Easter Bird Nest Cupcakes

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 18 muffin cups or line with paper liners.

Step 2
Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, 1/2 cup butter, sugar, eggs, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a bowl. Beat with an electric blender until batter is evenly blended.

Step 3
Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full.

Step 4
Bake in the preheated oven until tops spring back when lightly pressed, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

Step 5
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Beat 3/4 cup butter in a bowl with an electric blender until light and fluffy. Add 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar alternately with 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk. Add vanilla extract. Beat frosting until it has a spreading consistency, adding more confectioners' sugar or milk as needed.

Step 6
Transfer chocolate buttercream to a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a round nest onto each cupcake. Sprinkle nest with chocolate sprinkles and place 3 mini chocolate eggs into each nest.