes you stronger... or something 🙂

    19. Katie says

      December 04, 2015 at 2:38 am

      5 stars
      Im did a presentation on Winnie the Pooh bear for my class and I saw these and thought they would be perfect! The class loved them! For sure worth the effort and time, so cute and tasty!

    20. LisaR. says

      April 23, 2016 at 6:00 am

      LOVE these cupcakes - they look so delicious! : )

    21. MICHALLA says

      September 22, 2016 at 9:55 am

      I've been making these for coworkers. Instead of adding the ganache I add fresh lavender to the buttercream and I cut out half the powder sugar. People can't get enough of them!

    22. Ameena says

      March 13, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Hi. So I want to try this recipe this week. In order not to make any mistakes, I'm assuming 'T' means tablespoon and 't' means teaspoon. And 'C' means cup. Thank you...

    23. Sues says

      March 13, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      @Ameena- Yes! That is correct. I hope you enjoy the cupcakes!!

    24. Annie @ Annie's Noms says

      April 01, 2018 at 5:50 am

      OMG - cannot get over how cute these are!! The little bees are adorable!

    25. Joanie says

      April 03, 2018 at 11:05 am

      5 stars
      These are the most adorable cupcakes and that ganache is heavenly!

    26. Jenn L says

      April 03, 2018 at 12:08 pm

      5 stars
      Could these be any cuter?! Loving all the process shots here as it helps this baking newbie LOTS! Great recipe!

    27. Michelle says

      May 08, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      Hi!
      Does the ganache firm up at all or does pour out the second you take a bite or does the cupcake soak it all up? Looking to make these for a work party. Thanks!

    28. Sues says

      May 09, 2018 at 9:05 am

      @Michelle- Hello! The ganache should harden as long as you keep the cupcakes in a cool place before serving! I hope you enjoy them 🙂

    29. Jess says

      October 29, 2018 at 6:21 pm

      Hi there,
      These look amazing! Just a quick question - Have you doubled this recipe before and/or know whether it can be easily doubled? I know some recipes are a bit more finnicky when it comes to doubling. Thanks!

    30. Sues says

      October 30, 2018 at 8:46 am

      Hi @Jess! I've never doubled this recipe, but I don't think it should be a problem at all. Just make sure you take care not to over-mix the batter 🙂 I hope you enjoy!

    31. Chris says

      March 14, 2019 at 12:09 pm

      I made these for a baby shower but they stuck so bad to the cupcake liners that they just fell apart when trying to take the paper off ?, what did I do wrong I have never had that happen?

    32. Sues says

      March 14, 2019 at 12:22 pm

      @Chris- I'm sorry that this happened! There are a few reasons cupcakes can stick to the liners- one is if you let the cupcakes cool in the pan for too long instead of moving them to metal racks to cool completely (the extra heat in the pan causes moisture, which causes sticking). Some cupcake liners just aren't high-quality enough and tend to do this (sometimes you just have to experiment or look at online reviews, but I tend to have good luck with Wilton and Reynolds and some people swear by silicone or parchment paper liners). You can always spray your liners with cooking spray if you want to guarantee avoiding this. I hope that helps!!

    33. Kylie says

      October 28, 2019 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      These cupcakes are amazing! Super moist and the frosting is delicious. I did end up adding the extra milk because the frosting was a little thick.

    34. Lauren says

      August 23, 2020 at 12:07 am

      Hi there, does the honey topping melt the frosting or generally become gooey after some time? I’m thinking of making these ahead of time for a party but could maybe hold off on the honey topping until right before?

    35. Sues says

      August 23, 2020 at 10:58 pm

      @Lauren- I'm not positive what would happen, but I do think for best results you should add the honey right before serving 🙂

    36. Henny says

      August 16, 2021 at 10:33 pm

      Can these cupcakes be frozen?

    37. Sues says

      August 17, 2021 at 10:33 am

      Hi Henry! If you're planning to freeze these, I'd definitely do it before you frost them and then frost them right before you're ready to serve (the ganache filling will be OK in the freezer, so you can feel free to fill). If you already frosted them and just want to freeze the leftovers, they should be fine, but the frosting may just not be as fresh and tasty once they're thawed. Just make sure they're in an airtight container!

    Trackbacks

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